Contrail
What is Contrail?
Got something to say?
Do you have anything you think might be of interest to others in the RSA?
We are always on the lookout for recollections of events, people, the humourous side of working for CAA/NATS/HIAL, thoughts on future developments affecting aviation in the UK, etc.
If so then please contact me on contrailpete@caa-rsa.org.uk and we can work together on putting your thoughts into Contrail - its not as difficult as you might think, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it, Ed.
Contrail 167 is on the way.
If you receive Contrail on-line, then the email, to download Contrail 167, was sent on 1 March.
If you receive Contrail by post, then your copy will be posted on 10 March, though receiving it will be subject to the vagaries of the various postal services.
The updated email distribution system appears to have solved the problem for Gmail users, whereby the email was routinely diverted into your email spam/junk folder.
However if there are any problems with your download, or you were expecting to receive the Contrail email and it has not arrived then email me on contrailpete@caa-rsa.org.uk and I’ll help out.
But please don’t forget, if you were previously a non-subscribing member and you have not upgraded to Subscribing Member and are not intending to o so, then there is little I can do.
In addition to the routine Branch News and Activities, and Obituaries, this edition includes the RSA26 AGM calling notice, plus updates on those membership changes mentioned above, the latest on the planned move to a digital Contrail in June, and a further update on the CAA Pension Scheme.
And we are also on the look out for a new Membership Secretary, to take over from Duncan Boulton, who is retiring after many years in post.
And finally, in complete contrast, there are articles on Aviation in the Solent Area, further reflections on WW2 Experiences, and a slightly "off the wall" look at something called The SCANT System. We hope you enjoy.
Receiving Contrail on-line requires us to maintain an accurate e-mail address list and, as email addresses tend to be changed occasionally, please don’t forget to let us know of any changes. Rest assured that this information is stored securely and will not be passed to any other organisation.
Welcome to Spring 2026.
"Contrail" is the Magazine of the CAA/NATS Retired Staff Association.
You can update the RSA regarding your Contrail delivery by using the form at the bottom of this page.
Copies of the “All Members” Contrails, back to 2014, are now available to view, see below. These are redacted versions since this page is open access.
Copies of all editions of Contrail, back to 2007, are available in PDF format to RSA members on request, and we have limited access to paper copies going back to February 1984. In both cases, please contact the editor to request copies. contrailpete@caa-rsa.org.uk
Delivering Contrail to you
We have been undertaking a review of Contrail delivery, and the RSA is grateful to everyone who has already agreed to receive the magazine electronically. Receiving Contrail by email will help us to reduce costs, improve content flexibility and enable you to receive the magazine quicker.
From June 2026, Contrail will become electronic only. If your email address changes, you can use the form below to update us with your details.
(if you already are receiving Contrail electronically to your correct email address, then you do not need to do anything).
If you find you cannot receive Contrail by email, then perhaps we can arrange to send it to a friend or relative for you - let us know via the form below.
If for some reason you still cannot accept an electronic copy then please also use the form to tell us. We will endeavour to send a printed version to you, however, from June 2026 it might not be in the same format.
Past editions of Contrail
Only redacted versions of “all members” editions are accessible here.
To receive all editions you need to subscribe.
External Links
No further editions of NATS Pulse have been produced. However you may wish to use the links below to follow what’s going on in NATS, the CAA and HIAL.
Reminders
The RSA use a third party organisation to carry out the e-mail distribution of Contrail in a similar way as we have, for years, used Creeds to distribute the hard copy version. One of the benefits of the electronic distribution is that the distributor sets a flag in their system when Contrail is downloaded by the recipient. This allows a reminder to be send after a short period of time to those who have not made the download.
A very small number of members (less than 0.4%) raised this reminder process as a nuisance or a misuse of their personal data. As a consequence the reminder process was discontinued pending an investigation.
The result of the investigation, by reference to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulations updated to 2021, is as follows:
Purpose Test
The data, individual e-mail address, is provided by members to the RSA to facilitate communication between the RSA and the membership of both a general and a specific nature and to allow the distribution of Contrail either quarterly or yearly depending on the type of membership.
Necessity Test
The RSA needs to monitor the success in delivering Contrail to members.
Balancing Test
The monitoring of the downloaded status is entirely within the distributors system and does not involve any form of monitoring of individual e-mail addresses. The alternative would involve asking members to confirm delivery individually
It is therefore within Article 6(1)(f) Legitimate Interest.
However, The RSA acknowledges the right for members to object to the process.
Members may opt out of the Reminder Process by sending an e-mail instruction to membership@caa-rsa.org.uk
The RSA has a duty to remind the membership of the legal obligations to protect the personal data of members that is held in order to keep in touch. The data held is the minimum required to maintain the communication path.
Join us
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