Aviation Medicine

Dr Mckenzie joined the Royal Air Force as a Flight Lieutenant in 1983, after completing his medical training in Auckland, New Zealand, working initially as a Medical Officer at RAF Odiham in Hampshire. After a year here he was posted to the RAF Aviation Medicine Training Centre at North Luffenham spending two years as an instructor, teaching physiology as applied to aviation to aircrew and medical staff.

The two years he spent in this post contributed to the first two years of specialist training in Aviation Medicine. After RAF AMTC, Dr Mckenzie was posted to the Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine at Farnborough in Hampshire in 1985. His initial project here was a review of the aircrew helmets that had been involved in accidents and simulation of damage looking to correlate the damage to the helmet and the degree of head injury. This project triggered his interest in biomechanics and accident investigation.

One of the pressing needs of the time was the development of advanced life support systems to support the Eurofighter, including anti-G systems. In support of this Dr Mckenzie spent several years looking at the physiological control of blood pressure in the high G environment, in particular the role of the baroreceptors. This work led to the award of a PhD in physiology from Imperial College.

On completion of this work and now a Squadron Leader an opportunity arose to take up an exchange posting with the Armstrong Laboratory at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Dr Mckenzie continued his work in high G protection and also expanded his knowledge into special senses and spatial disorientation during this tour of duty. During this tour of duty he was appointed as a consultant in Aviation Medicine to the Royal Air Force.

Dr Mckenzie returned the the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine in 1993 as the Head of the Biomechanics Division where he introduced new technologies to the decelerator track, worked in various projects related to aircraft safety and supported aircraft accident investigation teams with specialist expertise in escape systems and safety systems.

The rapidly changing environment and restructuring of the RAF medical services in the wake of the destruction of the Berlin Wall led to closure of the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine and the opportunity to return to General Practice, initially at RAF Hospital Wegberg and then after retiring from the RAF as a Wing Commander he continued as a civilian in the Boston area in Lincolnshire. He obtained the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners on completion of this training but elected to spend eight years in the pharmaceutical industry before returning to General Practice.

Dr Mckenzie started learning to fly in New Zealand when he was 16. His first aircraft was a share in a Piper Cub. He then rebuilt a Taylor Monoplane and flew this for 6 months before moving to the UK. Shortly after arriving in the UK he purchased a Tipsy Nipper which he owned and operated for several years. He competed for several years in British Aerobatic Association competitions in this aircraft. While in the USA he brought a Pitts Special S1S which he then imported back to the UK when he returned to the RAF IAM. A growing family have precluded any opportunity for aircraft ownership in recent years but he remains and active pilot as a member of Lydd Aeroclub.