Monthly Meeting Minutes
Great Rollright WI
Monthly meeting – 20/01/2025
Mike Napier – Confessions of an airline pilot
1) Martene introduced the evening to WI members and our friends and guests from the village. Therefore, due to our guests our standard notices were shortened.
2) 3 Apologies
3) The program is full for 2025, please pick up a leaflet which also shows the supper rota.
4) We are pleased to see Alan has joined us this evening as we announce that the donation to the WI bursary in the names of Roz and Kath is announced in the latest edition of Oxford Inspires. The money goes towards bursaries for
education, cultural activities and other charitable purposes.
5) For our members, after tonight’s talk please review and vote for 1 of 4 resolutions. Which are
o Let’s talk about incontinence,
o Bystanders can be lifesavers,
o Join the repair revolution
o or
o Eliminate landfill of medical packaging.
6) Our annual membership renews in April.
7) To our guests, please enjoy Mike’s talk after which please join us for supper which is supplied by Irene and Susan with help from the other committee members, due to the numbers we welcome this evening.
Tonight, we welcome Mike Napier a resident of Great Rollright and a commercial airline pilot to talk to us under the heading of confessions of an airline pilot.
The talk came about due to comment heard saying about the lack of talks about air travel.
We will cover
Plane – get control
People – care and to air traffic, staff and public.
Path – correct direction
Plane
First what is an aeroplane – Boeing 787.
When asked that question a pilot will think of the cockpit, a passenger will be
thinking of leg room, food and drink.
But to give you an idea of the size.
A Boeing 787 at take off weighs about 50 x elephants.
At landing 40 x elephants.
At take off it takes the equivalent of a maximum of the power of 16x Chiltern trains
to get airborne fully loaded.
And equivalent to a years worth of car fuel.
We ensure that we only hold the correct amount of fuel to get to the destination to
ensure that they keep weight to a minimum, 1/3 full tanks is equivalent to 6
elephants and would be enough for flights to Middle east.
There are about 600‐700 pilots in one company, so they do not often know who they
are flying with.
When they arrive at work, they find their buddy for the upcoming scheduled flights
and will be together for 4 days and then never see each other again.
So, recruitment of pilots into the industry is very important to ensue that the correct
personalities are hired.
Their training is exacting and uses standardised procedures and wording so that it is
universally understood within the industry.
Pilots come in pairs, and all are interchangeable:
Captain has overall responsibility for the flight.
First Officer is a fully qualified pilot but might not have as much experience, kind of
a Captain in training.
Once they have buddied up they will have a general chat to find out about each
other. Backgrounds vary among the pilots from the expected to the surprising, ex
forces, career path pilots, banker, tennis player and bass guitarists.
A long‐haul flight to somewhere like Chile would have 4 pilots. This is to ensure
that they can rotate to rest and ensure a safe flight.
The cockpit is a mirror image both sides have the same controls.
The captain will always sit on the right and the first officer on the left.
If the weather is challenging or the runway is difficult the captain will take control of
take off and landing, otherwise the captain and first will take it in turns.
About 70% of cabin crew are female, but not many female pilots. Mike thinks that
the industry should try to recruit and welcome more.
Cabin crew are not there simply to show you to your seat and ask if you want
chicken or beef.
They are there to aid in all the health and safety aspects of the flight.
Cabin crews are quite gregarious they will socialize with each other, whereas pilots
on the whole are quite insular.
Workloads between to the two roles are very divided, due to contractual elements
they stay in different hotels at destination and the crews rotate round.
In flight when the pilots are busy the cabin crew isn’t and vice versa.
Therefore, they do not really get to know each other (but I think we can all say that you
would not know that on a flight, as they seem to work as one team – to get us safely to our
destination).
When they have got to know each other, it did give a sense of teambuilding, and this
happened more frequently during the industrial strikes. But Mike said (as an insular
pilot) that there are only so many conversations you want to have.
People
Pilots have very little interaction with the passengers, but in Mikes experience 99%
of passengers are grateful and lovely.
Mike went on to share some of the experiences he has had:
On one occasion to Caracas, two passengers took full advantage of the alcohol and
drank to much. The crew stepped in when they become obnoxious. They were
asked to desist and if they did not, they would be arrested. They did not believe the
crew and continued. Refueling in Barbados they were removed from the plane and
arrested as they had been told they would be.
Once a celebrity got pushy and tried to force and upgrade, the crew explained there
were no other seats available. She had been on TV in Dublin Housewives, it is often
minor celebrities who try to push for special treatment.
Uri Geller asked for teaspoons, which he bent and then signed for the crew. It
appears he does this on a lot of flights as Kate’s Sam also has one.
The Duchess of York was chatty and lovely.
On the way to Oslo they landed in horrible dark wet weather. Normally they
parked at the end of the terminal. This time they were rerouted to the middle of
nowhere meaning all the passengers disembarking would get very wet. Mike
requested to Air Traffic Control that he be rerouted to the terminal, stating he had an
important passenger… Air Traffic refuses… he pushed again saying he had a VIP on
board and to go to the terminal; again refused. He explained to Air Traffic that he
had the Queen of Norway on board… the Air Traffic controller replied that he was
Swedish and Mike was to taxi as instructed.
One of Mike’s favourite passengers to hear he had on board was Suzi Quattro.
Path
Every six months all pilots need to renew their licenses. This is done in an airplane
simulator.
The simulator is a large pod nothing like an airplane. But inside it looks the same
with all the controls and the screens are realistic.
Like taking your driving licence, you complete standard flying procedures, but with
more things being thrown at you that have gone wrong.
One engine has died or instrument failure or bad weather.
This ensures that the pilots have the skills and experience to deal with these types of
occurrences.
If the pilot fails their licence is pulled, and they have to retrain and be retested to the
satisfactory standard.
Renewing is very stressful as you can lose your licence, and you have to go through
various briefings and debriefings as part of the process.
When on Autopilot the pane feels a bit ‘wallowy’ as people and fuel move about snd
the autopilot is trying to adjust but not as a human pilot would.
Usually at about 1000ft a pilot will turn on the autopilot, the pilot still needs to fettle
the flight controls for the optimal flight experience as the autopilot is simply an A to
B control.
Autopilot is a good tool but not brilliant for landing; as it does not understand the
need to flaring and timing control to cope with varying conditions, runway, altitude,
wet runway, cross winds etc. Autopilot cannot take these into account as it locks
onto a radio signal and heads towards it without environmental considerations.
If there is anything to deflect the beam it can alter the course and need pilot
intervention. However, if it is very foggy auto land would be used.
When coming into land Air Traffic Control will arrange the planes in a line. The
distance between them depends on the size of the plane in front.
2.5 miles about 1 minute in the air between the airplanes. Larger planes having a 2
minute gap, smaller 1‐minute. But this will also vary depending on weather
conditions.
Mike showed us a video with Air Traffic audio with them arranging and
communicating to pilots to what height and speed to alter to, to come into the line
for landing.
There are many things that can affect landing rates and therefore delay both landing
and taking off, cross winds being one.
With a cross wind the pilot needs to point sideways to land straight. When the pilot
flares the plane at the last minute (nose of the plane is raised just before touchdown)
they have point the plane in the correct direction which means that they drop the
wing on the wind side to land on one wheel.
If they were to land on both wheels the plane would scoot off the runway.
There are two sources of turbulence.
The Jet Stream which flows 100‐200 mph at between 4‐8 miles above sea level.
It runs west to east, therefore if flying west the pilot will go higher than the stream to
get out of it.
And flying east you would sit in the stream as it pushes the plane along.
Thunderstorms need to be avoided.
Air Traffic will direct planes around storms which adds to flight time and causes
delays.
But in both situations the planes wings will bounce a bit to ease out turbulence and
retain equilibrium.
Air Traffic give the plane and crew a slot time for takeoff.
This is why we sometimes find ourselves sat and ready to go but cannot take off for
a while.
The pilots and crew must be ready for the exact time. Therefore, if the spot is missed
the flight goes to the back of the queue and is given a new slot. Hence we cannot be
left in the terminal to last minute.
Our Air Traffic Control is very highly trained and considered the best in the world.
Mike made some suggestions of where we could travel to that he recommends.
Istanbul
Budapest
Bucharest – some area can be a little dodgy but it’s a fabulous place.
Nashville for all music lovers, not just Country
Mexico City
Santiago Chile ‐ it is a magnificent country and a great modern city.
Questions:
Q. Who prioritizes a plane to come into a line?
A. Air Traffic Control, there are 4 areas and they communicate who is next.
Q. Had Mike ever used any of the emergency simulation training he had gone
through?
A. No
Q. What is the nicest plane to fly?
A. DC10 is fun. But he also likes Boeing 777, Airbus and the Boeing 787 for different
reasons.
The Airbus’s auto control integration is the most enjoyable.
Q. Which is the most challenging airport to land at?
A. Gibraltar is the most challenging due to the placement of the runway and the
weather changes.
Q. Was it easier to do your commercial licence due to your miliary training?
A. Not really, it’s completely different training and aircraft. I’ve been exposed to
more situations, but the training is so different.
Q. Is the cockpit now locked?
A. Yes, it’s now locked for security reasons, it used to be really nice having people
see in the cockpit, but no longer allowed.
We broke to supper, which everyone seemed to enjoy.
Great Rollright WI
Monthly meeting – 18/11/2024
Annual winter craft evening
1) Martene introduced the evening.
2) Please use the sign up sheet to state what you hope to bring to the Christmas party for finger food. We will be joined by the Launston Bell Ringers for festive tunes and fun.
3) In January we are welcoming Mike Napier to talk to us about the confessions of an airline pilot. We’d like to open this up to the whole village, including the men. Please confirm to Martene if you object to this at the December gathering or directly prior to that.
4) The program for next year is nearly set. Will be published soon.
5) Please sign up for which month you would like to, or alternatively which months you cannot provide for supper next year asap, so we can schedule suppers accordingly.
6) Tackley are running a glass fusion workshop on Thursday 13th Feb for £25 inc. materials. Anyone interested please sign up by letting Heather Knight know if you did not sign the sheet on the night (18/11). There is an am and pm session and we thought we could car share.
7) We sent flowers to Helan Haine and she has sent a lovely email thanking us for them. She commented that it had brightened her day and living room.
8) For those who created a mosaic Christmas decoration at last year’s craft evening they are now ready. And will be brought to future meetings to be collected.
9) Marilina spoke about her WI arranged visit to the V&A in London. Pick up was from Pear Tree in Oxford and off they went via Didcot to the front door of the museum. It was a very well run excursion with so much to see. A few men went too!! And although impossible to see all the exhibits, she thoroughly enjoyed the day.
10) We are refreshing the website and social media sites, in the hope to increase our membership. We take phots during our meetings to show the diverse subjects and activities we do. We try not to take pictures without consent of our members faces, but if you do not want you image/picture to be included please let the committee know as soon as possible.
11) Christmas gift this year will be a Jar-bolla. A max of £5 to fill a jar of any size or shape with something lovely. Please bring them to the Christmas meeting on 16th December and we will swap them.
Now to the activity.
What happens when you buy 7kgs of marzipan, some food paints and bring together our members for a fun evening of creating?
This…
As you can see not all of us did the usual apples and oranges, we had everything from chilli’s to potatoes and pumpkins.
Although supper looked great, tasted lovely and was gratefully received; some of us begrudgingly broke for tea and supper, as we were so engrossed in the creation of our various fruits and vegetables.
Great Rollright WI
Monthly meeting – 16/09/2024
Speaker John Kinory – My Life and Times as a film extra
- 11 in attendance.
7 apologies.
2. Martene introduced the evening.
3. Bursary in the names of Kath and Roz have been made for £50 each.
4. A couple of copies of the previous monthly meeting minutes to be made available at each following meeting.
5. We are happy to confirm that we have nearly confirmed all our speakers for 2025.
6. We need to continue to find ways of recruiting new members. A poster and flyer will be created and dropped to every home in the village and posted on our village website page in the hope to gain interest.
7. Margaret presented to the group that she is selling Christmas cards in aid of the Churchill Partners for their fight against cancer. And this year there are a good mix of 8 scenes including traditional and modern images. £4.50 for a pack of 10. Please let her know if you wish to purchase.
8. Don’t forget to check out the Oxfordshire Inspires for upcoming local WI events.
9. November is our craft evening, details to follow for the making of marzipan fruits. December has come around quickly this year as we will come together for our yearly party. This year we will be joined by the Launston Bell Ringers.
10.Tonight’s agenda is a talk by John Kinory on his life and times as a film extra.
John has joined us from being on set all day today. And is quite excited as it was speaking role.
His day job is as a translator into and from his 1st language Hungarian. The first book he ever bought was a film encyclopaedia.
A film extra is a cast member, they might not get a mention in the credits, but they are supporting actors with non-speaking parts.
For 20 years John has often been spotted in the background; he is usually very visible with his beard.
He also likes to sneak his lucky pipe into shot as much as he can. Sometimes the production team like it, other times he is asked to remove it from view.
He used to list all the films he has appeared in but has given up. His credits can be found on IMDB.
Although he did not enjoy taking part in school plays, he was reintroduced to acting by his daughter.
She was in stage productions and he, her chaperone whilst hanging around for her thought it looked like fun.
He is currently a member of Banbury Cross players and started as a stage actor, before becoming an extra/supporting actor.
He enjoys having to dress up in period costumes although often due to the period the film is set will wear his own clothes. Wearing a costume helps him get into and stay in character.
Upon you accepting the booking you will be informed if you are to wear your own clothes or if a costume will be supplied.
Sometimes it is required for you to have a hair cut or shave. This will be paid for as an expense. Sometimes John does not wish to shave as he often gets roles due to his professor/clerical appearance.
He was once offered to play Bob Marley’s father in a film but did not want to shave his trademark beard.
Yet for Young Sherlock (above) they asked him to grow his hair for the part.
He likes to stay as local as possible and usually does about 20 filming days per year. Usually, 1-2 days per week for each production. This year has been slower due to the writer’s strike and the effect covid has had on the industry. Currently this winter is looking quite quiet.
He is signed up to several agencies so that he can cherry pick the work and schedule to fit with his wishes. You do not need to have any acting experience to be an extra/supporting actor, but you are being paid for a job and need to take it seriously.
Each film is complex. All the cast and crew are varied, and everyone is needed.
Sometimes you need to stay in character between scenes to ensure you are giving your best.
Anyone can sign up to an agency. You must supply them with headshots and selfies. And be prepared to update them often.
When John is not translating or acting he likes to find and watch film goofs especially continuity errors.
Days are often long, sometimes expected to be ready on set from 6am.
You will arrive and be in a holding tent, until called for hair, makeup and costume (if applicable). And throughout the day of not needed there is catering and areas to relax.
Even if you are not required for the film if you arrive you get paid.
Some find this very boring.
In no chronological order:
- Midsummer Murders (Season 10 Episode 3 – 2007)
His introduction to TV. He was spotted and asked if he wanted to be on TV show. 2007 he played Claudius in King’s Crystal.
- Mama Mia 2
Filmed at Epsom Racecourse, John was a fellow passenger at the airport. The pipe did not make the cut, but he did.
- Midsummer Murders (again) (Season 19 Episode 3 2017)
A cricket club member which was filmed at the best private cricket pitch in the country on the Getty Estate in the Chilterns.
- The Royals
Filmed at Blenheim a supporting background role.
- The kid that who would be King
Unfortunately, his scene was cut, he was to walk across the shot and bump into one of the main actors.
- Allied
On set with Brad Pitt. The scene was set at a house party where he had to drink real red wine and beer during the filming.
- On Chesil Beach
Filmed in a college in Oxford, he thought he was typecast as an Oxford Professor. He said that he kept being asked to move away or turn around so not to upstage (the pipe did try to make an appearance).
- Transformers – The Last Knight
This was filmed around All Souls in Oxford. All the extra/supporting actors were asked to bring their own clothes. As you do not know what they are looking for you tend to take a few things. John took a small rolling suitcase. The director wanted more students, and John did not fit. They asked that he use his suitcase in shot and would be seen as a visiting professor. He was asked to walk down the street with a fellow female extra/supporting actor. They made up a back story. She was a librarian, and he was visiting as they were having an affair. They walked down the street holding hands. None of the assistant directors had an issue with it, so they continued with their story together.
During the downtime he was approached by a runner and asked to vacate the area as he was mistaken for a tourist.
His ‘librarian’ female actor was known by the movie’s star Anthony Hopkins and spoke to them both. He enjoyed this filming as they all had an open tab at a local restaurant for the catering, instead of a catering van.
- Tesco advertisement
Filmed in the maze at Blenheim, walking about a lot wearing his own clothes. Including his favourite jumper which his wife dislikes.
- Café Nero advertisement
Featured sitting and chatting with fellow supporting actors, eating free food and being paid for it.
- The Crown
Again, filmed at Blenheim. He was cast as a catholic bishop. The costume person said he’d have to remove his wedding ring as a catholic bishop would wear one. He said he could not remove it as it would not come off, therefore they changed his costume, and he went from catholic to anglican.
It was a scene with the queen played by Emelda Staunton. There was a lot of practice involved walking up and down the stairs.
John led multi-faith bishops out into the scene and was given leeway to interact with the other leads.
He also learnt that in the eyes of the queen as head of state and the church, bishops are known as the princes of the church, therefore they do not kneel but give a curt nod of respect. That needed a lot of practice too.
Emelda Staunton struck John as having a personality of steel but really likeable.
- The Last Dragonslayer
Cast as a villager in costume, he was to be with others in the villages busy centre. He got placed in the scene and someone came and moved him during the shoot with one of the main characters played by Pauline Collins.
But Pauline told them he was perfectly fine where he was and he got to be seen clearly in shot.
He really liked working with Pauline and the first assistant director and would love to work with both again.
- Wonder Woman
He was cast as the village pharmacist. During the 6 days on set which he found very fun he got to shake the hand of Wonder Woman in full view in the scene. Again, cast as a professional due to his beard.
- Luis Wain
Was cast as a surrealist painter who only paints cats. Filmed at Didcot railway station with lots of animals as it was depicting a busy market day. He had to tell Benedict Cumberbatch’s character off.
- Doris
He was a gardener in two periods. So got to wear both period and current costume.
- Experiment (yet to be released)
He found this quite boring as there was a lot of makeup needed to make him into a werewolf. He was in a cage for the first day, not being asked to do a lot. On the 2nd day was asked to improv to turn from human to werewolf. It was a 10 minute take.
- Dead Ringer
A featured part as a reporter.
- Young Sherlock
A background supporting actor at the train station. Filing was in Oxford and Shepton Mallet, he did not like travelling as far as Shepton Mallet and prefers to stay local to Banbury.
- 3Mobile advert
Wearing his own clothes.
- Training films
Cast as a care home inmate quite often, not blockbuster films, John has completed 5 of them. During one the director was vey impressed he could hold his breath for so long whilst playing dead with the camera focussed on him. In another he played an 80 yr old celebrating his birthday. In another ‘Nurses who Kill’, where he gets killed and is proud that he gets to say his line in his first language of Hungarian.
- Paddington 2
Day 1 of the prison scene over 300 men arrived to be prisoners dressed in pink inmate clothes. Day 2 only 200 arrived. A time where camera angles were used to make it look like there were more of them. They had to pretend to eat the porridge, but all tucked into the marmalade sandwiches. But if eating or drinking and there are multiple takes you must keep on eating or drinking.
- Thursday Murder Club
Filmed in Little Missendon. It rained during the shoot and only about 20 minutes of filing was possible.
I think we can agree that John has a varied experience being a film extra/supporting actor, which has given him the opportunity to meet lots of new people including a few stars. And that without extras, films would be less engaging and rich.
We broke for tea and supper.