Please forward comments to:
Secretary-General, IAASM
21 Antares Drive, Suite 112
Nepean, ON K2E 7T8
Canada

So if our younger colleagues who are not yet members of the Academy ask us what is the Academy?, and what does it do?, we can explain that it is a small group of international colleagues bound together through a common interest, working together to make a difference, and improve the sphere of aerospace medicine.

As Dr. Eduarte Ricaurte, of Bogota, Colombia, enrolled in the Aerospace Residency Program at Wright State this July, and as we follow his progress in his chosen career, we can proudly say that, in a small way, yes, we can make a difference.

So, fellow Academicians, as our President has said in his Message, let us work together, and help the Academy succeed and flourish by participating in some small way;- perhaps by donating to the Scholarship Fund, by buying a Monograph, or by recruiting a worthy colleague as a new member of the Academy.

See you in Rio.

 

George Y. Takahashi, MD
Secretary-General
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Attendance:  70 Members signed in at the meeting.
New Members: -congratulations to the following new Members:

1. Cdr. Andrew Bellenkes, USN, MSC, Ph.D - (USA)

Congratulations to all the new Members of the Academy. Space does not allow justice to all of the qualifications and accomplishments of these new members. Therefore, all Academicians are encouraged to meet and welcome each individual new Member, and get acquainted with them and their specific interests in the Aerospace Medicine field.
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At the Executive Council Meeting in Houston it was unanimously agreed to raise the Annual Membership Dues to $US 75.00. This was then approved and passed by the General Assembly.

As the Academy is a self-supporting organization, with the aim of raising funds for a Scholarship, it was clearly evident from the Financial Report that a raise in Annual Dues was necessary.

There are still about 30 Academicians who have not paid their Annual Dues for 2000.

A Second and Final Notice is included with this Newsletter for those Members who have not paid. PLEASE pay now! At the last Executive Council the Secretary-General was instructed to review the By-Laws regarding UNPAID Members, and to consider recommendations for more stringent procedures to deal with Members who neglect to pay their Annual Dues within a reasonable time, as it is costly to carry such members and send reminders for dues payment.

It was the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee that the present high standard of requirements for Membership into the Academy be maintained, including the requirements for Associate Membership.

The Committee recommended that the Academy Scholarship remain identified with the Academy. The Committee will continue to seek out ways in which future aerospace practitioners could be assisted in continuing their careers in the field.

The President and Chancellor presented Dr. Richard A. Jensen, USA, with the Academy Certificate and Medal as a new Member.

At the Houston Meeting, there was a record attendance of Past-Presidents.
In addition to the current President Claude Thibeault, in attendance were:

Dr. Robert Auffret, France 1997-1999

Dr. John Ernsting, UK, 1995-1997

Dr. Stanley White, USA, 1993- 1995

Dr. Silvio Finkelstein, Argentina, 1991-1993

Dr. Antonio Castelo-Branco, Portugal, 1985-1987

Dr. Luis Amezcua-Gonzales, Mexico, 1983-1985

Dr. Charles Berry, USA, 1973-1975

Back Row, L to R. Drs. Claude Thibeault, John Ernsting, Stanley White, Robert Auffret, Silvio Finkelstein 
Front Row, L to R. Drs. Luiz Amezcua-Gonzales, Antonio Castelo-Branco, George Takahashi, Secretary-General 
Absent from photo: Dr. Charles Berry

 

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- Dates: September 17 - 21, 2000

- Venue: Naval College, Rio de Janeiro

- Main Hotel: Hotel Glória, Rio de Janeiro

- Transportation to & from Conference Centre, Naval College: will be provided on a regular basis beginning at 8:15 am. from the Hotel Glória. Those staying at hotels other than the Hotel Glória will be required to provide their own transportation to and from the Hotel Glória.

-Safety in Rio: as in any other large major metropolitan city of 10 million people, there are bound to be a few problem areas. Therefore follow some common sense advice as you would in any other large cosmopolitan city, such as- do not broadcast your wealthy tourist status by wearing expensive jewelry, carrying your fat wallet in plain view, a fancy camera dangling from your neck while walking, and do not walk alone down dark streets at night. As stated in the previous Newsletter, leave your fancy jewelry at home, relax, and enjoy the beauty, the friendly people and have fun in Rio de Janeiro, the marvelous city - Cidade Maravilhosa.

Scientific Program: The Organizing Committee has been working in cooperation with the Scientific Committee of the Academy, and the Scientific Program is shaping up to be a very interesting and worthwhile program.

Social Program: Dr. Montenegro has been working extra hard to ensure that all Conference attendees and their guests will have a very enjoyable stay in Rio, so bring your partners and enjoy the warm hospitality of the people of Brazil.

There are still some English copies of the Monograph Neurosciences & Aviation Medicine, a century of endeavour, by Air Commodore Anthony Nicholson. Truly a bargain at $US 15.00. An order form is can be copies from the above hyperlink. Get one before they are sold out. Unfortunately, the French copies are sold out, but there is the possibility that a few more copies may be published soon.

The Monograph Protection Against Hypoxia, An Historical Review, by Dr. John Ernsting will be ready for sale soon.

 

-if you are unable to attend the Academy meetings in Rio de Janeiro, please complete the PROXY VOTE AUTHORIZATION, after copying from this hyperlink, and return it as soon as possible to the Office of the Secretary-General by mail or fax before September 4^th , 2000. Fax # 613-228-0242. As you are aware, at the beginning of each meeting, a quorum must be established, and duly signed proxies from Members in good standing are counted in the establishment of a quorum. Therefore, your proxy is very important if you are unable to attend the meeting in person. Your cooperation will be very much appreciated.

 

The Academy Dinner will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 2000, at one of the finest Yacht Clubs in Rio de Janeiro. As you all know, all Academicians and their guests who are registered at the Congress will receive an invitation to attend the Academy Dinner. To assist the Organizing Committee in planning for the occasion, it would be appreciated if you could notify the Organizing Committee if you are planning to attend the Academy Dinner, alone, or accompanied with a guest, by completing the RSVP Form after copying from the hyperlink, and Fax or E-mail it back to Dr. Marco Montenegro as soon as possible. Your assistance would be very much appreciated by the Organizing Committee.

 

Please note the locations and times of the Academy Meetings for Rio de Janeiro. Please copy from the hyperlink and bring the Schedules and Agendas with you to Rio, as we are trying to save on carrying extra printed matter.

Director:          Dr. Daniel Lestage, USA

 

Selectors:         Dr. Per Arva, Norway
                         Dr. Marco Montenegro, Brasil
                         Dr. Sandra Mooney, UK
                         Dr. Peng Chung Mien, Singapore
                         Dr. Hans Pongratz, Germany
                         Dr. A. Martin St. Laurent, France

Scientific Committee:

                         Dr. Michael Bagshaw, UK
                         Dr. Roy DeHart, USA
                         Dr. Gary Gray, Canada

Scholarship Committee:

                         Dr. Sharon Falkenheimer, USA
                         Dr. Jean-Jacques Papy, France
                         Dr. James M. Wallace, Canada

The above Slate of Nominations will be presented for election at the Rio General Assembly.

Dr. Won Chuel Kay passed away at the age of 76 on February 1, 2000, in Seoul, Korea. He was born on January 1, 1924, in Sunchon, Pyongan-Bukdo, Korea. He received his M.D. degree from the Severance Union Medical College, (presently Yonsei University, College of Medicine) in 1945. He was designated Flight Surgeon of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) in 1951. Dr. Kay then went to the United States and graduated from USAF SAM, Randolph AFB, Texas in 1954, and became a Flight Surgeon, USAF. After receiving his Korean Board Certification in Surgery in 1957, he continued postgraduate training in Surgery at USAF Hospital Lackland, Texas 1957-58. Dr.Kay then studied Aerospace Medicine at various USAF SAM facilities during 1960-61 including USAF SAM, Brooks AFB, Texas. He was then Board certified in Preventive Medicine in 1963. In 1965 he studied under Dr. Ross McFarland and received his MSc. degree in Aerospace Medicine from the School of Public Health, Harvard University, in 1966.

After a very distinguished career in the ROK Air Force, he retired in June 1964 from his final position as Surgeon General, with the rank of Brigadier General. During his illustrious military career, he was awarded numerous medals and decorations such as the Military Merit Choong-Mu with Gold Star, and with 2 Leaf Clusters, Order of Service Merit 5^th Class, and the Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Leaf Clusters from the Korean Military, including the Citation for Meritorious Service from the Prime Minister of Korea.. In addition, he was honoured in the United States by receiving awards such as the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

After retiring from the ROK Air Force, Dr. Kay joined Korean Airlines, and founded and became Director of the Civil Aeromedical Centre. He continued his career by developing Aerospace Medicine expertise in the civilian sector by accepting many senior positions affiliated with the Yonsei Medical School, Korea Aviation College, Korean Airlines and various Advisory positions with the Korean Government. He was a very highly respected pioneer of civil aviation medicine in Korea.

He was very active in the Aerospace Medical Association , serving as Vice-President, 1962-63, 1965-66, and again during 1990-91, and was elected Fellow in 1965. Dr Kay also received the Boothby-Edward award from the Aerospace Medical Association. He also enjoyed a warm special relationship with the Wings of AsMA as he provided support and gifts to the them for many years. He was President of the Airline Medical Directors Association 1981-82, and later was presented the Airline Medical Director Association Award. He was appointed as a Senior AME by the FAA from 1968 to 1990. He was also an AME for Transport Canada.

Dr. Kay joined the Academy in March 1975, and served on the Selectors Committee from 1977 to 1982. He then served as Vice-President of the Academy from 1983 to 1985. After retiring from the positions of President of the Aerospace Medical Association of Korea, and the President of the Civil Aeromedical Centre, he was named the President Emeritus of the Aerospace Medical Association of Korea.

Throughout his long and distinguished career in Aerospace Medicine, Dr. Kay earned the respect of his many international friends and colleagues, and was a proud Academician for 25 years. In spite of his many professional achievements and honours received throughout his lifetime, Dr. Kay remained the always quiet and modest gentleman that we had come to love and respect. In May, 1999 he endured what was to be his final illness and attended the Aerospace Medical Association Meeting, as well as the General Assembly of the Academy in Detroit.

Dr. Kay will be sadly missed, not only by his beloved wife Suk-in Choi and his family, but also by his many international friends and colleagues around the world. It was truly an honour and a privilege to have known this fine gentleman.

Dr Peffers died at the age of 85 on April 1^st 2000. He was born in Forfar in the County of Angus in Scotland on March 25^th 1915, and was educated at Forfar Academy and at the University of St Andrews, where he graduated in medicine (MB, ChB) in 1938. He was an outstanding athlete and gained a Double Blue in Swimming and Soccer and later played Soccer for the Navy.

After the usual house jobs, one of them was at the Jewish Hospital in Liverpool, where he met his wife-to-be, Winifred. Just before the outbreak of World War 2 he was appointed to a short-service Commission in the Royal Navy. Winifred joined the Queen Alexandra Nursing Service as a Nursing Sister and served in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Forces. They were married immediately on her return in June 1940.

He was chosen in 1940 by the Medical Director-General of the Navy to go to the United States and train as a pilot at the US Navy Base at Pensacola, Florida. He was in fact the first RN Medical Officer to be sent to train in the US as it had been decided that the Navy was going to be very short of pilots in the rapidly expanding Fleet Air Arm as the UK was then being attacked by the Luftwaffe, training facilities were somewhat constrained.

Leaving the Navy in 1946 he joined British Overseas Airways (BOAC) as a flight medical officer at Hurn Airport near Bournemouth, and in 1951 moved to London to be Assistant Director of Medical Services to Air Marshal Sir Harold Whittingham, formerly Director-General of the RAF Medical Services throughout World War 2. During this time he was actively involved in teaching aviation medicine to BOAC aircrew and when the Comet 1 disasters occurred in the early 1950's he was heavily involved in the medical aspects of the investigation in conjunction with the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine and the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough.

With the combination of the medical departments of BEA and BOAC in 1964, he became Deputy Medical Director to the then Air Corporations Joint Medical Service, later the British Airways Medical Service, finally retiring in 1978.

Additionally he was actively involved in the affairs of the British Medical Association and was Chairman for some years of the Harrow Division. He was also a past Chairman for some years of the Harrow Division. He was also a past Chairman of the British Airways 25 Year Club, an eminent group of employees who have completed 25 or more years of employment with the airline.

Possessing a roguish sense of humour he was greatly loved and respected by his staff and at all times he gave wise counsel to management and employees alike.

A keen golfer for many years he was Captain and later President of the Grimsdyke Golf Club, a leading golf club in North London.

To his widow Winifred, his son Douglas, his daughter Nan and his five grandchildren, we extend our deepest sympathies at this sad time.