Peter Henley

Published: 27/04/2015

The Directors of FBHVC are grateful to the Vintage Sports Car Club for recording the passing recently of Peter Henley. Many supporters of the Federation will recall Peter’s many years of support and in particular his contribution as a founder member of the Legislation Committee, as it has later become  known.

Peter joined the RAF and served for 20 years accumulating 9000 hrs on 82 aircraft types, finishing up as Wing Commander. 

After retiring from RAF at 38 he joined British Aerospace (Woodford) for 16 years as Test pilot, Deputy Chief Test Pilot, Chief Test Pilot and Vice President Flight Operations in 1991.  Test programmes included Nimrod, Andover, HS 748, The Advanced Turboprop and BAe 146.  He flew the BAe owned Mosquito at airshows.  After retirement in 1993 he became a flying officer again with an Air Experience Flight in the RAF(VR): for six years he was test pilot for Flight Magazine, for seven years he was aviation consultant for Christie's auctioneers and for eleven years owned a 1933 Tiger Moth.  He owned various vintage vehicles including a 1952 Bentley, 1933 Rolls Royce, 1930 Alvis, MGC, 1937 Rudge Ulster motorcycle.  He was a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, a member of the Vintage Sports Car Club, a member of the Bentley Driver's Club and a Freeman of the City of London.