About us

What goes on at

the Loughborough Branch

of the Royal Aeronautical Society?

RAeS Branches are generally located within areas of aerospace activity, often near - and with the support of - manufacturing industry, research centres, military bases, airports, educational establishments and so on.  Our nearest neighbours are the branches at Birmingham, Coventry, Derby and Nottingham.

A Leicester branch was established in 1945 but, as its activity was declining by 1966, it then became the Loughborough Branch with the backing of the growing Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering Department of Loughborough University - on whose campus we still hold all our meetings (click here to locate the venue).  Before that time there was rather more aeronautical activity in the region than is the case today: however there are still a few centres - click here or go to the 'Links' page to visit their websites (and others of general interest). The Branch operates under a set of rules which can be read and downloaded here: Branch Rules.

Throughout the half century since its foundation the Branch has seen various levels of activity but for the last 25 years a full programme has been maintained and support has been strong: currently lecturers may be attendend live in the lecture theatre or online via MS Teams.   Lectures are normally scheduled at monthly intervals between October and April or May and visits to sites of interest are arranged occasionally.  Some lectures are arranged in collaboration with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Loughborough Students Union Flying Club.  In 2014 the branch established an annual Prestige Lecture to honour the memory of Professor Elfyn Richards, Hon FRAeS, aeronautical scientist and past Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University.

Programme details are made available to all our supporters before the start of each lecture season. For the current lecture schedule, go to the 'Programme' page.   Minutes of the last five years’ annual general meetings can be read and downloaded here: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 2023. Earlier years’ minutes are available on request.

The branch is run by a local committee, the current members of which are listed on the Contacts page. If you would be interested in helping out, please get in touch with one of them at a meeting or use the  on-line form on the Contacts page.

To fund its activities, the Branch obtains a grant from the RAeS.  But, as we have no other institutional sponsors to supplement this, we have to raise additional funds from our supporters.  Attendance at lectures is free to RAeS members and to students but others are invited to make a donation of at least £3 at each attendance.  Alternatively those others can become associated Branch Members in return for an annual payment of £15.   To find out how to participate, click here.

Photo: Loughborough University

Page last updated  18 August 2023