Council Members

Member Special Projects - Captain O W (Wally) Epton

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Chairman - Captain O W (Wally) EptonWally Epton began his Royal Air Force career as an aircraft apprentice at Halton and completed flying training at the RAF College Cranwell. He served for 20 years before retiring in 1978 as a Squadron Leader.

Tours of Duty with the RAF included flying Strike/Ground Attack B-15 Canberras, C-130 and HS125 Dominie navigation trainers. Wally also flew as a display pilot with the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for 3 years flying Spitfires and Hurricanes, and was an early member of the HAA with the founders in 1981.

For the past 28 years, Wally has flown as a business jet pilot concentrating on the Hawker 125 and Challenger CL-604 series worldwide. He currently holds UK, JAA and FAA ATP’s with over 13,500 flight hours. Wally spent nearly 10 years flying in Australia before transferring back to the UK and renewing his links with the HAA.

He flies vintage, historic and heritage aircraft for fun and, between 1972 and 1981, was a display pilot flying a variety of types. As well as the Spitfire and Hurricane, Wally has the ME108 Taifun plus 4 De Havilland design types - Tiger Moth, Dragon Rapide, Chipmunk and, of course, the HS125 Dominie, on his licence. He has also displayed the Varsity and the Morane Saulnier MS733, as well as the Boeing Stearman. Wally is a Flight Instructor on light aircraft and enjoys teaching aerobatics on the Chippie.

A Liveryman in the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) serving as Master Elect to the Court with Freedom of The City of London, and a Master Air Pilot. The normal progression will see Wally as Master of GAPAN in 2011. Also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and sits on various committees serving General and Historic Aviation.

Wally also enjoys motor sports, rowing, tennis, and golf.

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