Tony Blackman

Anthony Lionel Blackman OBE FRAeS (born April 1928)[1] is a British aviator, and former Chief Test Pilot for Avro.

See also: Toni Blackman

Early life

Blackman attended Oundle School and studied Physics at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Career

Royal Air Force

Blackman joined the RAF, in December 1948 as a Pilot Officer,[2] as a Maths and Physics instructor, then learned to fly at RAF Ternhill. He joined the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS). He flew Vampires and Venoms with 5 and 11 squadrons. He worked at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), with B Squadron, until August 1956.[3]

Avro
Avro 698 and Avro Vulcan B1 wing shape

Blackman joined Avro as a test pilot, becoming Chief Test Pilot, and flying with Avro from 1956 to 1973.[4] He tested 105 of the Vulcans that were built. Avro won a contract to build the Mach 3 Avro 730, and he was to be the test pilot; the project was cancelled in 1957. He was offered to become a Concorde test pilot. He did fly Concorde (G-AXDN, now at Duxford) once, taking the place of Jock Cochrane at RAF Fairford. He was the test pilot for the Hawker Siddeley HS 748 (Avro 748) and the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod (designed by Gilbert Whitehead).[5]

Smiths Industries

Blackman later worked for Smiths Industries.

Personal life

Blackman married Margaret.[6] When with Avro, he lived in Hamble-le-Rice.[7] He was made an OBE in the 1974 Birthday Honours. When deputy chief test pilot of Hawker Siddeley in Cheshire, he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the 1970 New Year Honours.

See also
Avro Vulcan seen in July 2010

References
  1. Companies House
  2. London Gazette
  3. Flight Global 1961
  4. Book
  5. Flight International August 1972
  6. Marriage
  7. At home
Business positions
Preceded by
Jimmy Harrison		 Chief Test Pilot of Avro
(Hawker Siddeley, Woodford)
1969 -		 Succeeded by
Sir Charles Masefield
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