Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the lecturer this afternoon, particularly as I have known him for the past 16 years and, better still, we have been associated in the development of rotating wing aircraft during most of that period

MR KENNETH WATSON, who is a Founder Member of the Helicopter Association and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, is also Chief Mechanical Engineer to the Cierva Autogiro Company

MR WATSON served his apprenticeship with Messrs G & J Weir, Glasgow, and joined the Aircraft Department of that firm in 1933, which was then under my control His designing ability was quickly appreciated and he was entrusted with the design of some of the major components, such as rotor hubs, transmission systems and control organs I think I am right in saying that the Cierva Autogiro Company and their Licencees, Messrs G & J Weir, have designed more prototype rotor systems than any other firm engaged in the art, and in 1936 no less than five rotor hubs were made and tested within seven months