Awarded to an individual, a complete aircraft crew, or an organisation, for an outstanding contribution to air transport or transport aircraft operations.
(amended Terms of Reference 2019)
The universal response to any question that is ever asked regarding ground safety or aircraft weight and balance is ‘Ask Jason’. Questions not only asked by his own colleagues within the UK CAA, but also from other national authorities and members of the aviation Industry worldwide.
Jason Sandever has an infectious and dedicated passion to making this area of the aviation industry as safe as possible. Jason’s conscientious drive and commitment is not only evident in his role as an Inspecting Officer (Ground Safety) but also in his role as co-chair of the Ground Handling Operations Safety Team (GHOST). GHOST is a multi-disciplined CAA and Industry group, set up to address and share the learning from ground handling issues with the aim of improving safety. This role, which he has held since 2014, has seen him become a trusted and admired advocate. It is due to Jason’s unstinting support and dogged determination to do the right thing that has led to him becoming recognised as a true global ambassador of ground safety and as such is regularly invited to address oversees and UK conferences and conventions supporting international colleagues.
Jason’s relationship with aviation safety started back in the mid-1990s when he joined Channel Express handling and loading cargo out of Bournemouth airport. Very quickly his enthusiasm and zeal led to him becoming a loadmaster on the Lockheed L-188 Electra and the Airbus A300 freighter. This role exposed him to international travel and the need for safety awareness, vigilance and the dynamic need to overcome obstacles.
Ironically, it was after the tragic loss of a Channel Express Fokker F-27 that the UK CAA recognised that it needed a subject matter expert for weight and balance, and in 2004 Jason joined the regulator.
Whist conducting oversight of the industry weight and balance elements Jason began to identify other deviations from best safety practices. Never one to avoid a challenge his role expanded towards looking at other ground safety matters. His job title then changed to reflect this becoming the Inspecting Officer for Ground Safety.
In 2011, still with a strong passion for ensuring safe aircraft loading, Jason joined forces with the Iron Maiden lead singer, Capt. Bruce Dickinson to produce the information video ‘Safety in the balance’. This video was such a success and was used by multiple agencies to instruct all manner of aviation employees on the importance of safe aircraft loading.
This video is still widely used today, and it was amusing to watch his humble response when recently attending a weight and balance course at a major aircraft manufacturer, they showed this video to the rest of the candidates without realising that he was the creator and driving force behind it.
Whether it is creating industry guidance via GHOST, designing safety accident investigations courses with Cranfield University, conducting effective oversight of his industry operators or being a passionate supportive friend and colleague, Jason will always go the extra mile and that is why he is considered by many as a role model.
For his outstanding contribution to transport aircraft operations, Jason Sandever is awarded the Brackley Memorial Trophy.
1948/49 J L Parker Esq
1949/50 H W C Alger Esq
1950/51 Wg Cdr B J Aikman
1952 not awarded
1952/53 G A V Tyson Esq
1954 not awarded
1954/55 Royal Air Force Station - Pembroke Dock (201 & 230 Sqns)
1956 - 1957 not awarded
1957/58 Comet and Britannia Flights of BOAC
1960 not awarded
1960/61 Captain J S Shephard
1961/62 No. 216 Sqn RAF
1962/63 No. 22 (SAR) Sqn RAF
1963/64 Captain Richard Rymer (postumous)
1964/65 Captain Frederick Ladd MBE
1965/66 Cdr P M Lamb
1966/67 J H Phillips Esq
1968 not awarded
1968/69 Nos 22 and 202 Sqn, Coastal Command
1969/70 Flying Crews of Bristow Helicopters
1971 not awarded
1971/72 Captain C M Ramsey
1973 - 1974 not awarded
1974/75 Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose
1976 not awarded
1976/77 Captain Brian J Calvert
1978 - 1979 not awarded
1979/80 Captain Hugh P K Dibley
1980/81 Commander J Young and Captain R Crippen
1981/82 Long Range Operations-Falklands Islands Gp Capt Price, Wg Cdr P J Squire, Flt Lt W F M Withers, Flt Lt T F Locke, Flt Lt J A Cowan
1983 - 1986 not awarded
1986/87 Captain J Mason
1988 - 1991 not awarded
1991/92 Captain H Gee
1992/93 Captain T R Fulton
1994 - 1995 not awarded
1995/96 Aircrew of 47 Sqn Special Forces Flight
1997 not awarded
1997/98 Captain W D (Jock) Lowe
1998/99 Captain Neville J Hay
1999/2000 Captain Iain McClelland
2001 not awarded
2001/02 47 Sqn RAF
2002/03 99 SqnRAF
2003/04 Sqn Ldr James Dalrymple Cunningham MBE
2005 not awarded
2005/06 John Cashman
2006/07 J Tactical Training Flight RAF
2008 not awarded
2008/09 Sqn Ldr Keith Hewitt MBE RAF
2010 - 2011 not awarded
2011/12 Flt Lt C D Maggs RAF
2013 - 2015 not awarded
2016 Flt Lt Stephen Hewer RAF
2017 40 Sqn Royal New Zealand Air Force
2018 not awarded
2019 British Airways Concorde Fleet
2020 Number 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF
2021 not awarded
2022 Sqn Ldr Richard Waller RAF
2023 Jason Sandever
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