Monthly Talks Programme

These take place on the last Thursday of each month at 19:30 (No Talks are held in August and December). The price for Talks at the Fleet Air Arm Museum for 2026 is £6.00.  We are continuing to improve the standard of our live Zoom option with the aim of widening the audience for these talks.  The cost for this option is £4.00.

Access for Thursday evening Talks at the Fleet Air Arm Museum is via the ground floor access gate, which is to the left of the main entrance stairs. Ring the bell on the sign to the left of the gate and a staff member will come and let you in.

Guests and non members are very welcome at the Museum or on Zoom.  Tea/Coffee, Wine and Soft Drinks are available for a donation in the FAAM Auditorium before the presentation starts and also in the interval.

These are very popular events and we encourage you to purchase tickets beforehand to ensure entry. Entry is possible on the door of the night of the Talk but only if the maximum capacity has not been reached.  Pre-paid tickets are guaranteed entry as priority will be given to pre-paid ticket holders. Tickets are available online via PayPal. Other payment options are available by BACS and Cheque. Please note: there is a cut off for purchasing advance tickets two days before the Talk date and time when the PayPal links will be disabled. Any payments received after the cut-off will be held over to the following month’s Talk.

NON SoFFAAM MEMBERS
Are very welcome to our Talks both at the Fleet Air Arm Museum and on Zoom. Consider joining SoFFAAM to get the benefits of entry to the Museum and other society privileges.  See our Membership page HERE.

NB. We do not issue physical tickets. Names will be added to the audience attendance list at the Museum Auditorium. You will be asked for your Surname and checked-in on the night. The same is for Zoom where you will be checked as you log-in.  Zoom links are sent out 48 hours before the talk takes place.

If you would like to be added to the email list for our talks, please contact us. If this link does not open your email browser please mail talks@soffaam.org requesting to be put on the mailing list.

Flying the Typhoon in the RAF with Lt Cdr Danielle Welch RN

Thursday 30 April 2026 at 19:30

From flying gliders to becoming a Typhoon pilot on 3 Squadron RAF.  ‘Danners’ will describe her journey from university and through flight training to becoming a qualified helicopter pilot on Lynx in the Royal Navy. Then the twist of being selected for fixed wing training and secondment to an RAF front line squadron and flying the Typhoon.

Photo is of Danners taking off from 3rd Main Jet Base Konya, Turkey during Anatolian Eagle Exercise 2023.

April 2026 Talk Payment Information.

Members and guests attending at the FAA Museum is £6.00ea and Zoom £4.00ea. You can also pay on the door on the night to see this Talk, but priority will be given to pre-paid tickets if the hall capacity is reached. 

PLEASE NOTE: there is a cut off  for purchasing advanced tickets on the Tuesday prior to the Talk at 19:30.  Any payments received after this time will be held over to the following months Talk.

PayPal

To pay by PayPal for the talk in the Museum, click HERE

We do not issue physical tickets. PayPal informs us you have paid and your name will be added to the audience attendance list at the Museum Auditorium. You will be asked for your Surname and checked-in on the night.

PayPal Zoom

To pay by PayPal for the talk on Zoom, click HERE.

We do not issue physical tickets. PayPal informs us you have paid and your name will be added to the Zoom audience attendance list.

Zoom links will be sent 48 hours ahead of the Talk.  If you have not received one by 24 hours ahead of the Talk, please contact soffaam.joinup@gmail.com

BACS

To attend at the Museum is £6.00. To attend on Zoom is £4.00

BANK: Lloyds Bank plc. Sort Code: 30-99-98 Account No: 00857987

Please reference the payment with your Surname/Apr so we know which talk you are paying for.

For Zoom, you must email soffaam.joinup@gmail.com requesting your Zoom invite.

Zoom links will be sent 48 hours ahead of the Talk.  If you have not received one by 24 hours ahead of the Talk, please contact soffaam.joinup@gmail.com

Cheque

Unfortunately, the Society has taken the tough decision to stop using cheques as payment for any Society activities.

This is due to so many Banks closing and rules changing for charitable organisations making cheques unviable for SoFFAAM.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Canadian Armed Forces: Aviation in the Maritime Domain with Col David Holmes RCAF

Saturday 9 May 2026 at 11:00

Canada is a founder member of NATO. The Canadian Armed Forces have deep and historic ties to the UK and Royal Navy and every May Canada remembers the Battle of the Atlantic. During the Second World War Fleet Air Arm aircrew trained in the safety of Canadian airspace and seven Canadian maritime squadrons served within RAF Coastal Command. The RCN crewed two wartime escort carriers HM Ships Nabob and Puncher before operating three of its own aircraft carriers postwar.
Naval aviation today is the responsibility of the RCAF, which operates alongside NATO allies, including the UK, on missions flown over the Atlantic, High North and Arctic. Long-range oceanic reconnaissance is performed by the CP-140 Aurora MPA and the CH-148 Cyclone ASW helicopter is ship-based. A RCN frigate participated in last year’s HMS Prince of Wales CSG25 deployment and Canada’s newest warship is named Robert Hampton Gray after the 1945 RCNVR Fleet Air Arm pilot posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
Col Holmes began is flying career with 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron on the CH-124 Sea King helicopter and then as an instructor pilot on 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron. He was Project Director Staff Pilot for the Maritime Helicopter Project to introduce the CH-148 Cyclone into RCAF service. In 2014 he assumed command of 423 Squadron, leading the Maritime Helicopter deployable capability on the Atlantic Coast. He has served in various staff roles, including on detachment to USAF Central Command and is currently Air Force Advisor, Canadian Defence Liaison Staff at Canada House, London.

Saturday May 2026 Talk Payment Information.

Members and guests attending at the FAA Museum is £6.00ea, there is no Zoom option for this talk. You can also pay on the door to see this Talk, but priority will be given to pre-paid tickets if the hall capacity is reached. 

PLEASE NOTE: there is a cut off  for purchasing advanced tickets on the Thursday prior to the Talk at 11:10.  Any payments received after this time will be held over to the following months Talk. As a SoFFAAM Member you have free entry to the museum but non-members will have to purchase Muesum entry as well. Click HERE to also purchase a Museum ticket

PayPal

To pay by PayPal for the talk in the Museum, click HERE

We do not issue physical tickets. PayPal informs us you have paid and your name will be added to the audience attendance list at the Museum Auditorium. You will be asked for your Surname and checked-in on the day.

There is no Zoom option for this talk

BACS

To attend at the Museum is £6.00.

BANK: Lloyds Bank plc. Sort Code: 30-99-98 Account No: 00857987

Please reference the payment with your Surname/MaySat so we know which talk you are paying for.

Cheque

Unfortunately, the Society has taken the tough decision to stop using cheques as payment for any Society activities.

This is due to so many Banks closing and rules changing for charitable organisations making cheques unviable for SoFFAAM.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

The Lynx World Speed Record with Chris Holliday

Thursday 28 May 2026 at 19:30

The Westland Lynx, specifically the modified G-LYNX demonstrator, set the official Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world speed record for helicopters at 400.87 km/h (249.10 mph) on August 11, 1986. Flown by Trevor Egginton over the Somerset Levels, this record remains unbroken for conventional helicopters four decades later.

Chris Holliday was one of the team at Westlands who added to the success of G-LYNX with his expertise on blade technology and will describe the build up and flights involved to achieve this still unbroken record.

May 2026 Talk Payment Information.

Members and guests attending at the FAA Museum is £6.00ea and Zoom £4.00ea. You can also pay on the door on the night to see this Talk, but priority will be given to pre-paid tickets if the hall capacity is reached. 

PLEASE NOTE: there is a cut off  for purchasing advanced tickets on the Tuesday prior to the Talk at 19:30.  Any payments received after this time will be held over to the following months Talk.

PayPal

To pay by PayPal for the talk in the Museum, click HERE

We do not issue physical tickets. PayPal informs us you have paid and your name will be added to the audience attendance list at the Museum Auditorium. You will be asked for your Surname and checked-in on the night.

PayPal Zoom

To pay by PayPal for the talk on Zoom, click HERE.

We do not issue physical tickets. PayPal informs us you have paid and your name will be added to the Zoom audience attendance list.

Zoom links will be sent 48 hours ahead of the Talk.  If you have not received one by 24 hours ahead of the Talk, please contact soffaam.joinup@gmail.com

BACS

To attend at the Museum is £6.00. To attend on Zoom is £4.00

BANK: Lloyds Bank plc. Sort Code: 30-99-98 Account No: 00857987

Please reference the payment with your Surname/May so we know which talk you are paying for.

For Zoom, you must email soffaam.joinup@gmail.com requesting your Zoom invite. Please advise your payment is for the March 2026 Talk.

Zoom links will be sent 48 hours ahead of the Talk.  If you have not received one by 24 hours ahead of the Talk, please contact soffaam.joinup@gmail.com

Cheque

Unfortunately, the Society has taken the tough decision to stop using cheques as payment for any Society activities.

This is due to so many Banks closing and rules changing for charitable organisations making cheques unviable for SoFFAAM.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

2026

Thursday 25 June

Flight BA38 – From the Control Tower with Adam Spink

Thursday 30 July

Fairey Barracuda – Stephen White

Thursday 27 August

There is no Talk in August as we are on a summers break

Thursday 24 September

Grumman Piston Engine Fighters with Sqn Ldr (Retd) Rod Dean

Thursday 29 October 2026

Air defence of the UK since 1940 with Sqn Ldr (Retd) Joe Marsden

Thursday 26 November

RAF Air-to-Air Refuelling During and after the Falklands Campaign with Gp Capt (Retd) David Drew

ay 27 November 202