The annual conference of the NATL Section of ASNT took place at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK on 12th April 2006.
The Conference was preceded by 2 days of ASNT Level III Exams and to get delegates and exhibitors into a relaxed mood a Quiz Night was organised for the night before the conference. So, after a relaxed dinner in the Foxes Den restaurant it was back to the hotel for more drinks and 'on with the thinking caps'!! The Quiz was set up and run by NATL members Gail Long of Testrade and NATL Director Stuart Turner. The questions were very easy, if you knew the answers and as can be seen in the pictures on the following pages a great deal of concentration and 'brain power' was put to the task. The winning team consisting of a BAE Systems team called 'Norfolk and Good', (say it quickly!!) were the winners by a few points. The losing team was the Lavender Hill Mob captained by Region 18 Director Steve Lavender. To pay tribute to the winners and the rest of the players, Steve very generously bought drinks for everyone taking part. I think the last players retired to their rooms about 4-30am! I don't know whether the Bar was dry or they just called it a night! It was a very good night, so much so that other hotel guests asked to join the party. After this success, I think this will be an ongoing pre-conference event with 'Norfolk and Good' returning in 2007 to defend their title of NATL Know-it-Alls.
The following pages show NATL members enjoying dinner and the Quiz: | ![1]() |
| NATL Chairman John Wittaker and his wife |  |
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| John Skidmore, our Sponsor, with colleagues from Olympus NDT UK |  |
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| Jules Read, Conference Chairman, with colleagues from BAE Systems. |  |
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| A shy NATL member from Corus and friends |  |
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| Gail and Pat Long of Testrade Ltd |  |
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| Geof Elleray with Jim Wheeler, Mark Ormrod and Stede Marsh. |  |
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| Jim Wheeler and Mark Ormrod |  |
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| Region 18 Director Steve Lavender with colleagues. |  |
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| Directors Tim Rickets and Mark Jenkinson with Narendra Jadav and |  |
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| NATL Administrator Jacquie Reid with husband Stan and 2 young recruits. |  |
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| Quiz Master Gail Long checking the answers. |  |
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| John Skidmore with the Olympians Team puzzling over an answer. Note all the other teams concentration. |  |
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| The Lavender Hill Mob looking serious. |  |
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| The Tubemasters team with the Ladies-in-Waiting team in the background |  |
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| Vic Galeart and team in deep concentration. |  |
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| The winning team 'Norfolk and Good' from BaeSystems. |  |
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| The Lavender Hill Mob who didn't quite 'cut the mustard'. |  |
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| Jacquie Reid, Mark Jenkinson and Stede Marsh getting the Reception Desk ready to receive delegates. |  |
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| Getting the Auditorium ready, John Whittaker and Tim Rickets. |  |
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| The lull before the storm, a few delegates in very early. |  |
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| The Olympus NDT team on their stand waiting for delegates to arrive. |  |
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| Advanced NDT Instruments checking out the kit. |  |
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| The Aegleteq stand with Vic Galert and Daren Livett |  |
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 Argyll-Ruanes stand |
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| Tim Berry on the Atlantis Sonatest stand |  |
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| Dave Nelson on the Flir stand |  |
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| Pete Burrows and Dave Crinson manning the GE Technologies stand. |  |
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| Stephen Lavender manning the Lavender International stand. |  |
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| The Pruftechnik stand with Gathorne Cheyne. |  |
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| Gail and Pat Long on their Testrade stand |  |
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NATL 13th ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
09:00-09:30
Registration & Coffee
09:30-09:35
09:35-09:45
NATL Chairman’s Introduction
Sponsor’s Welcome
John Whittaker
John Skidmore
Olympus NDT
09:45-09:50
Regional Director’s Welcome
Steve Lavender
Lavender International NDT
09:50-10:00
Conference Chairman’s Welcome
Jules Read
NATL Director
10:00-10:30
Magnetic Testing
Narendra Jadav
Apex NDT Consultancy Ltd
10:30-11:00
Thermography in NDT
Paul Sacker
Flir Systems Ltd
11:00-11:30
Morning Coffee & Exhibition
11:30-12:00
Surviving Special Process Audits
Tim Rickets
Topspec Quality Services Ltd
12:00-12:30
Main Causes of Failure of NADCAP Audits and how to avoid them
Phil Ford
Performance Review Institute UK
12:30-13:45
Lunch & Exhibition
13:45-14:15
Filmless Digital Radiography Techniques and Practices.
Phil Morris
GE Technologies Ltd.
14:15-14:45
Hawk – Evolution through NDT
Chris Young
Bae Systems Brough
14:45-15:15
Afternoon Tea & Exhibition
15:15-15:45
Award Presentation:
Lifetime Achievement
Technician of the Year
Presented by NATL Chairman
Presented by Phil Morris
15:45-16:00
Open Section Meeting
Forum for delegates to air their views
16:00-16:15
Farewell & Thank You
NATL Chairman | ![33]() |
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| NATL Chairman, John Whittaker, introducing the Conference Chairman Jules Read. |  |
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| The Sponsor, John Skidmore of Olympus NDT UK welcoming delegates on behalf of the exhibitors. |  |
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| Stephen Lavender, Director Region 18 addressing the delegates. |  |
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| Conference Chairman, Jules Read welcoming delegates and introducing the first speaker. |  |
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| Speaker Narendra Jadav of Apex NDT Consultancy giving his presentation on 'Magnetic Particle Testing' |  |
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| Naren receiving his Speakers gifts from Jules Read. |  |
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| Paul Sacker of Flir Systems Ltd giving his presentation 'Thermography in NDT' |  |
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| Paul receiving his speakers gifts from Jules Read. |  |
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| Tim Rickets of Topspec Quality Services giving his presentation 'Surviving Special Process Audits' |  |
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| Tim receiving his Speakers gifts from conference Chairman Jules Read. |  |
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| Phil Ford of PRI giving his talk 'Main Causes of Failure of NADCAP Audits and how to avoid them' |  |
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| Phil receiving his Speakers award from Jules Read. |  |
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Phil Morris of GE Inspection Technologies giving his paper on 'Filmless Digital Radiography Techniques and Practices'.
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| Phil receiving his Speakers Award from Jules Read |  |
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| Chris Young of BAe Systems, Brough giving his presentation 'Hawk – Evolution through NDT' |  |
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| Chris Young receiving his Speakers Award from Jules Read. |  |
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| Geoffrey Elleray receiving the NATL Lifetime Achievement Award 2006 from Jules Read. |  |
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| Geof thanking NATL for honouring him with the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2006. |  |
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| Geof being congratulated by NATL Chairman John Whittaker. |  |
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| David Miller of Lavender International NDT receiving the Technician of the Year Award from sponsor Phil Morris of GE Inspection Technologies watched by NATL Training Director Jim Wheeler. |  |
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| Phil explaining to David Miller what a career in NDT is like....Commitment, dedication and lifelong Friendships. |  |
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| NATL Administrator, Jacquie Reid calling out the winning raffle ticket numbers.(Who won the George foreman Grill??) |  |
