IAN GALLACHER - ROYAL AERO CLUB CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
RAF Shawbury Gliding Club (RSGC) are delighted that CFI Ian Gallacher has been awarded a Royal Aero Club Award Certificate of Merit in recognition of his service to the causes of aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular. This is fantastic recognition for Ian who is widely known both in the UK and wider gliding community.
Ian joined the Royal Air Force in 1979 retiring after 30 years that saw him work on Hunters, Hawks, Phantoms, Buccaneers, Tornados, Chinooks, and Mi8 helicopters amongst others. His service saw him deployed to Germany, Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia.
In retirement he can be found at RAF Cosford delivering Human Factors and Error Management Training to both Apprentices and Staff. He also delivers Pt 66 Module 9 Human Factors Training on behalf of the British Gliding Association.
Ian started gliding at RAF Brawdy, Preseli RAFGSA Gliding Club and was sent solo in 1980. He then flew at many other clubs, achieving his Assistant Cat Instructor rating whilst at Anglia RAFGSA GC at RAF Wattisham in 1985. Ian first flew at RFGSA Wrekin GC 1993 to 1999 when he took a break whilst serving on RAFAT. In 2003 Ian was posted to the RAFGSA Centre RAF Bicester where he gained his Full Cat Instructor Rating, PPL and SLMG licenses. He progressed on to become a SLMG Instructor and a Mountain Glider Instructor and he has acted as CFI/DCFI on twelve Gliding Expeditions to the French Alps. He also became a Glider/SLMG Inspector.
Ian started his aerobatic career at Bicester and won the Dan Smiths Aerobatic Gliding Competition at Dunstable GC on his first attempt at competition flying. He flew his first public display at RAF Cosford Air Show in 2006 and has now flown at approximately 250 airshows throughout UK, EU and the Middle East, he is one of only four glider pilots worldwide that have flown off the Palm Airstrip in Dubai.
Ian is the CFI at RAF Shawbury GC. He is the Senior Aerobatic Coach for the BGA and flies with the Airborne Pyrotechnics Display Team. He was awarded RAFGSA Member of the Year in 2023, in 2024 he was awarded Life Membership to the RAFGSA.
RAFGSA Member of the Year in 2023
Never more at ease than when passing on his knowledge and experience to the younger generations, the success of RSGC’s Mechanics Endowment Fund (MEF) Gliding Bursary Programme, supported by the RAF Central Fund, that sees young service personnel at RAF Shawbury and RAF Cosford learn to fly at modest cost is all down to Ian’s drive and enthusiasm.
For his extraordinary contribution to gliding and public awareness of air sport over several decades, Ian is a deserving recipient of a Royal Aero Club Award Certificate of Merit. The Awards Ceremony will take place at the Royal Air Force Club, Piccadilly, London in May.
