Founded in 1948 and the oldest of the 3 British Service mountaineering bodies, the Royal Air Force Mountaineering Association (RAFMA) is responsible to the RAF Sports Board for the sport of mountaineering within the Royal Air Force. RAFMA provides members with a variety of outdoor opportunities – hill walking, rock climbing, ski mountaineering, indoor climbing and meets in the Alps and Greater Ranges. The latest meets itinerary can be found on the Meets Page.

Participation Statement: RAFMA recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.

AirTanker Supports RAF Climbing Team

RAFMA are pleased to announce an agreement with AirTanker to support the RAF Climbing Team by sponsoring expert climbing coaching and help with preparations for the forthcoming competition climbing season. AirTanker was awarded the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft Contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to provide the Royal Air Force with a safe, reliable and efficient air transport and air to air refuelling service over a 24 year period. The aircraft, called Voyager, will operate from RAF Brize Norton. Further details will be given as team preparations continue.

http://www.airtanker.co.uk/

Challenge 4000 - Supporting our wounded through adventure

Challenge 4000 is a new charity which supports the mental and physical rehabilitation of injured service personnel: primarily by raising funds to support the Battle Back programme run by the MoD and funded by Help for Heroes. In 2013 they will be running a sponsored ski mountaineering and an alpine mountaineering challenge - and they're looking for volunteers to take part! If your interested, find them on Facebook,Twitter or check out their website.

http://www.challenge-4000.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/challenge4000
http://www.twitter.com/%40challenge4000uk

Sir Edmund Hillary Memorial Lecture 2012

Please find attached a link to the flier for this years Sir Edmund Hillary Memorial Lecture 2012 which will be held at the Royal Geographical Society on 29 May 2012. The presentation will be by Alan Hinkes OBE and will cover Kangchenjunga Finale and the 8000m Peaks.

New Monro's Table

Former RAFMA Chairman Mel Owen has kindly provided an updated Munro's table for members to keep track on their climbs. It includes all the Munro's but also all the other 3000ft tops in the British Isles. You can find it under the useful links tab in the administration page or more simply just click here. Thanks Mel.

Upcoming TriService Events

For information on upcoming events such as the Joint Services Alpine Meet, Ex FRANPADDLE, as well as Scrambling, Climbing and Sea Kayak Concentrations please click on the following link.

AGM and Dinner

Thank you to everyone who supported the AGM and Dinner this year. The highlights of the AGM were the welcome return of Sqn Ldr Chris Berryman and Flt Lt Alex Tomczynski to the Executive Committee as the Treasurer and Sports Climbing manager respectively. Bob Appleyard was unanimously voted in as our newest Honorary Member for the outstanding service he has provided and continues to provide to RAFMA and Nick Kurth was elected Honorary Vice President for his continued outstanding support to RAFMA through his contribution to members’ development at meets and lobbying on our behalf in the wider mountaineering community. Lindeth Howe looked after us well and the Dinner was excellent – thanks to WO Stew Boyce for the effort he took in organising the weekend. At the Dinner, Off Cdt Matt Smyth was awarded the New Member’s prize for biggest contribution to RAFMA within the first 12 months of membership, Cpl Al Dixon was awarded the Kurth Quaich for attending the most meets in the 12 months before the Dinner (including an out of area deployment!) and APO Sophie Foxen and SAC Karl Taylor were awarded the Honeypot for their excellent work on RAFMA publicity.

Ian Richardson

Chairman