In 1982 the founder of Robinson Helicopters, Frank Robinson, was delighted that a large proportion of sales were to pilots who had been taught on the R22 (his first design) and then decided to buy so they were in general very low hour pilots.  He had the foresight to realise that it was essential for the continuing success of his fledgling company building this relatively cheap machine, affordable to the many as opposed to the few, to ensure the pilots were properly trained both at the initial stage but just as importantly, on a continuing basis. 

Tim Tucker purchased R22 s/n 003 for his helicopter flight school, and almost immediately Frank appointed him to start and then run until this present day, some 35 years later, the very well-regarded Robinson factory sponsored 4-day Safety Course; Tim has now had over 18,000 attendees on these courses.  His first overseas course was in 1992 in South Africa and since then he has run a further well in excess of 120 overseas courses, in 35 countries and 57 cities over the intervening years.  In the words of one UK editor/pilot, who has twice undertaken this course, “Tim has turned the course into the gold standard in the field.  He has a well-practised knack of hitting the nail on the head and making the ‘student’ think deeply about why you do what you do”.  The Executive Chairman of a major helicopter training and maintenance organisation is quoted as saying “Tim Tucker has probably done more for helicopter safety than any man alive.  He has mentored with compassion every junior pilot he has ever met”. 

In addition to his distinguished work with Robinson, Tim has authored many articles and books on safety too numerous to mention in this citation and has received several prestigious awards and four FAA Certificates of Recognition.  He has been instrumental in promoting the Vuichard technique for Vortex Ring recovery, a major cause of helicopter accidents. Over his 37 years with the US Army (active and reserve) he achieved a multitude of Awards and Decorations, and sits on the US Helicopter Safety Team Executive Committee.  The richness and depth of his ‘Tim Tucker’s Helicopter World’ website gives the reader an insight into the concepts and principles that Tim continues to expound.  He is a very deserving winner of the Cumberbatch Trophy.

1936/37  Imperial Airways
Sqn Ldr H G Brackley DSO DSC, F J Bailey Esq, W Rodgers Esq AFM, F Dismore Esq,
LA Walters Esq, H J Horsey Esq, O P Jones Esq, A S Wilcockson Esq, A B H Youell Esq

1937/38  Olley Air Services
Captain G P Olley MM, T W Morton Esq, C W H Bebb Esq, F R Midgley Esq, R D Morrison Esq,
J Dendy Esq, G E B Stoney Esq, J E B Scott Esq

1938/39  Messers Wrightways Ltd
J W Duggan Esq, F Brent Esq, P C Fair Esq, G G Stead Esq

1948/49  Air Cdre H G Brackley CBE DSO DSC

1949/50  Aer Lingus

1950/51  No. 3 Line B.O.A.C.

1951/52  Tasman Empire Airways Limited

1952/53  Professor E S Calvert BSc ARSc

1953/54  British West Indian Airways

1954/55  Silver City Airways Ltd

1955/56  Captain W B Calldwell & Captain E W Jorden and Flying Staff, British European Airways, Channel Islands Services

1956/57  Malayan Airways Limited

1957/58  Trans-Australian Airlines

1959/60  James Martin Esq CBE

1960/61  Royal Air Force, Institute of Aviation Medicine

1961/62  Aden Airways Limited

1962/63  D P Davies Esq

1963/64  Blind Landing Experimental Unit of the Royal Aircraft Establishment

1964/65  John Wright Gibbs Esq MBE (posthumous)

1965/66  Britannia 102 + 312 Flights BOAC

1966/67  Dr E S Calvert OBE & J W Sparks Esq

1967/68  W E B Griffiths Esq CBE

1968/69  J A Karran Esq OBE

1969/70  Captain E N Jennings MBE DFC

1970/71  Qantas Airways Limited

1971/72  Captain Frank Ormonroyd DFM MA & Captain Eric L R Poole

1972/73  John W Wilson Esq

1973/74  J F M Moyle Esq

1974/75  John Henri Grant Esq

1975/76  S Gordon Corps Esq

1976/77  Joint Airmiss Working Group (Chairman: Group Captain David Hughes DFC AFC)

1978  not awarded

1978/79  Captain Frank H Hawkins

1979/80  Captain Philip Brentnall DFC

1980/81  John Michael Ramsden Esq

1981/82  VC10 Flight of British Airways

1982/83  Captain T L J Lakin W H Grice Esq Captain P J Hunt (British Airways 'All Weather' Team)

1984 - 1989  not awarded

1989/90  Qantas Airways Limited

1991 - 1992  not awarded

1992/93  Ronald Ashford Esq

1993/94  Ken M Carpenter PhD

1994/95  William D Reynard Esq

1995/96  British Airways Safety Services

1996/97  Don Bateman Esq

1998  not awarded

1999/2000  John Thorpe MRAeS

2000/01  R Curtis Graeber PhD FRAeS

2001/02  S Eric Clark BSc CEng FRAeS

2003  not awarded

2003/04  Alan R Jacobsen PhD

2004/05  Stuart Mathews

2005/06  Kathy Abbott PhD MSc FRAeS

2007 - 2010  not awarded

2010/11  James Ray Klinect PhD and the LOSA Collaborative

2011/12  Harbour Air Seaplanes

2013 - 2014  not awarded

2014/15  Hugh Browning

2016   not awarded

2017  Cdr Ian S Fitter RN

2018  Michael O'Donoghue CBE

2019  WOI Peter R Balcomb AAC

2020  Master Air Engineer Stephen Hammond

2021  Tim Tucker