Businessman and renowned aviation preservationist, Peter Vallance passed away on January 14th 2013 at the age of 80 after being ill for several weeks.
He will best be remembered for founding the Gatwick Aviation Museum and his seemingly never-ending battles with his local planning commission over the location of his facility within Surrey’s greenbelt.
Over the course of nearly 30 years, he built a sizable collection of mid-sized aircraft, with a focus on preserving British Aircraft from the “golden age” of British aircraft manufacture. From the end of WWII until the 1970’s British aircraft designers produced some of the most innovative and advanced aircraft of the day. In the collection there are examples from the major British manufacturers of this period, including English Electric, Avro, de Havilland, Hawker, Fairey, Blackburn and Percival.
The museum is now being run by a charitable trust, and while it is presently closed it is scheduled to be re-opened this spring.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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