Secondly, the Kingston Aviation Heritage Trust has doggedly survived years of frustration but under the Chairmanship of Les Palmer is determined to find a way forward. Ambrose was sure that Members would wish the Association to support both these enterprises.
    Being conscious of the pleasure that the Association's activities, its Newsletter and Website continue to give, Ambrose thanked all those responsible. He also thanked Mike Hoskins for his past years as Hon Treasurer, and Martin Pennell for stepping into Mike's shoes. Special thanks were also due to Harry Fraser-Mitchell for his help in launching the Association but who is now regretfully stepping down from the Committee for health reasons.
    Our Secretary, Barry Pegram, spoke next, firstly reminding us that sadly we had lost thirteen Members deceased since the last AGM: Bob Coles, David Cooper, Roger Dabbs, 'Doc' Holliday, Trevor Jordan, Bill Marshall, Douglas Realff, Elizabeth Roscoe-Pond, Jack Simmonds, Sadie Simmonds, Don Smith, Mike Stroud, and Herbert Valk.
    Nevertheless current membership was 371, just 5 down from last year (and 6 up on the previous year). Of these 67.6% were 'local', 27.3% were 'distant' and 5.1% were overseas; of these 15% were working and 13.4% (49) were ladies. In fact the rate of growth had been fairly steady since 2005. The most popular speaker had been George Black (57 attendees), followed by Al Merriman. Average attendance at talks had been a very creditable 50.
    Martin Pennell presented the Accounts for the period 1 January to 31 December 2008. Our finances, he reported, are healthy, with £5072 in the bank at the end of the period. Our income for the year had been £4271 and our expenditure £3090 so there was no need to increase the subscriptions which can remain at £5. (Have you paid ? Ed.)
    The Secretary noted a number of points made by Members during the discussion after which Jim Morely demonstrated his remarkable little flying model Harrier. Video
    Jim makes the profile-type body, wings and tail unit which are attached to a Snelflight frame mounting four co-rotating electrically powered lifting fans controlled either by an infra-red or radio transmitter, the former for indoor use, the latter for outdoors. The power of each fan is varied to provide roll, pitch, yaw and height control, half the available power being used for hover, the other half for control. Flight duration is 7 - 8 minutes per charge.
    A left hand lever on the hand-held transmitter is pushed forward for up and left or right for yaw. A right hand lever is moved forward or backwards for nose-down and nose-up pitch, and left or right for left or right roll.
    Jim flew both IR and RC and demonstrated great precision in his handling of the little aircraft. Jim was an engineer at Vickers but eventually set up his own business, Morley Models, producing helicopter kits. He was a pioneer helicopter modeller, building the first to have collective pitch control. The Snelflight airframe sells for £65 and Jim's Harrier 'bodywork' for £9.95. For more information go to www.snelflight.co.uk.
    So ended a very enjoyable Annual General Meeting with the Association set for another good year!