It is with great sadness that we report the death of our former Chairman, Robin Gowler, Fellow. Robin passed away peacefully at home on Friday 8th December with his wife Poppy at his side.
Robin began experimenting with radio control in the 1940s. Thirty years later, Robin joined the Ramsey Model Aero Club and progressed from Chief Examiner to Chairman. Under his Chairmanship the club blossomed to 165 members. Robin later became the Club’s President.
Robin’s long involvement at National level began in 1978 when he was elected to the SMAE Radio Control Technical Committee. He was subsequently elected Honorary Treasurer of the BMFA and also served as the Co-ordinator of the Power Nationals.
He went on to control the RC Power Achievement Scheme and to chair the Scale Technical Committee. He was Team Manager of the successful GBR Scale Team for the 1999 FAI European Championships and the 2000 FAI World Championships. Robin continued as an active Scale Judge and international FAI Jury member until recent years.
For his outstanding contribution to model flying, Robin was elected to the Fellowship of the SMAE in 1989. In 2001 Robin was elected as Chairman of the BMFA, a post he held for 12 years.
Throughout his long involvement with model flying, Robin was also a strong supporter of the Royal Aero Club and chaired its Awards Committee from 2010 to 2018.
We will share details of funeral arrangements once known, but in the interim we are sure members will join us in sending our sincere condolences to his wife Poppy and daughters Suzanne and Polly, son-in-law Carlos, and grandson Nick and his wife Eni.