Former Ayr Rugby Club forward wins aviation award

Nov 21 2008

A FORMER Scottish Aviation apprentice and Ayr Rugby Club forward has won one of the most prestigious trophies in aviation.

Ron Tannock, originally from Mauchline, but now living in retirement in Auckland, New Zealand, flew home to Britain recently to accept the Jean Batten Memorial Trophy, in recognition of his contribution to aviation in New Zealand.

Jean Batten, known as “The Greta Garbo of the skies” was a contemporary of pioneering female pilots Emelia Erheart and Amy Johnson, but is considered in aviation circles to have been a superior pilot. She made historic and well-publicised long-distance solo flights in the thirties and played a major role in establishing New Zealand’s aviation industry.

She was a liveryman of GAPAN, the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, a London livery company, whose Grand Master is HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York.

The citation says: “In a career in excess of 50 years, Ron Tannock is without peer in his breadth and depth of experience and professional effectiveness through the most-senior levels in the airline industry”.

At Cumnock Academy he was a formidable rugby player.

On leaving school he joined Scottish Aviation as an apprentice aeronautical designer.

Ron received a BSc (Hons) degree in aeronautical engineering from the Royal College of Science and Technology in Glasgow (now Strathclyde University) in 1962 and while at SAL he worked on the early Prestwick Twin Pioneers. He still has an association with this aircraft, publishing occasional newsletters on the Twin Pi.

After a short spell with De Havilland at Hatfield, outside London, he emigrated to New Zealand in 1965, joining the National Airways Corporation.

Ron became Operational Director of Air New Zealand’s International Division, before he joined the board of the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, becoming chairman prior to retirement.

He is a past president of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s New Zealand branch and is still involved in aviation research projects.

Whilst home Ron and his wife Rhondda took the opportunity to visit his sister Liz, who lives in Cumnock but he was disappointed at not having time to look in at Millbrae. He keeps a close eye on the rugby club’s progress and even 12,000 miles away, is relishing their current outstanding form at the top of the Premiership.

Ron said: “I was particularly honoured, as someone with an engineering background, to receive this award from an aircrew organisation – it’s been a long haul from Prestwick to here, but an enjoyable one”.