The Flying Rotarians (IFFR)

IFFR is one of the oldest Rotary Fellowships and began in Seattle, U.S.A. in 1965. The following year IFFR came to England and in later years other European Sections were formed in France, Italy, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Germany, Benelux and Iberia. Membership now spans the world and a Directory of the 1,000+ members is issued to each one. In countries where distances are great and communications are limited IFFR pilots have used their aircraft to help with medical and other emergencies, and several Sections hold meetings at which young people are introduced to the world of aviation.

Each of the European Sections has an active membership of around 100 the majority of whom are Private Pilots, flying all kinds of aircraft including gliders, microlights, and helicopters. Members are issued with the distinctive IFFR badge, accepted by R.I. Wives, family and fellow Rotarians are always welcome at all our meetings and there are usually many of them present. Fly-in meetings at local airfields around the country are held each year, and every summer members attend Fly ins and fly arounds arranged by the other European IFFR Sections, notable amongst these were the Italian section fly around to Malta, Sicily and the Amalfi Coast and the French section fly out’s to Marakesh and Poland, whilst the UK section made their visit to the Scandinavian meeting at Jyväskylä, Finland into a Baltic fly around, taking in Poland Sweden and Northern Germany. Reports on past events and details of all forthcoming meetings are given in quarterly Bulletins sent to each member.

At every R.I. World Convention IFFR maintains a Booth in the House of Friendship to bring to the attention of earthbound Rotarians the manifold benefits which aviation brings to Rotary, and which IFFR members have adopted as their Avenue of Service. Flyround trips are held after each R.I. Convention, the most recent being from Los Angeles up the American West Coast to Oregon and back down to Nevada. After the Barcelona Convention more than 60 members and their families took part in a tour of Spain & Portugal, flying themselves to visit Granada, Seville, Lisbon, Oporto and Santiago de Compostela before returning home.

IFFR is really the Rotary Fellowship in which INTERNATIONAL means most, as the members and their families from every nation meet face to face and enjoy the wonderful advantage which the world-wide use of the English language for Air Traffic Control gives to us all.

To join IFFR contact the UK Membership Secretary for an application form:
Rotarian: Rodney Spokes,

 Email   flyer@spokes.biz

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