CAPTAIN BRIAN WALPOLE Captain Brian Walpole is one of the most popular After Dinner Speakers on the circuit, offering an entertaining balance of humour and interest which never fails to hold the attention of his audience. Captain Walpole started his career in aviation by joining the RAF in 1952. He served as an operational fighter squadron pilot, flying Meteors and was also a member of the Fighter Command formation acrobatic team, giving displays all over Europe. In 1956 he joined BOAC later to merge with BEA and become British Airways. Initially First Officer on the Argonaut Fleet he was made first training co-pilot in BOAC and in 1971 was promoted to command becoming Fleet Captain of the 707 Fleet in 1972. In 1975 he commanded the 707 aircraft for the Royal Tour to the Far East which Her Majesty the Queen undertook and a year later transferred to the Concorde Fleet. 1977 saw him commanded Concorde when the Queen flew to Barbados from London and the first commercial supersonic service from London to New York. He was promoted in 1982 to General Manager Concorde Division, British Airways and during the eighties had the privilege of commanding this unique and prestigious aircraft on which so many international VIP's have travelled. His achievements in aviation were again recognised in 1983 when he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and two years later he was granted the Freedom of the City of London. His has truly been, in every sense of the word, a high flying career and the many fascinating anecdotes he has gathered along the way, combined with his considerable experience in motivating and masterminding the Concorde division now take him all over the world as an international speaker. [ back ]