Awarded to the most meritorious student pilot graduating from a college or school of civil or military aviation and nominated by the Principal or Commanding Officer.  Particular consideration will be given to the candidate’s progress during the course, including qualities of character, leadership, involvement in sport, recreation and voluntary service, in addition to flying and academic achievement.

2011/12 awarded to: Glen Robert Harrison

Glen Harrison completed his training at Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA), graduating in October 2011.  Glen won the prize for the best overall student on his course together with the BA Excellence in Air Transport Studies Award.  This is an annual award to the student who excels in the combined disciplines of technical and non-technical training.

Glen possessed fine natural academic talent but was an equally hard worker and consistently produced exemplary ground training results, including eleven full 100% passes in the qualifying JAA exams, with an overall exam average of 97%.  He displayed maturity, friendly common sense and was a delight to teach.  His dedication, not just to his own success, but also to assist his colleagues, was clearly obvious.

Commencing flight training in Goodyear, Arizona, Glen progressed equally well, displaying dedication and no fear of hard work.  He applied himself fully gaining an excellent set of above average progress test results. His instrument flying was exceptionally good as was his first time pass for the Commercial Pilots Licence.

Integrated with the APPFO course is a career development programme.  This provides preparation for airline life and operation incorporating a Foundation Degree (FD).  It is jointly administered by OAA and Buckinghamshire New University being delivered by self-study with classroom support spanning the APPFO course.  It was noted from an early stage that Glen was submitting work of a very high standard to the University.  On completion he was awarded a distinction, recording the highest marks overall in his year's intake.

The Instrument Rating Test (IRT) phase was completed back at Oxford.  Glen prepared for this, along with his final elements of FD work, in masterful style.  He was again assessed as well above the average, gaining outstanding marks for his individual capacity.  This was evident in managing and pushing his own performance but also in his calm and pleasant interaction with fellow students, and unstinting support for wider OAA activity.  Glen was a high profile student, always willing to work and promote the OAA name as well as the quality of its training.

Passing his IRT at the first attempt, a by now common and expected outcome, it was fully evident that this mature and personable individual would shine in the multi-pilot environment by virtue of his exceptionally good social skills.  In this final preparation for airline flying his excellent capacity proved a major ally, when workload management and decision making signalled him as out of the ordinary.

He is accordingly a worthy recipient of the Sir Alan Cobham Memorial Award.

Previous Winners

Sir Alan Cobham Prize

1966 Captain F H Hawkins

1967 Not Awarded

1968 Not Awarded

1969 Not Awarded

1970 Captain M A Lewis

1971 Captain Hugh Dibley

1972 Not Awarded

1973 Not Awarded

New rules for award now called:

THE SIR ALAN COBHAM MEMORIAL AWARD

1974 G S Vaizey Esq

1975 J V Fanning Esq

1976 Laith Al-Omar Esq

1977 N C Lewton Esq

1978 Pavlos Attalides Esq

1979 Michael Joseph Sheen Esq

1980 David Stanley Balman Esq

1981 Paul Tomlinson Esq

1982 Rudolf Van Berkel Esq

1983 Robert Martinus Page Esq

1984 Alan Robert Beurle Esq

1985 Lee Boon Hup Esq

1986 Chee Tuck Lai Esq

1987 Gurmit Singh Esq

1988 Not Awarded

1989 Stephen Riley Esq

1990 E D Troy Esq

1991 Michael G Edwards Esq

1992 Wilson Wai Yin Tang Esq

1993 Simon Galvin Esq

1994 Miss Candice Hinrichsen

1995 Martin Peter Goddard Esq

1996 Mark R Bishton Esq

1997 Stuart J Geddes Esq

1998 Nicholas Talboys

1999 Jacob Sorensen

2000 Mark Cameron

2001 Richard Driscoll

2002 Ilkka A Tahvanainen

2003 Donald Nwajei

2004 Jessica Mary Telford

2005 Not awarded

2006 Stephen A Robinson

2007 Charles Waters

2008 Vincent Dusseau

2009 Kelly McQuaid

2010 Captain David Parker RCAF

2011 Glen Robert Harrison