The Pike Trophy

Awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to civil flying instruction.
(amended Terms of Reference 2019)

2022 Awarded to:  Anthony Mollison

Anthony started his career working for several well-known companies in marketing, having graduated from the University of Durham with a BSc and then gained a MBA from Cranfield School of Management.  He acquired a recreational PPL in his early thirties and after being made redundant in 1987, he decided to pursue training for a commercial licence.

MOLLISON AnthonyHe worked as a flight instructor for several years and then took over Greenclose Aviation, a small commercial training school at Bournemouth in 1993. He renamed the company Professional Air Training (PAT) and over the following 24 years, he built up an enviable reputation for high quality instruction with excellent first-time pass results. He had become an FE(PPL) in 1995, then an IRR Examiner with PT Ops privileges the following year. As Director and Head of Training at PAT, Anthony was responsible for the development of quality training materials and specialist training techniques ensuring the maintenance of a consistently high level of instruction. Students who were struggling elsewhere often turned to Anthony, as his individual attention to each student’s progress was legendary.  During the establishment of CTC Aviation, Anthony also acted as a Consultant and CFI for their facility at Bournemouth.

Anthony was appointed as an IRE in 2006 and following the CAA’s internal restructuring of examiner training, Anthony was invited by the CAA to set up a specialised Flight Training Organisation for the training of GA professional flight examiners. As this was a new departure for the CAA, who had not out-sourced such training before, it was clear recognition of the esteem in which the CAA held Anthony and his standards.

Thus, in 2006, Flight Examiner Training (FET) was established, which offers the full range of CAA-Approved SPA Flight Examiner Standardisation courses, providing a personal service, with tailored training programmes to suit every examiner’s individual needs. FET also provides Examiner Refresher Courses, both at Bournemouth and at Andrewsfield in conjunction with Carol Cooper.  Anthony continues to be deeply involved in training, especially of GA examiners and provides a unique and valuable service to the industry.

Anthony’s standards and individual care for each student are well-known throughout the industry and his devotion to quality for over 30 years, during which time he has flown over 11,500 hours in light aircraft, virtually all instruction and examining, makes him a worthy recipient of the Pike Trophy.

Previous Winners:

1963/64  L V Worsdell Esq

1964/65  Captain Charles William Cowan Hamilton

1966  not awarded

1966/67  J W (Peter) Peckowski Esq AFC ARAeS

1967/68  Rex A Smith Esq

1969  not awarded

1969/70  Captain F Kirk

1970/71  W H W Lucas Esq

1971/72  Captain C W Sweetman

1972/73  A E Bramson Esq

1973/74  E Claxton Esq

1974/75  Captain Douglas E Batten AFC DFM

1975/76  Captain R R Critchley

1977 - 197  not awarded

1978/79  Captain J Varley

1979/80  James John Forbes (Hamish) Logan Esq

1980/81  Miss Joan Lily Amelia Hughes MBE

1981/82  F C Hector Taylor Esq DFM

1982/83  Sqn Ldr R T Bowring AFC

1984   not awarded

1984/85  Sqn Ldr John B Gratton RAF (Rtd)

1985/86  Sidney Harry Parker Esq

1986/87  Colin Beckwith Esq

1987/88  F J Loveridge Esq

1988/89  John K Hill Esq

1989/90  Sqn Ldr R J Cutler

1990/91  Harry A A Smeulders Esq

1991/92  Captain P W Kennedy

1993  not awarded

1993/94  Captain Donald G (Archie) Kinch DFM

1994/95  Peter F C A Thorn Esq

1995/96  John C Cole Esq

1997  not awarded

1997/98  Harvey R Britten Esq

1998/99  Captain Leonard James Otley

1999/2000  Captain Peter David Godwin FRIN

2000/01  Captain Thomas Michael Dyson

2001/02  Michael Arthur (Rufus) Heald Esq MBE

2003  not awarded

2003/04  Captain George Arthur Bedford

2004/05  William Frederick Arthur (Bill) Ison

2005/06 Captain Andrew Gutteridge

2007  not awarded

2007/08  Richard William Kenneth Snell

2008/09  Captain Richard "Dickie" Bird

2009/10  Ian Bain Mackie

2010/11  Mark Woodhouse

2011/12  Gp Capt Christopher E Gould

2012/13  Andrew Dunstan

2014 - 2015  not awarded

2016  Captain Philip G Mathews MAP

2017  Piers Hugh Smerdon

2018  not awarded

2019  awarded twice: 
      Dorothy Saul-Pooley
      Carol Louise Cooper

2020  not awarded

2021  Primo Lonzardi

2022  Anthony Mollison