As a members’ organisation, the Honourable Company of Air Pilots can only contribute across the spectrum of its philanthropic endeavours effectively thanks to the dedication and commitment of a small number of volunteers.  One of those volunteers worthy of special mention is Liveryman Zoe Gell.

Professionally, Gell started flying helicopters with the RAF, before gaining her ATPL(H), and moving into the North Sea offshore support role, initially with Babcock MCS flying the AW 139.

Gell joined the Company in 2014, and almost immediately got actively involved supporting its activities, principally on the education and training aspects of its work, and especially the vitally important role of introducing young people into the world of aviation, especially at the elementary gliding stage.  She started helping to sift the many hundreds of applications received annually for the PPL Scholarships.  Winning one of these awards is a life-changing event, and therefore choosing the best applicants to go through to the next phase of selection is an onerous task. 

In 2017 joined the Aviation Careers and Education Committee and took on the role of the Air Pilots’ Youth Gliding Scheme coordinator.  In this voluntary post, she was responsible for all of the administrative and management work that is involved matching school applications with funding and then finding and allocating the appropriate gliding schools for around 350 students each year.  Once the large moving parts are in place, then there is a huge amount of work dealing with the ongoing questions, organisation and requirements managing such a sizeable scheme.  From chasing teachers for payments and consent forms, to ensuring that gliding schools have the appropriate safeguarding protections in place.

During this period, Gell also became a key member of the Air Pilots’ small Livery Schools Link (LSL) team. LSL is a Livery-based charity that puts young people in touch with practitioners of the Livery professions. It is aimed mostly at those students from underprivileged backgrounds, who do not have role models or aspirations they deserve.  Gell’s specialisation here, was planning and managing the Company’s contribution to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, by organising the loan of expedition equipment to schoolchildren who would otherwise not be able to participate in the scheme.  The scheme is an excellent vehicle for building skills, confidence and self-esteem, especially in the deserving groups of young people that the Company targeted to help.

Whilst holding these posts, Gell served two tours as vice chair of the Aviation Careers and Education Committee, and between 2020 and 2023, Gell served as an Assistant to the Court.  All of this work she did, whilst living in the North of Scotland, so that any in-person meeting was both a significant effort and financial cost.  Gell also served as secretary of the RAeS Airpower Group and was a Member of the RAeS Council from 2018-2021; and although not relevant to this award, this does underline her dedication and commitment to aviation.

In 2023, Gell moved to CHC Helicopters, still based in Aberdeen, where she not only transitioned onto a new type, the bigger and more complex Sikorsky S92, but very soon was selected to take up a new role as a training captain.  She sustained her Air Pilots’ work for some time, but eventually the combination of workload and distance meant that she had to progressively step back from her voluntary roles, finally giving up the gliding coordination role in early 2025.

The fact that delivery of the gliding scheme is now divided between three individuals does not undermine their commitment and effort, but rather demonstrates just how much time and energy that Gell gave to the Company during her tenure.  Over more than a decade of dedicated voluntary service, she has significantly advanced the educational and outreach aims of the Company, enabling aviation opportunities for hundreds of young people while giving exceptional time, energy and leadership in support of the Company’s activities.  Zoe has undoubtedly demonstrated meritorious service to the Company over an extended period, delivering opportunities for young people and raising the name and fame of our Company with many external organisations, for which she is awarded the Sir Alan Cobham Memorial Award.

... of the Award of Merit

1959/60   E B Trubshaw Esq

1960/61   Wg Cdr C E F Arthur AFC

1961/62   awarded twice:
      C L Pashley Esq MBE AFC
      Gp Capt H A Purvis DFC AFC

1964/65   C A Nepean Bishop Esq

1965/66   Miss Sheila Scott

1966/67   C C H Dash Esq

1968 - 1970  not wardeded

1970/71   Mrs V Dowling

1971/72   E Day Esq

1973   not awarded

1973/74  awarded twice:
      Lt Col R Smith ERD
     Sir Frederick Tymms KCIE MC

1974/75  awarded twice:
       L A Wingfield Esq MC DFC
      Captain J E Futcher

1975/76   Captain R E Gillman DFC

1976/77   A P W Cane Esq

1977/78   J L B Cowan Esq

1979 - 1980   not awarded

1980/81   Captain Brian Powell

1981/82   Captain Jack Nicholl

1982/83   Robert Pooley Esq

1984   not awarded

1984/85   W T F Rossiter Esq

1986   not awarded

1986/87   Captain Charles A Owens LVO

1987/88   Captain John D Mackellar

1988/89   Cyril (Ray) Jeffs Esq OBE

1989/90   Captain Neville Grady

1991   not awarded

1991/92   Captain Maurice R Aries

1993 - 1994  not awarded

1994/95   Raymond Baxter Esq

1995/96   The late Ronald D Campbell Esq MBE

1996/97   Dr Michael Bagshaw

1997/98   Past Master Fred S Stringer

1998/99   Hugh O Field Esq

1999/2000   Captain Ray Heiniger

2000/01   Captain Clive E Elton

2001/02   Captain Jack G L Smith 

2002/03   Captain C L Hodgkinson

2003/04   Captain John B Robinson

2004/05   Captain John Mason

2005/06   Michael J A Glover

2006/07  Captain David Martin

2007/08   John W Kessey

2008/09  Captain Richard (Dick) Felix

2009/10  Captain Ian Frow

2011  not awarded

2011/12  John Stuart Burley Esq OBE FRAeS

2013  not awarded

2014  Ronald Price

2015  not awarded

... of the Sir Alan Cobham Memorial Award

2016   not awarded

2017  awarded twice:
      David C Curgenven
      Peter Adrian Bird

2018  awarded twice:
      Donna Farquhar
      Captain Barry Mitchell

2019  Ruth M Cundy

2020  Will Wright and Becky Kwo

2021  not awarded

2022  Past Master Captain Peter L Buggé 

2023  Reverend Dr Richard Waugh QSM

2024  David and Shirley Hasler

2025  Past Master Captain David R Mauleverer OStJ FRAeS FRIN