Royal Institute of Navigation
| Formation | Established 1947 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters |
The Royal Institute of Navigation 1 Kensington Gore London SW7 2AT |
| Royal Institute of Navigation | |
|---|---|
| President | Capt J B Taylor OBE RN |
| Vice President | Prof T Moore |
| Vice President | Wg Cdr J W Lindsay RAF |
The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) is a learned society with charitable status, aimed at furthering the development of navigation on land and sea, in the air and in space. It was founded in 1947, as a forum for mariners, pilots, engineers and academics to compare their experiences and exchange information. It went on to hold conferences about new developments in traffic separation and satellite navigation. It has charitable status and a Royal charter.
History of the RIN
Founding to 1972
The organization was formed in 1947 as the Institute of Navigation and was patterned after the US Institute of Navigation. Both organizations had been influenced by the role navigation had helped in moving troops and supplies during Second World War. Emerging technology such as radar and LORAN increased in the years following the war. The Institute sought to provide a forum where academics, engineers, mariners, and pilots could learn, exchange information, and share personal experiences.
Its three primary objectives are: "To unite all those with a professional or personal interest in any aspect of navigation in one unique body; To further the development of navigation in every sphere; And to increase public awareness of the art and science of navigation."
The Institute's founding membership included several notable professionals in the field. From the field of astronomy Sir Harold Spencer Jones, the Astronomer-Royal was the first president. The first two vice-presidents represented the field of aviation in Air Chief Marshal Sir John Slessor (Deputy Chief of the Air Staff) and the development of radar in Sir Robert Watson-Watt. Marine navigation was represented by Michael Richey who became the first Executive Secretary. The following year Richey would found the Institute's official academic publication, the Journal of Navigation.[1]
The Institute expanded its focus in the 1950s and 1960s to also address issues of safety and began collaborating with similar organizations in Europe. In 1972, at its 25th anniversary, its work was recognized by Her Majesty the Queen and it became entitled to the "Royal" prefix and was renamed the Royal Institute of Navigation.
Since 1972
During the 1970s the Institute began to publish incident reports and sponsor conferences on topics such as collision prevention through traffic separation and satellite navigation as early GPS systems entered service.
In the 1980s the began to form special interest focus groups and actively recruited younger members. Three of these special interest groups were the Land Navigation and Location Groups and the Navigation on Foot Group which took advantage of navigation hobbies such as geocaching, hillwalking and orienteering. It also began an informal newsletter that became Navigation News. RIN instituted competitions and added university students to its membership.
RIN launched its first website in 2002 as a source of news and information. In 2004 it began to offer members legal protection. In 2007, at its 60th anniversary, RIN was granted a Royal Charter, a recognition of "pre-eminence, stability and permanence"