Noel Baker

With the end of the first year of the third millennium in sight, I now take on the mantle for the next twenty-four months, but for many of the members the question is 'Who is this guy'. So here comes the potted life history.

Born in Raynes Park, South West London on Christmas Eve 1953 and christened 'Noel William Baker'.  Educated in Wimbledon - and no I am not a tennis fan - where I took an interest in aviation. Followed in my fathers footsteps and went into engineering, completed a three year apprenticeship with British Telecom specialising in telegraphs and data transmission.  Became a keen glider pilot at Lasham in Hampshire in my spare time and naturally started instructing achieving a Gold C and a Diamond.  Having achieved the top grade as an engineer by 25 - I was bored.  Decided to fly for a living instead and during the next five years went from PPL to Flight Instructor and on to CPL I/R.

At the age of thirty left BT and took the first of many jobs (fourteen so far) flying initially a single crew Trislander on the night post.  Passed through a number of small companies flying Shorts, HS125 and then onto the first Airline, Orion, operating a B737 in 1989.  Since then I worked for Air Europe, Excalibur, Airtours and now GB Airways flying B737, A320 & DC10 (in no particular order).

I was out of work for a year after Air Europe (the best company I worked for) when I took on the unpaid job of running the 'Air Europe Pilots Register' and yes I was made redundant again on the collapse of Excalibur.  Achieved the first proper command on the B737 with GB and now sit in the left seat of their first Airbus based at Gatwick.

Jim Longstaff asked me to help found the IPA in 1992, I became one of the founding members and now I am the last of the original committee still serving.

I am married with two delightful (sometimes) daughters aged 8 &10. I still instruct at Biggin Hill with Alouette Flying Club on the days off (also their Safety officer and company director).  When not at Biggin Hill, you can find me messing about in my sailing boat at Chichester Harbour, working with the Air Cadets (Flt Lt. RAFVRT) around Dorking, hassling Trevor and the staff down at Haywards Heath or even flying for GB.