Air Transport
General Aviation
Cabin Crew
Drone
Air Transport
Captain Chris Hanson
ATAB Chairman – Independent (Flight Crew)
Captain Chris Hanson
ATAB Chairman – Independent (Flight Crew)
Chris has been flying professionally since 1985 and has worked in a management role in British Airways since 2004. In the Royal Air Force, he flew, and trained pilots, on the Hawk and Tornado F3. In British Airways he has gained type ratings on the Boeing 737, 757, 767,777 and 787, he also has instructor ratings and examiner authorisation on the B737, 777 and 787.
Chris’s main focus has always been the training of pilots; as a Flight Training Manager he was responsible for the management of training on the B777/787 and B737 fleets. His management experience covered the fields of Quality, Technical and Training at both Heathrow and Gatwick and he has worked inter-departmentally within British Airways, across the airline industry as a whole, and with national and international regulatory bodies, including speaking at international training conferences.
Chris now works as a Training Standards Captain on the B777/787 fleet in British Airways, which he enjoys immensely.
Air Cdre Dai Whittingham FRAeS
ATAB Vice-Chair, Independent
Air Cdre Dai Whittingham FRAeS
ATAB Vice-Chair, Independent
Dai Whittingham joined the RAF as a pilot in 1974. He flew Phantoms in the Air Defence fighter role and served as a flying instructor on the Jet Provost. He has commanded an E-3D AWACS squadron and the main operating base of RAF Waddington.
A graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, he deployed in 2004 as the Air Component Commander for all UK flying operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, prior to taking up a MOD operational management appointment. MOD duties included policy for air safety, UK and European airspace, ATM aircraft equipment and uavs; he also chaired the Military Aviation Regulatory Group. He has held responsibility for operational management and oversight of all RAF airborne surveillance platforms and the RAF Search and Rescue Force. His last formal military appointment was as Deputy Commander, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force.
Dai was Chief Executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee from 2012 until July 2024, where he worked with a wide range of industry partners to improve commercial aviation safety. He is Vice-Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group, a member of the RAeS Human Factors Specialist Group, and remains engaged with industry forums in Europe.
Chris Aplin
Independent (Engineer)
Chris Aplin
Independent (Engineer)
Captain David Balmer
Independent (Flight Crew)
Captain David Balmer
Independent (Flight Crew)
David is an A380 line Captain with nearly 20,000 hours in his logbook, gained on A319/A320, A380, BAC1-11, DC-10, B737-200, B747-100/200, B757, B767 and B777-200/300 based at BHX, LGW and LHR.
After a RAF flying scholarship and university, he switched careers and left chartered accountancy at Coopers & Lybrand (PWC nowadays) to join British Airways as a pilot cadet in 1988.
Peter Boston
Flight Data Monitoring Manager, Offshore Helicopter Services UK Ltd.
Peter Boston
Flight Data Monitoring Manager, Offshore Helicopter Services UK Ltd.
Growing up within a few miles of Biggin Hill Airfield, it was probably inevitable that I would spend much of my early teens as a cadet in the Air Training Corps. I was fortunate to gain my fixed wing PPL with the help of an RAF flying scholarship at Cinque Ports Flying Club, Lydd. However, while doing work experience at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, I got to sit in the back of a Lynx which was taking part in the Plymouth Air Display and the hour and a bit flight decided my mind that Helicopters was the way to go.
After gaining my CPLH at Trent Air Services Cranfield on the Bell 47, I joined Bond Helicopters in 1987 and stayed during the merger with CHC for 30 years, flying 2 Dauphin and 3 Puma variants, finishing on the EC225 prior to losing my medical. During those years I was an offshore SAR Captain and Line Trainer, clocking up 16,000 hours. I was also for a short time the Chair of the BALPA Helicopter Safety Committee and was especially pleased to be associated with the Committee during the development phase of TCAS II for helicopters. Since leaving CHC, I have spent a short time working at the Helideck Certification Agency before joining Babcock MCS Offshore as a Compliance Manager for Flight Operations and have since become Flight Data Monitoring Manager for the now Offshore Helicopter Services UK Ltd.
Karen Bolton
Independent ATCO
Karen Bolton
Independent ATCO
Karen Bolton has over 30 years experience in aviation and is an industry expert in safety. Karen started her career with NATS as an Air Traffic Controller validating on both London Gatwick and London Stansted Radar sectors. She has worked extensively across Europe with EASA, Eurocontrol and the UK DfT on safety improvement activities on a wide range of subjects. During this time, she has chaired various groups including the SPA (Safety Partnership Agreement) forging a common understanding between pilots and controllers on the operating environment. She has led and developed new safety initiatives including the first UK callsign confusion deconfliction tool.
Mark Brosnan
Safety and Quality Manager UK, CHC Helicopter
Mark Brosnan
Safety and Quality Manager UK, CHC Helicopter
Glenn Bradley
Head of Flight Operations, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Glenn Bradley
Head of Flight Operations, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Glenn took over as Head of Flight Operations at the CAA in October 2020, after having joined the Authority in 2017 as Flight Operations Manager – Aeroplanes. He remains a current A320 pilot and TI/SE/TRE/TRI.
Prior to that he spent 9 years at easyJet in several roles but latterly as Head of Aircraft Operations and Flight Operations Manager – Operational Standards. As well as being a A320 Capt, TRI/TRE.
This was preceded by 9 years at GB Airways (BA franchise) as Flight Technical Manager.
Before his career in civil aviation he spent 12 years in the RAF mainly flying Tornado GR1/GR1a aircraft.
He is also a keen GA pilot retaining a share in a Beagle Pup aircraft.
Captain George Capon
Independent
Captain George Capon
Independent
George started his flying career in 1976, joining the Air Training Corps and Commanding a VGS for 12 years, initially learning to fly at Southend, he obtained his ATPL ,latterly flying as a Captain on the A340 and A330. Never forgetting the grass roots of aviation he has continuously held CAA and FAA instructor single and multi engine ratings since 1988 and an examiner rating since 2011.
He has had various flight safety, H&S, Human Factors, Training and Procurement roles in Gliding, General Aviation and Commercial Air Transport.
Alison Campbell
AAIB – Senior Inspector of Air Accidents (Operations)
Alison Campbell
AAIB – Senior Inspector of Air Accidents (Operations)
Alison spent almost 20 years flying commercially for various companies on the BAe146, 737 and the A320. Of this Alison spent over 15 years at EasyJet where she was a line training captain and TRI/TRE. Alison joined the AAIB at the beginning of 2017 and continued to fly the A320 as a guest pilot with Thomas Cook until its demise in 2019. With the AAIB Alison has been involved in investigations in all the different aspects of aviation from commercial flights to unmanned aircraft systems. Alison have two master’s degrees, the first in Aviation Accident Investigation and the second in Human Factors in Aviation. Alison is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Captain Tim Cheal
Independent
Captain Tim Cheal
Independent
On leaving School in 1977, Tim joined the RAF as a pilot. He served in the RAF for 20 years where he operated Harrier aircraft in the UK, USA and Germany. He spent much of his time on instructional duties with formal instructional appointments on the Jet Provost, Hawk and Harrier aircraft. His final tour in the RAF was as a Board of Inquiry Advisor, working closely with the AAIB investigating RAF aircraft accidents.
In 1997, Tim joined Airtours as a Boeing 757 First Officer. He gained Command on the Boeing 757 and 767 in 1999 and has since progressed as Line Training Captain, TRI, TRE and Senior Examiner. He has filled the roles of Flight Safety Officer, Fleet Operations Manager and Fleet Manager and was appointed as the Head of Training (Training Post holder) in November 2005. During this time Airtours rebranded as MyTravel Airways, and then merged with Thomas Cook Airlines in 2008. Tim moved to the Airbus fleet in 2014, flying both the A320/1 and A330 aircraft in long and short haul operations. In 2016 Tim left his Training post holder role to return to Airbus line operations as a TRE, SE and TRI Tutor. Since September 2019, when Thomas Cook ceased operations, Tim has regained his B757/767 qualification and has been working as a simulator TRI/TRE and SE on both Airbus and Boeing types.
Brett Dale-Heaps
Independent, Engineer
Brett Dale-Heaps
Independent, Engineer
Ben Daniel
Pilot and Base Flight Safety Officer, Babcock International Group
Ben Daniel
Pilot and Base Flight Safety Officer, Babcock International Group
In order to pursue a lifelong passion for aviation, Ben Daniel joined the UK MoD in 2000, following completion of a BA(Hons) in English and German at the University of Stirling. He completed training as a Sea King HC Mk4 Junglie Pilot in the Royal Navy in 2005 and joined 846 NAS.
After 3 years on the Sea King, conducting operations in arctic, maritime and desert conditions, he converted onto the Lynx (Mk7 and Mk 9A) and joined 847 NAS. A further 5 years of worldwide operational tasking, including jungle, arctic, desert and maritime operations, ensued prior to taking up the roles of Air Safety Officer at RNAS Yeovilton and Air Experience Flight Pilot on the Grob Tutor with 727 NAS.
Having left the Royal Navy in 2016, he spent 2 years working within the UAS industry, delivering operations on small and medium unmanned platforms across Europe. He joined Babcock Mission Critical Services (BMCS) Onshore as an Air Ambulance Pilot in Inverness in 2018 on the AH H145 and EC135, delivering day, night and NVG HEMS missions throughout Scotland.
In 2020, he transferred to BMCS Offshore (now Offshore Helicopter Services UK) in Aberdeen and converted onto the H175, delivering North Sea Crew Change operations.
With backgrounds in training, as an Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner, a Night Vision Goggle Instructor and a Human Factors Instructor and Examiner, and Flight Safety, he commenced the role of Aberdeen Base Flight Safety Officer in 2021.
Outside aviation, Ben lives with his wife and young family in Aberdeenshire and enjoys the many and varied benefits and opportunities of living within close proximity of miles of beautiful coastline and plentiful mountains.
Terry Dudley IAME MBA
Independent (Engineer)
Terry Dudley IAME MBA
Independent (Engineer)
I work for Panasonic Avionics in the Panasonic Technical Services branch (PTS). And have been with them for 5 years this year. I am the Regional Manager covering the UK and Europe and a Form 4 post holder working with the IAA and the UKCAA.
I oversee Line Maintenance operations for Panasonic systems fitted on A/C under the respective Part 145 approval with A and B licensed engineers at each location interacting with most major long-haul carriers in the UK and Europe as well as from around the globe. We have stations in several major European airports as well as three UK basis
Prior to joining PTS I spent eight years with Virgin Atlantic in Various positions, such as Overseas Line maintenance Manager, with stations around the globe supporting VAA and many customers. Outsourced base maintenance manager. Working with MROs such as Delta, LHT Frankfurt, LHT Manila and Malta. EFW Dresden and SRT Zurich. UK Hangar manager. Looking after the two Hangars in the UK. One at LHR primarily maintaining the VAA fleet of A330/ A340 and Boing 747s and 787s, while at LGW I was mainly supporting the B747 fleet during the day and at night the EasyJet operation for overnight checks.
Prior to this I was with British Midland for 18 years as a mechanic then licensed engineer and eventually line and Base manager for LHR operations with well over 100 turns per day on Fokkers, B737s and A320 & A330 A/C. It was here that I acquired a huge amount of experience in various positions including management and obtained my MBA.
I can go further back but probably not to relevant as most companies have since disappeared off the aviation map. I also spent several years on Vintage and light A/C where I learnt my trade and spent many happy hours flying around the skies in both modern and vintage A/C.
Main interests are walking cycling, football
Robert Edson
Independent
Robert Edson
Independent
Robert started his aviation career Lufthansa Cargo based at East Midlands Airport. He is currently employed as Nominated Post-Holder Ground Operations with an Airline. Robert joined the company in 2005 and was initially based in Italy before returning to the UK in 2010.
Captain Terry Eglinton
Flight Safety Officer & Line Training Captain, Babcock International
Captain Terry Eglinton
Flight Safety Officer & Line Training Captain, Babcock International
Terry started his aviation career started with the Royal Air Force as an engineer and worked in engineering for 17 years, ending as Director of Maintenance for two companies in the United States, before flying full time. He was a line pilot with the Chiltern Air Support Unit based at Luton International Airport and RAF Benson, supporting Police and other agencies in surveillance, search and casualty evacuation missions and rapid transportation of specialists. Previous to flying police operations, Terry flew offshore for 4 years and onshore conducting training and charter.
From 2006 to 2009, he held a dual role within BAS: Flight Safety Officer and EC135 Fleet Training Captain. BAS operated 70% of the UK’s air ambulances and the Police helicopters for Scotland and South Wales, in addition to supporting Trinity lighthouse and the Northern Lighthouse board, BAS developed the UK’s first offshore wind farm helicopter support.
Since 2009, Terry has again been evolving in a dual role with Babcock (previously Bond Offshore Helicopters): Flight Safety Officer and Line Training Captain, based at Norwich and covering the Southern North Sea. Terry now also operates as a freelance training Captain.
Will Godwin
Independent FC
Will Godwin
Independent FC
Having flown commercially for 12 years, Will is currently a 737 Captain based at BHX with Jet2.com. He is also an Army Reservist and in that role has worked in Flight Safety and Human Factors training.
Dr. Simon Gill
Independent
Dr. Simon Gill
Independent
Simon has been involved in human factors, risk and safety management in the aviation industry for over two decades. After obtaining his first degree in Integrated Engineering Simon started his career at Airbus. Identifying the need to address maintenance human factors and the unique role played by the manufacturer, Simon undertook a secondment in BAE Systems and completed a PhD in the subject.
Returning to Airbus as Maintenance Human Factors Manager, he set up and managed a team of psychologists and engineers working together to advise on the safe and efficient maintenance of aircraft. They developed and implemented safety improvement processes focussing specifically on how designs can be assessed for maintenance error and how this might be managed before production. He coordinated the sharing of incident data from the Airbus fleet and was on the committee which triaged maintenance incidents, analysing them and proposing action to be taken. He coordinated European maintenance human factors, research trained airlines, maintenance organisations and aviation regulators worldwide and presented at many international conferences and symposia.
For the last decade, he has operated as an independent consultant advising companies on the modern approach to risk management and on organisational resilience and Safety-II. Within aviation, Simon has continued providing support on fixed wing but also on rotorcraft. Working with all the major helicopter manufacturers he has co-developed techniques to review maintenance resilience of in-service aircraft and human hazard analysis techniques to improve design. He also lectures for Cranfield University and City University, London and co- authored an internal White Paper on “Human-Centred Design for Maintenance” for the RAeS which will drive change on this important topic in the years to come.
Outside of aviation, he is a trained business coach, worked on ‘The Resilience Shift’, the drive to improve resilience in critical infrastructure, and also adapted aviation risk and safety concepts for use within a health and social care setting, in care homes, hospitals, children’s and adult social care. He is a member of ‘Q’ the UK National Health Service Quality and Patient Safety initiative and is founder of the Organisational Resilience Special Interest Group. He is also on the executive committee of the Resilience Engineering Association.
Ben Greenaway
Independent (Engineering)
Ben Greenaway
Independent (Engineering)
Ben Greenaway is a B1/2 Part-66 licensed engineer. He spent over 20-years at British Airways going from apprentice to supervisor, working on a variety of aircraft including A320, B777 and the Concorde. He left as a Part-147 A380 subject matter expert to become a Part-66/147 airworthiness surveyor with the UK CAA and is now currently the Head of Training for Storm Aviation.
Passionate about aviation, Ben is driven to help those at all stages of their career to be safe, regulatory compliant and move forward. He is very clear on the need to use HF feedback to improve the safety margin and ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of the aviation industry.
Scott Hadden
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
Scott Hadden
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
Scott was born in Fife, Scotland in 1973 and from a very early age wanted to become a commercial pilot. However, after years of commitment to that path (he started flying at the age of 12), Scott made the difficult decision in 2001 not to pursue a flying career due to the post 9/11 employment landscape at that time.
He then joined NATS in 2002 to train as an Air Traffic Controller. After training, he was initially posted to LATCC West Drayton in Terminal Control which, in 2007, closed with the unit relocating to Swanwick in Hampshire. Since then, he has worked on various projects within NATS such as the next generation Flight Data Processor, controller tools and workstation.
Scott has been a GATCO (Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers) member since 2002 and a GATCO Board member since 2012 in the role of Manager Recruitment and, more recently, Manager Benefits and Admin. Scott is passionate about the future of Air Traffic Control from a professional and technological standpoint and hopes to make further contributions in these areas in the years to come. He still flies for fun and is now a keen Instrument Rated GA pilot which gives him an exposure to ATC from ‘the other side’. He is also a bit of a car nut and has a love for all things mechanical, especially those that are petrol powered!!
Scott is honoured to be on the CHIRP ATAB and GAAB and hopes that his experience and expertise can play a small part in the process of further advancing aviation safety.
Jane Hannick
Senior External Safety Specialist, NATS Safety Service
Jane Hannick
Senior External Safety Specialist, NATS Safety Service
Tom Harris
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
Tom Harris
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
I have over 20 years’ experience in the aviation industry. My career started in 1996 in the RAF as an Aircraft Electrical Technician. In 2005 I elected to change careers to become an Air Traffic Controller. I currently hold the role of ATC Watch Manager at Birmingham Airport but previously I have held a variety of other at roles at other units. These roles have included Manager Air Traffic and Head of Unit Competence.
I hold Aerodrome, Approach Procedural and Radar Ratings together with ATC Assessor and Instructor endorsements and I am a qualified incident investigator. I have experience of busy GA and commercial air traffic environments both outside and within controlled airspace. I also hold Director and Non-Executive Director positions within two SMEs in the aviation industry.
Mike Hornby
NATS (ATCO)
Mike Hornby
NATS (ATCO)
John Hill
Independent (Helicopter Flight Crew)
John Hill
Independent (Helicopter Flight Crew)
Jon gained a PPL at age 17, trained by my grandfather, a retired test pilot. He joined the army with the intent of flying for the Army Air Corps, unfortunately, a failed medical lead to 6 years as an infantry officer mostly spent in Ulster hedgerows and riots around the Divis Flats.
John left the army to train as a commercial pilot at Oxford Air Training School in 1986, qualified on fixed wing and then in 1989 on rotary.
Since then John has flown a mix of fixed and rotary ops, from A320 loads around Europe, helicopters on the North Sea, on UN support in Africa (5 civil wars) Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia. He took redundancy in 1989 and fell into AOC management as a Chief Pilot and latterly Ops Director flying a mix of corporate jets and helicopters, as well as working as a film and tv pilot flying both filming aircraft and stunt work.
John now runs his own company offering turn key operations on fixed and rotary wing for corporate and VVIP owners. With 17,500 hours I’m current on G650, EC135, EC155 and A109.
Apart from CHIRP John also works with the UKAB as one of two civilian helicopter advisers.
John added – ‘It’s been a fun and very eventful career, my ambitions now are to leave aviation as a safer career than it was when I started, to retire solvent (oddly Covid made the VIP market very busy) improve my golf, and to eventually die on a green English airfield to the music of gypsy engines and the wind over Tiger Moth wings at the age of 103’
Darren Howe
Unite the Union (Engineer)
Darren Howe
Unite the Union (Engineer)
Darren has been an engineer in the aviation industry for over 25 years, the majority of that time spent working for Britannia/Thomson/TUI.
After spells in Workshops, Hangar and predominantly the Line Engineering environment Darren now holds the position of Duty Engineer at TUI’s Manchester facility.
He has held the position of a TUI internal Human Factors Investigator for 10 years and is also a Unite The Union shop steward, a position held for a similar period.
Darren joined the ATAB (Air Transport Advisory Board) representing Unite in 2019.
Jerry Kinder
Independent FC
Jerry Kinder
Independent FC
Jerry was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1982 as a general duties officer. He was a pilot flying the Canberra, Hawk, Phantom and Tornado F3 aircraft. While serving he received 2 Green Endorsements. In 2000, having qualified for his ATPL, he ‘retired’ from active service and joined Airtours as a first officer. In 2005 he moved to Virgin Atlantic, where he flies the Boeing 787.
Away from flying, Jerry has extensive board experience, with expertise in change management, structural re-organization, and effective industrial relations. He took on the role of Chair of Governors of a large secondary school during a period of industrial dispute and a subsequent restructuring. He also served on a local authority as a Parent Governor Representative. Since then, he has been a trustee for one pension scheme and is currently a trustee for another. He is Chair of Directors for a small residential property company. He was Vice Chair of the pilot Company Council at Virgin Atlantic, again during a period of industrial unrest and subsequent, successful, restructuring; and later went on to serve 6 years on the National Executive of the pilots’ union, BALPA. He now as a member of, and advisor to, their Legal Committee.
He is a strong believer in the ‘Just Culture’, and in using the principles of human factors and threat error management to enable individuals and organisations to deliver of their best.
Baz Hughes
Independent FC
Baz Hughes
Independent FC
Baz has been flying professionally for 12 years all of which has been accomplished operating the Airbus A320 series of aircraft within the low cost environment around Europe. Born in Plymouth and after spending most of his youth in the Air Training Corps he read Physics
at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester and graduated achieving a BSc(Hons) degree in 2000. Following on from here Baz joined the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and embarked on a career within the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA.) Here he developed niche and specialist skills within the RADAR department developing radio frequency (RF) antennas for a wide and diverse mix of military systems. Baz has a keen interest in promoting flight safety especially regarding both aircraft and human performance. In pursuit of this he has instructed multi crew cooperation courses (MCC) as a synthetic flight instructor (SFI) using a full flight Boeing 747-400 simulator. He is also a Pilot Officer RAFVR(T) and a member of 1 Air Experience Flight (1 AEF). Away from flying Baz enjoys yacht sailing and restoring old cars.
Claire Knight
AirWorthiness, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Claire Knight
AirWorthiness, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Niamh Mulrooney
Independent
Niamh Mulrooney
Independent
Simon Oldfield
Director, UK Airprox Board
Simon Oldfield
Director, UK Airprox Board
Simon Oldfield is the current Director of the UK Airprox Board. He caught ‘the aviation bug’ at an early age and first learned to fly as a glider pilot with the then Air Cadets (now RAF Air Cadets). After a brief period in the insurance broking industry, he joined the Royal Air Force in November 1985 as an avionics technician. Working on and around aircraft, his desire to fly grew ever stronger and so he applied for officer training and was accepted into Initial Officer Training in November 1990 and then progressed to train as a navigator. Successful graduation from navigator training saw him posted to fly Tornado GR1 bombers in Germany and then onto the Tornado GR4. During his time flying this aircraft he saw operational service in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan and spent time as an instructor and standards evaluator on the Tornado Operational Conversion Unit and amassed around 2500 flying hours, including 3 years spent on exchange with the French Air Force flying the Mirage 2000D (although his French language skills have diminished somewhat since his return to the UK). Following a period as a military advisor to the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, he returned to the Tornado GR4 in Scotland as a flight commander before being posted to the headquarters at RAF High Wycombe as a staff officer. Towards the end of his time in the Royal Air Force he was posted to the newly formed Royal Air Force Safety Centre as the Fast Jet Flight Safety subject matter expert. During this time, he developed a passion for the improvement of aviation safety and gained an MSc in Safety and Human Factors in Aviation from Cranfield University; he had his first exposure to the work of the UKAB as a Board member (associated with his primary role). This experience, coupled with the appeal of gaining a greater understanding into the influence of Human Factors in aviation, led him to seek employment with the UKAB at the end of his military career and he joined the UKAB Secretariat as an Inspector in November 2019, promoted to Senior Inspector in April 2021. Following the departure of his predecessor, he took on the role of Director UKAB in August 2022. His continued appetite for aviation has led him to commence his training for a Private Pilot’s License.
Jez Pigden
Independent
Jez Pigden
Independent
Jez joined NATS in 1991 working as an area radar Controller and more recently as a Supervisor at London Centre. He spent a number of years working in NATS’ incident investigation team and then within its corporate safety team.
Jez was a member of, and then chair of the Professional and Legal Committee of IFATCA. He has a degree in Psychology and is currently studying for an MSc in Human Factors.
Captain Ed Pooley
Independent
Captain Ed Pooley
Independent
Ed spent over 30 years as an airline pilot ending up at British Airways after much time in the independent sector. As a young co-pilot, he was an active light aircraft instructor. After becoming a line and later a Training Captain, he then led the implementation of integrated and independent oversight of operational safety and accident/serious incident investigation at the British Regional Air Lines Group as it expanded to a 100-aircraft operation in the 1990s. He continued in this role whilst continuing to fly until taking early retirement during re-organisation at British Airways.
Since then, he has set up and led a small consultancy business which has carried out work for clients in Europe and around the world. He has been a presenter at leading safety conferences for almost 20 years and remains active in various pro-bono activities relating to aviation safety.
Sukhi Rai
Quality Manager, British Airways Engineering
Sukhi Rai
Quality Manager, British Airways Engineering
Tim Richardson
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
Tim Richardson
Independent (Air Traffic Control)
Tim joined NATS in 1998 and validated as a Luton Tower controller in 2000. In 2004 he moved to Cardiff and validated in Tower and Radar. In 2006 he became a Deputy Watch Manager and, in this role, he was heavily involved in safety management work, including ATC procedures safety analysis, incident investigation and lesson learning.
Since 2011 Tim has been an ATC Watch Manager and Unit Safety Manager, responsible for driving forward safety improvement at all levels of the operation and chairing the Unit’s Safety Steering Group. He has been a member of the ATAB since January 2018.
Jonny Roe
Safety Manager/Security Officer – TAG Aviation
Jonny Roe
Safety Manager/Security Officer – TAG Aviation
Jonny was appointed Safety Manager/Security Officer for TAG Aviation in October 2016. Jonny joined TAG Aviation in November 2014 as a Crew Training Instructor at TAG Global Training, where he helped to construct and deliver ground school training to TAG Pilots, Cabin Crew and Third-Party Clients. Prior to joining TAG UK, Jonny worked as Cabin Crew with Monarch for twenty years, with ten of those years as a CRM Instructor, training both Pilots and Cabin Crew.
Davy Ross
Association Licensed Aircraft Engineers (ALAE)
Davy Ross
Association Licensed Aircraft Engineers (ALAE)
Jason Sandever
Ground Safety Inspector, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Jason Sandever
Ground Safety Inspector, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Jason has been the Ground Safety Inspector at the UK CAA for over 12 years. He joined the Flight Operations Inspectorate in 2004, after nearly a decade at a UK cargo airline where he worked as a Loadmaster on various Turboprop and Jet aircraft types.
His regulatory oversight duties are very much focused on all aspects on Ground Operations, which as well as live under-wing operations, include topics such as compliance monitoring and safety management.
He is also the co-chair of the GHOST (Ground Handling Operations Safety Team) and in light of the recent addition of ground handling reporting, has joined CHIRP to support and participate in the programme.
Katharine Sanger
Independent FC
Katharine Sanger
Independent FC
Katharine started flying from Southend Airport where she completed her PPL in 2010. She then undertook a modular route for her ATPL training and started her commercial career in 2017 on the A320.
Amanda Seddon
GATCO
Amanda Seddon
GATCO
Adam Spink
Independent (Air Traffic Controller)
Adam Spink
Independent (Air Traffic Controller)
Adam joined NATS as a trainee air traffic controller in 1998, and has worked at Heathrow Tower since qualifying, becoming an instructor, supervisor, and examiner. In 2008, he started in the ATC Operations department at Heathrow Tower, where he works on introducing new procedures and equipment, conducting safety analyses and research and development projects, while maintaining currency as a controller.
Adam represents NATS and the UK on various ICAO, EASA, Eurocontrol and industry working groups.
Adam also is part of the volunteer ATC team that provides air traffic services for the Royal International Air Tattoo each year at RAF Fairford, and also works in his spare time with other organisations such as the London Air Ambulance and Royal London Hospitals on human factors and team resource management.
Andrew Thorington
Flight Operations Manager – Operations – UK Civil Aviation Authority
Andrew Thorington
Flight Operations Manager – Operations – UK Civil Aviation Authority
Andy has over thirty years’ experience flying a variety of aircraft types and spent fifteen years in airline management positions. He is now the Interim Flight Operations Manager (Aeroplanes) at the CAA.
He was sponsored through university by the Royal Air Force and graduated from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne with a BSc in Biochemistry and Genetics. After spending nine years in the RAF Andy started a career in commercial aviation, initially with Excalibur Airways, then joining Caledonian Airways (becoming JMC, then Thomas Cook Airlines). He was a Training Captain, TRI and Standards Captain on the A320/A330. Andy joined the management team initially as Fleet Manager, subsequently serving in a number of roles including Group Airlines Director for Flight Operations Compliance, Risk and Standards (this included airlines in Denmark, Germany and Spain). During his career he has worked on a number of cross discipline projects, including EASA Rule Making Tasks and State Safety Partnerships. Andy joined the CAA in November 2019.
Captain Mike Thrower
BALPA
Captain Mike Thrower
BALPA
College of Air Training 1974-1976
British Caledonian Airways 1976-1988 – flying BAC 1-11, B707, DC10
British Airways 1988-current – flying B747-400, B777, B787 TRE/TRI since 1992
BALPA Study Rep 2010- current
Dr. Michael Trudgill
Chief Medical Officer Safety, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Dr. Michael Trudgill
Chief Medical Officer Safety, UK Civil Aviation Authority
Dr Michael Trudgill MSc MB BCh MFOM MRCGP DAvMed DipIMC RCS(Ed) FAsMA FRAeS
Michael is the Civil Aviation Authority Chief Medical Officer and joined the organisation in 2017. He previously held senior positions as an MOD Civil servant at the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine prior to which he was a British Senior Medical Officer and Officer Commanding for the Aircrew Equipment Integration Group at the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine.
Throughout his career he focussed on the health and wellbeing of aircrew and developed specialist interests in ergonomics, protective equipment, survival and human performance. A former serving Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force, he saw operational service and worked in deployed operational care and aeromedical evacuation. An enthusiastic private pilot with over 1,000 hours, he is an active member of the UK LAA and has held both testing and display authorizations. He is an aircraft owner and enjoys all aspects of the restoration, maintenance and operation.
Andrew Young
Independent (Helicopter Crew)
Andrew Young
Independent (Helicopter Crew)
As a career change and following some travelling, in the early 2000s I threw myself and all the resources I had into retraining as a Helicopter Pilot. I was lucky enough to get an Instructor job straight away and have been busy ever since working on-shore. I now hold CPL, FI, FE on Robinsons, Bell 206 and AS355.
General Aviation
Captain George Capon
GAAB Chairman – Independent
Captain George Capon
GAAB Chairman – Independent
George started his flying career in 1976, joining the Air Training Corps and Commanding a VGS for 12 years, initially learning to fly at Southend, he obtained his ATPL ,latterly flying as a Captain on the A340 and A330. Never forgetting the grass roots of aviation he has continuously held CAA and FAA instructor single and multi engine ratings since 1988 and an examiner rating since 2011.
He has had various flight safety, H&S, Human Factors, Training and Procurement roles in Gliding, General Aviation and Commercial Air Transport.
Adrian Fountain
GAAB Vice-Chair – Independent
Adrian Fountain
GAAB Vice-Chair – Independent
Joined Royal Air Force on leaving 6th form as electronics engineer working on radar and missile systems. Transferred later and graduated as a flight engineer, completing operational and instructional tours on C130 and L1011. 2004 gained PPL. 2006 left Royal Air Force and joined a test evaluation Sqn at MoD Boscombe down, completing many varied trials on multiple aircraft types, including air to air refuelling, glass cockpit upgrades and aircraft certification activities. 2017 Aeromedical Survival Training Centre MoD Boscombe Down. Responsible for delivery of aircrew maritime survival, Human Factors, CRM, Aviation Medicine training to civilian and military aircrew, flight test engineers. From 2004 to date has remained current in General Aviation and active within the local club being the flight safety representative.
Pete Allum
Independent – Skydiving
Pete Allum
Independent – Skydiving
Peter Barker
Helicopter Club of Great Britain
Peter Barker
Helicopter Club of Great Britain
Peter graduated with a Master’s Degree in Engineering from The City University. His career in aviation commenced by being given employment in the Hawker Aircraft Ltd design office by Sir Sidney Camm. Peter worked on P1127, Kestrel and Harrier systems design before moving to Dunsfold Aerodrome to work on Harrier weapons systems flight trials.
He retired from proper employment to form his own architectural design consultancy company which specialises in the relocation, conservation and conversion of ancient oak framed buildings – the hobby that grew – successfully enough to finance helicopter flying. Peter started flying helicopters in 1985, initially Enstrom and then successively, Gazelle, Bell 206 and Hughes 500. He currently owns an Enstrom 280C which is based at home and regularly flies a Squirrel B3.
Peter flies extensively in Europe – as far south as the Greek Islands and East as far as Moscow, is an active member of the Helicopter Club of Great Britain. He has competed historically and in the last two British Helicopter Championships and is an International Judge and a Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators.
Peter enjoys none-flying activities including fly fishing, game shooting and scuba diving.
Ian Bishop
Independent ATCO
Ian Bishop
Independent ATCO
John Broad
Vintage Aircraft Club
John Broad
Vintage Aircraft Club
John’s first flight was in a De Havilland Dragon Rapide as a pleasure flight around Heathrow with his father paying 10 shillings each for his brother and him. You could say this was his first training on weight and balance calculations as they were both weighed and positioned in the aircraft to suit.
He joined the City of Oxford Sqn No 150 of the Air Training Corps, rising to the rank of Corporal. He cadged flights in Beverley’s from RAF Abingdon and a trip in a Piston Provost and DH Chipmunks plus ATC Camps around the country. An opportunity to gain an ‘A’ and ‘B’ Gliding Licence with the ATC at RAF Hawkinge was fun and followed up with more gliding from Weston-on-the-Green with the Oxford Gliding Club.
Work involved an apprenticeship with Pressed Steel Co at Cowley followed by 38 years in all the incarnations of the motor industry on that site and at the Swindon plant specialising on Press Tooling. A part time job, starting in the year 2000, as a technician in Jacobs Engineering working on bridges and structures has been concluded as with all the aviation work, he didn’t have time to go to work! A concentrated course starting on the auspicious date of April 1st 1969 gained him his PPL (A) flying Cessna 152’s at Wycombe Air Centre. Many trips around the UK and Europe with the touring group set up between the Pilots at the Air Centre proved educational and fun. Other types flown include Piper Cubs, Chipmunk, Luscombe Silvaires and passenger in the Harvard plus some hours as Pilots Assistant in a Beech Kingair operating from Heathrow.
When the Flying Club rental price exceeded £2 per minute, John and a colleague bought an Aeronca Champion 7AC, which taught them both a huge amount about flying real aircraft.
Joining the Vintage Aircraft Club and eventually taking on its Chairmanship has allowed contacts with many superb airmen and craftsmen, although he has now resigned chairmanship of the Club. As a member of the old PFA and the Oxford Strut, John joined the organising committee. He also represents the VAC on various safety organisations and committees; CHIRP, GASCo, AIWG, etc.
John’s other interest is mainly motorcycling, especially vintage types and is a member of the VMCC, Ariel Owners Club, BMW Owners Club, Motorcycle Action Group and the British Motorcyclists Federation.
Tony Butler
Independent – Skydiving
Tony Butler
Independent – Skydiving
Rob Buckley
Chair, CHIRP Drone/UAS Advisory Board
Rob Buckley
Chair, CHIRP Drone/UAS Advisory Board
Rob was elected in 2011 as secretary of the UK Large Model Association, and since 2015 has worked with the UK DfT, CAA and the other UK model flying associations to steer and define the national implementation of model flying regulation under the EASA unmanned aircraft rules. He also sits on several CAA working groups representing the interests of model aircraft flyers. In 2016, he was a founder member of the European Model Flying Union and is an executive board member. He started flying model aircraft in 1982, and has built and flown everything from free flight gliders to turbine powered aircraft but never really got on with helicopters.
He trained as an aeronautical engineer, and since 1996 has worked on the design, airworthiness and certification of balloons, airships, light aircraft, airliners and both large and small unmanned aircraft platforms as a chartered mechanical engineer. He additionally brings experience of the identification and mitigation of human factors and human error in large aircraft maintenance. He gained a fixed wing PPL in 2018 and now has a share in a permit to fly vintage aircraft based at Compton Abbas.
John Carter
Independent – Skydiving
John Carter
Independent – Skydiving
Robert Curry
Independent – Pilot
Robert Curry
Independent – Pilot
Rob Curry first started flying (in his head) aged about 5 whilst looking up at Concorde climbing out of Filton. Then followed pretty much every model aircraft you can think of, Air Training Corps, a bit of gliding and University Air Squadron. After graduating, much to his surprise, with an Engineering degree, he was fortunate enough to find himself trusted with one of Her Majesty’s supersonic nuclear fighter-bombers and 20 years in the RAF flashed by, literally and metaphorically!
After the RAF, a ground tour as an Operations Analyst with Boeing resulted in an unhealthy interest in geeky maths before returning to the flying fold with gliding, as an Airprox Inspector and as CFI at a local flying school. Rob is a current CPL/FI/IRI and LAA member.
Rod Dean
Independent
Rod Dean
Independent
Rod Dean joined the Royal Air Force is September 1962 and spent just over 21 years in the service. During that period he was continually involved, after training, in flying on either operational squadrons or Operational Conversion Units/Tactical Weapons Units. These included, on the Hunter, 43 Squadron in Aden, 229 OCU at RAF Chivenor and 208 Squadron in Bahrain. A further tour at Chivenor on 79 Squadron was followed by a tour at RAF Bruggen, Germany on the Jaguar. After promotion to Squadron Leader, a posting to Brawdy as OC 79 Squadron completed his flying with the RAF. His final tour before retiring from the RAF was on loan to the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force as a QFI flying the Jaguar and the Hunter.
In 1972 and 73 he was the Strike Command Hunter display pilot at RAF Chivenor when he flew some 50 public displays over the two seasons and was the winner of the first WD & HO Wills Solo Jet Display Trophy at the North Weald International Air Tattoo in 1972. He left the service as a Squadron Leader and as a Qualified Flying Instructor and Qualified Weapons Instructor.
After leaving the RAF, Rod spent ten years as the Business Manager for a flight simulator training company followed by fifteen years with the Civil Aviation Authority. When he left the CAA he was the Chief Executive Officer of Air Safety Support International, a wholly owned subsidiary of the CAA tasked with overseeing civil aviation regulation in the UK Overseas Territories. Prior to this appointment he was the Head of the General Aviation Department. He was, most recently, the Flight Operations Consultant (and Flying Display Director during the 2010 and 2012 Airshows) for Farnborough International Limited, the organisers of the Farnborough Airshow. Rod is now the Flying Display Coordinator for a number of well know flying displays such as those at Blackpool and the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.
He spent many years instructing on light general aviation aircraft and has been displaying civil aircraft since 1984 when he retired from the RAF. Rod has flown a wide variety of World War II and immediate post-war piston fighters such as the Mustang, Corsair, Wildcat, Sea Fury, Bearcat, Hurricane, Harvard, Skyraider and, favorite of all, the Spitfire. He has also flown a number of vintage jet aircraft such as the Meteor, Vampire, Venom, T33, F86 Sabre and, not surprisingly, the Hunter. He continues to fly, and display, a variety of light aircraft such as the Slingsby T67M, the Harvard and Provost.
William Dean
Independent
William Dean
Independent
Bill spent the majority of his childhood in Africa and USA before a family move back to the UK aged 17. He went on to study Pure Mathematics at London School of Economics and Political Science before joining the Royal Navy as a pilot in 1984.
He flew a variety of operational roles in the RN, firstly as a search and rescue helicopter pilot from Prestwick, Scotland and then, after fast jet training, the majority of his operational service was spent as a Sea Harrier pilot operating from HMS INVINCIBLE including two years as Senior Pilot 800 NAS for air defence operations over Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo. He then worked in the USA from 2001 until 2006 in various roles flying F/A18C Hornet and AV-8B Harrier with USN before transferring to the F35 project team in Washington D.C. Bill finished his military service in 2008 as Deputy Force Commander, Joint Force Harrier.
Bill then initially worked as an independent aerospace consultant before joining Rolls-Royce plc in 2011 as Chief Pilot (Defence Aerospace) based at Filton, Bristol. In 2020, he joined Boeing Test & Evaluation as the UK Flight Ops Safety Lead and his role is the primary aviation safety focal for flight test operations in UK. Bill finished his time with Boeing in summer of 2024 and now works part time as air safety manager and display pilot for Navy Wings.
Bill stays current on a variety of fixed wing, and when able rotary wing types, and specialises in air display flying including various marks of Spitfire, Harvard and Sea Fury with Navy Wings Heritage Flight and other organisations.
Chloe Eriksen
Flight Training Liaison & Safety Officer, BMAA
Chloe Eriksen
Flight Training Liaison & Safety Officer, BMAA
Chloe’s interest in aviation began as a young Air Cadet, with Air Experience Flying in Chipmunks and Bulldogs. Work experience at a local airfield and the odd fun flight led to an RAF Flying Scholarship on a Cessna 152 at Carlisle Airport, where she terrified herself on her first solo. Her Sixth Form tutor introduced her to the world or Rotary flying and the Army Air Corps and watching the mighty Lynx take off from Middle Wallop airfield cemented her ambitions. She attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and then went on to complete the Army Pilot’s Course, completing her conversion on the Lynx Mk7. Tours in Bosnia and Iraq followed and an exciting season as part of the Lynx crew on the Blue Eagles display team. Chloe went on to graduate from the Central Flying School at RAF Shawbury, becoming a Qualified Helicopter Instructor (QHI). Always passionate about Flight Safety and with a particular interest in Human Factors, Chloe continued to work in Aviation after leaving the Army and worked on various projects in the field of training and regulation as an Aviation Consultant. She recently took up post as the Flight Training Liaison and Safety Officer at the BMAA.
Toni Flint
Senior Inspector of Air Accidents (Human Factors) – AAIB
Toni Flint
Senior Inspector of Air Accidents (Human Factors) – AAIB
With a focus on human factors, Toni investigates accidents and serious incidents to enhance safety across commercial air transport, general aviation, uncrewed air systems, and space. Since joining the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) in 2018, she has worked to understand the relationship between human behaviour and safety, promoting improvements that help aviation people easily do the right thing.
Prior to AAIB, Toni gained 16 years of experience as a human factors specialist in road and rail transport and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors. She also chairs the human factors working group for the International Society of Air Safety Investigators. A passionate pilot, Toni holds a Private Pilot License and flies regularly, combining her expertise in human factors with a love for aviation.
Tony Gee
British Gliding Association
Tony Gee
British Gliding Association
On first getting airborne at age 14 in a Tiger Moth from a local farm strip, Tony switched from models to full-scale aviation. School was followed by 6 years at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough and the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine, specialising in instrumentation and homosapiens’ limitations. A sojourn in higher education led to research and a Doctorate in (nanometric) measurement and control and his career thereafter embraced posts at Reading, Surrey and Cranfield Universities in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering with sabbaticals in USA and Brazil.
Having commenced gliding at Farnborough, he is one of a select few who soloed and learnt pilotage skills in its hallowed air. With 4000hrs logged, mostly powerless, on ~120 types (of which ~70 had no second seat), type-conversion assessment issues are particular interests, including effects of scale, span, human performance limitations and pre/post stall handling.
He holds the Gliding Gold Cert., a Full Category Instructor Rating, is Safety Officer for an RAFGSA Club and a BGA Regional Safety Officer. He has served on the BGA Safety Committee, represents it on the GASCo Council, advises Brunel U Flight Safety Lab and is a member of Royal Aeronautical Society GA Committee.
Academic interests continue in astro-instrumentation as a Senior Research Associate in the Dept of Physics and Astronomy, University College London.
Mike Gunston
British Balloon & Airship Club
Mike Gunston
British Balloon & Airship Club
On leaving grammar school in 1973, Mike joined NATS (as it was to become) as a trainee Air Traffic Control Officer. On graduation, he worked for NATS for 44 years as an ATCO at places diverse as Sumburgh (Shetland Isles), Glasgow, Manchester, London Heathrow and also, the area control unit at Swanwick. A pilots licence for light aircraft came with the job and in 1990, Mike decided to try out hot air ballooning.
He has a current PPL for both Airplanes and Balloons and is on the main committee of the British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC). Mike flies a Czech Airworks Sportcruiser to get from A to B, but if he fancies floating around, he uses his Cameron Z-90.
On the CHIRP GAAB panel, Mike represents ballooning but also contributes his knowledge of fixed wing and Air Traffic Control to the debate.
Scott Hadden
Scott Hadden
Scott was born in Fife, Scotland in 1973 and from a very early age wanted to become a commercial pilot. However, after years of commitment to that path (he started flying at the age of 12), Scott made the difficult decision in 2001 not to pursue a flying career due to the post 9/11 employment landscape at that time.
He then joined NATS in 2002 to train as an Air Traffic Controller. After training, he was initially posted to LATCC West Drayton in Terminal Control which, in 2007, closed with the unit relocating to Swanwick in Hampshire. Since then, he has worked on various projects within NATS such as the next generation Flight Data Processor, controller tools and workstation.
Scott has been a GATCO (Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers) member since 2002 and a GATCO Board member since 2012 in the role of Manager Recruitment and, more recently, Manager Benefits and Admin. Scott is passionate about the future of Air Traffic Control from a professional and technological standpoint and hopes to make further contributions in these areas in the years to come. He still flies for fun and is now a keen Instrument Rated GA pilot which gives him an exposure to ATC from ‘the other side’. He is also a bit of a car nut and has a love for all things mechanical, especially those that are petrol powered!!
Scott is honoured to be on the CHIRP ATAB and GAAB and hopes that his experience and expertise can play a small part in the process of further advancing aviation safety.
Jane Hannick
Senior External Safety Specialist, NATS Safety Service
Jane Hannick
Senior External Safety Specialist, NATS Safety Service
Martin Hill
Independent
Martin Hill
Independent
Steven Hoare
AAIB
Steven Hoare
AAIB
David James
GA Unit, CAA
David James
GA Unit, CAA
David started his career in aviation in 2018 having left a longstanding role in Employment Law. He obtained his FISO license in 2018 and gained validation at Coventry in 2019 where he has worked full time since. He is a member of the GAAB representing GATCO.
David gain this PPL(A) in 2015 learning in a Grob 115 for which he still has a soft spot! Since then he has flown a range of aircraft and finds himself mainly in the trusty PA28 owned by the club he is an active member of. He has flown aircraft all over the UK and recently started to venture into Europe, hoping to fly around the nordic countries.
To further his knowledge, he is hoping to complete his IR(R) soon and move into flight instructing, focussing on the LAPL and Class Ratings.
Paul Mahony
British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA)
Paul Mahony
British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA)
Chris Mason
GA Unit, CAA
Chris Mason
GA Unit, CAA
Chris has worked in the aviation industry since leaving school, gaining a wealth of experience covering a wide variety of aircraft and airport safety, security, operational and technical matters. He has held senior and diverse roles with British Airways, Air Foyle/Antonov, SITA, European Regions Airline Association and currently the Civil Aviation Authority.
Throughout his career Chris has attained valuable experience and expertise in a vast array of aviation disciplines, including aircraft performance, airport inspections, cargo charter operations and navigation/aeronautical information management. As a result Chris has travelled extensively both within Europe and Globally, sitting on various aviation safety and security consultative committees requiring liaison with numerous government and regulatory bodies including EASA, European Commission, ECAC, IATA and Eurocontrol.
In his current role at the Civil Aviation Authority he works within the General Aviation Unit combing two roles, working as a Flight Standards Officer with the Air Display team and as primary Subject Matter Expert within the Operations team investigating Mandatory Occurrence Reports and Alleged Breaches of Air Navigation Legislation.
In his spare time Chris is in the process of gaining his PPL, enjoys travel and plays badminton to league and national level.
Tom McCormack
Manager of Air Traffic Services
Tom McCormack
Manager of Air Traffic Services
Tom joined the RAF at age 16 as a Halton Apprentice and graduated at BSc level in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He served in RAF for 11 years – travelling worldwide. Following the RAF, Tom had several very different careers that have gave him a wide range of knowledge of both technical and commercial topics. This includes: Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Military Communications, plus 40 years of business consulting and managing £ multimillion Business Change programs across a range of industries including Avionics, Defence and Global Aerospace manufacturing. Tom started flying gliders in the ATC age 13, and at 14, becoming a staff cadet at North Weald & Debden RAF GS. He gained his PPL via a scholarship at RAF Goose Bay Labrador, followed by 2 years of bush flying (on wheels, ski’s, floats and amphibians).
Tom has owned shares in several GA aircraft, the current aircraft being (a Piper PA32-300) since 1985. He gained IMC and NR in 1977 and CRI in 1999 – all still current. Tom has flown extensively around the UK, Europe and the world, for example: 3 x transatlantic crossings + trips to North Africa and Cyprus – and on business trips all over Europe. Tom is current on most SEP’s including 3 axis microlights, tailwheel and complex and is experienced in teaching pilots how to use GPS navigation products alongside tradition navigational techniques. He has approx 6400 hrs total PIC, including approx. 900 hrs IMC/IFR and 500hrs instructing. Covid excepted, Tom has been flying approx. 400 hrs per year over the last 4-5 years.
Simon Oldfield
Director, UK Airprox Board
Simon Oldfield
Director, UK Airprox Board
Simon Oldfield is the current Director of the UK Airprox Board. He caught ‘the aviation bug’ at an early age and first learned to fly as a glider pilot with the then Air Cadets (now RAF Air Cadets). After a brief period in the insurance broking industry, he joined the Royal Air Force in November 1985 as an avionics technician. Working on and around aircraft, his desire to fly grew ever stronger and so he applied for officer training and was accepted into Initial Officer Training in November 1990 and then progressed to train as a navigator. Successful graduation from navigator training saw him posted to fly Tornado GR1 bombers in Germany and then onto the Tornado GR4. During his time flying this aircraft he saw operational service in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan and spent time as an instructor and standards evaluator on the Tornado Operational Conversion Unit and amassed around 2500 flying hours, including 3 years spent on exchange with the French Air Force flying the Mirage 2000D (although his French language skills have diminished somewhat since his return to the UK). Following a period as a military advisor to the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, he returned to the Tornado GR4 in Scotland as a flight commander before being posted to the headquarters at RAF High Wycombe as a staff officer. Towards the end of his time in the Royal Air Force he was posted to the newly formed Royal Air Force Safety Centre as the Fast Jet Flight Safety subject matter expert. During this time, he developed a passion for the improvement of aviation safety and gained an MSc in Safety and Human Factors in Aviation from Cranfield University; he had his first exposure to the work of the UKAB as a Board member (associated with his primary role). This experience, coupled with the appeal of gaining a greater understanding into the influence of Human Factors in aviation, led him to seek employment with the UKAB at the end of his military career and he joined the UKAB Secretariat as an Inspector in November 2019, promoted to Senior Inspector in April 2021. Following the departure of his predecessor, he took on the role of Director UKAB in August 2022. His continued appetite for aviation has led him to commence his training for a Private Pilot’s License.
Andy Ormshaw
Manager of Air Traffic Services and Airfield Accountable Manager at Cornwall Airport, Newquay
Andy Ormshaw
Manager of Air Traffic Services and Airfield Accountable Manager at Cornwall Airport, Newquay
Andy Ormshaw is the Manager of Air Traffic Services and Airfield Accountable Manager at Cornwall Airport, Newquay. Andy joined Newquay in 2008 to transition the airfield/ATC from military operation – RAF St Mawgan – to a purely civil licensed airport. Previous to that he had been the Air Traffic and Safety Services Manager of Leeds Bradford International Airport.
Andy started his career in the RN, initially as a Seaman Officer, becoming a Fighter Controller and ATCO after his initial sea training. He qualified as a Civil ATCO before leaving the RN to start work at LBIA in 1995. He retains a current ATC operational status, and after many years of being financially grounded by family commitments is attempting to regain his PPL. Andy joined Chirp in July 2021.
Dan Pryce
Independent
Dan Pryce
Independent
Dan Pryce started his aviation career learning to fly at EGSE – Ipswich Airport. An ambition to be a commercial pilot was furthered with an IMC and twin rating, but then he discovered air traffic control, or at least the GA equivalent, at the same time as running out of money for an ATPL.
Dan has worked as an air/ground operator and FISO at various airfields including Ipswich, Elmsett and Old Buckenham. Turning down a career with Eurocontrol, but rebuffed by NATS, when Ipswich closed he found himself at Wattisham as an Air Traffic Assistant. Great fun was had flying in (and occasionally flying!) lots of helicopters courtesy of the Army Air Corps.
Finally NATS gave in and took Dan under their wing in 1999. Four years at Farnborough flew by (all puns intended), and his love of GA ensured he enjoyed every minute of providing a LARS service, even on a sunny Saturday. Dan would regularly join the fray as a member of the Farnborough Aero Club. Providing a Radar Advisory Service (remember that?) to bizjets in uncontrolled Class G was not so much fun though.
Moving to Stansted Airport to be closer to home, but sadly having to give up radar (which for all the London Airports is done centrally) Dan has remained there ever since and is currently a Watch Manager and the Unit Safety Manager. A love of airshows, which started at Wethersfield in 1984 and was strengthened by being part of them at Farnborough, has continued with the occasional busman’s holiday as part of the air traffic team at RIAT Fairford.
Being part of the CHIRP General Aviation Advisory Board allows Dan to give something back to the industry that started his career.
Captain Nigel Rhind
Independent
Captain Nigel Rhind
Independent
Dorothy Saul-Pooley
Master, Honourable Company of Air Pilots
Dorothy Saul-Pooley
Master, Honourable Company of Air Pilots
Dorothy Saul-Pooley originally qualified as a Solicitor and worked in the City for several years before learning to fly. She left the law in the early 1990s to gain a CPL (A) and Instructor Rating and worked as an instructor full-time for several years. She then continued to instruct part-time whilst working as an Aviation Lawyer, finally reversing the balance in 1999 to instruct full-time on Instructor courses and act as a part-time aviation consultant. Having successfully run FI courses at Shoreham for a number of years, Dorothy set up Pooleys Flying Instructor School in early 2005 to specialise solely in the training of Flying Instructors and Examiners. The school held approval for Instructor and Examiner Refresher seminars. Dorothy sold the school in 2018 to concentrate on writing projects and independent consultancy and has continued to provide input to a successor company delivering instructor seminars.
In addition to holding an ATPL(A) and FIC/FIE ratings on aeroplanes, Dorothy is unique in holding a CPL(H) and is also qualified as a helicopter instructor.
Dorothy was the first Chairman of the Instructor sub-Committee and is also a past Chairman of the Education and Training Committee of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots (formerly known as GAPAN). She has served on the Court of the Air Pilots since 2001 and was for many years on the Scholarship selection committee. She has served on the Trophies and Awards Committee since 2007. Dorothy was installed as the Master of the Honourable Company on 17th March 2014 and when she completed her term of office, on 9th March 2015, was installed as the Immediate Past Master.
Dorothy is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, a director of Air Pilot Publishing Limited and a Court member of the Guild of Freemen. In addition, Dorothy is the Founder and Chairman of the Professional Flying Instructor Association, the Governor of the British Section of the 99s, International Women Pilots Organisation, the founder and past Chairman of the Southern England (Concorde) chapter of Women in Aviation International and the author and editor of a number of training manuals.
Steve Slater
Independent
Steve Slater
Independent
Stephen Slater, became Chief Executive officer of the Light Aircraft Association on 1st September 2015, working on behalf of around 7,500 members who operate over 4,000 sport aircraft and retired from the role in 2023.
Stephen joined the Association from a successful career in PR and marketing communications where he ran a leading agency working in sectors including aviation, the motor industry and tourism, both in the UK and in Asia. He was for 15 years ‘the voice of Formula One’ in the Far East, working as commentator with the Singapore-based Star Sports TV channel. He was also part of the team which created the Singapore Grand Prix, Formula One’s first-ever night race.
Stephen has been actively involved in the light aviation community for around 20 years, including spells as Chairman of the Vintage Aircraft Club and Vice-Chairman of the General Aviation Awareness Council. His roots in flying go back to being a 14 year-old ‘hangar brat’ in the 1970s at the Middleton St. George Aero Club, at what is now Durham Tees Valley Airport, but like many he then spent time away from flying before returning when commitments allowed.
Stephen, who lives in Chesham in Buckinghamshire, owns and flies a Piper J-3 Cub based at Bicester and is co-owner and co-restorer of the ‘Biggles Biplane’, a replica 1914 BE-2c Royal Flying Corps observation biplane.
Dr. Peter Sowood
Aircraft Owners & Pilot Association
Dr. Peter Sowood
Aircraft Owners & Pilot Association
Peter joined the RAF in 1976 and, after tours at RAF Coningsby as Unit Medical Officer and at the RAF Aviation Medical Training Centre at North Luffenham as an instructor, he spent the rest of his career at the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine at Farnborough. He became an RAF Consultant in Aviation Medicine in 1988 and specialised in research around protection from hot and cold environments, sea survival and under water escape from helicopters. The second phase of his career was in clinical research for the pharmaceutical industry in various senior roles although he maintained a strong interest in aviation. Now semi-retired Peter regularly flies his Piper Archer III from Denham and has an IR(R) and NR.”
Mike Stanway
Independent
Mike Stanway
Independent
Mike started his flying as a Staff Cadet at No 12 AEF at Turnhouse (Edinburgh) and also obtained his PPL via a Flying Scholarship during this time. He joined the RAF from school and flew assorted types almost all of which are now in museums! His RAF flying included 10 years on Tornado GR1/1a and 5 years as Officer Commanding Wales University Air Squadron on Bulldog and Tutor; he was also one of the RAF representatives on the UKAB for some years. After leaving the Service he was ‘persuaded’ by his Son to gain his civilian FI rating. Mike also serves as Flying Display Director for the RAF Cosford Airshow and holds a A/G RT licence for comms at smaller display events.
Rob Taylor
Independent
Rob Taylor
Independent
Rob Taylor has been an SEP (A) PPL holder since August 2004 and has logged just under 900 hours total time in fixed wing aircraft. He currently holds a class rating instructor rating, night rating, and plans to add an IR(R) rating when time allows. His passion for aviation started when he was at primary school where he would pretend to be a fast jet and take off with his arms stretched before being swept back for high-speed flight. A few years later, he progressed to ‘flying’ a beautifully made metal Spitfire attached to the end of a length of string, which was lost to centrifugal forces when a knot failure caused it to detach. It was an important first lesson in flight safety.
Rob started his career working for a firm of accountants where he discovered an interest in computer audit. He qualified as a Certified Information Systems Auditor and joined Standard Chartered Bank travelling throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia, reviewing IT security and operations. After a short time with Citigroup, Rob joined Swiss Re as a technology auditor but was quickly seconded to the Chief Risk Officer to resolve critical problems he found with their payment systems. Building upon the success of this assignment, Rob undertook further challenges identifying root causes of highprofile problems with data and processes throughout the company and managing their resolution. He left Swiss Re in 2018 for his most challenging role as Head of Offspring Development with responsibility for his son’s journey into primary school. Outside the school-run hours, Rob now offers consultancy services to businesses covering the full scope of his experience and creates digital animations and media.
Simon Tilling
The Light Aircraft Association – CEO
Simon Tilling
The Light Aircraft Association – CEO
Alec Trevett
Independent
Alec Trevett
Independent
Alec started gliding with the Air Training Corps at South Cerney in Slingsby Cadet MkIII and Sedbergh T21 – solo’d at 16. Started powered flying initially as a hobby and then became a weekend flying instructor, teaching PPL, aerobatic, tailwheel and IMC Rating. Spent 30 years in the Royal Air Force as a Fighter Controller followed by 10 years with the Civil Aviation Authority Safety Regulation Group and CAA International working in Kuwait, UAE, Brunei and European States. Latterly served as Global Safety Manager for a large integrated flight training provider with training locations in UK, USA, India, Australia and Europe – dealing with SMS development, safety training, safety reporting and occurrence investigations. Currently a CPL/IR SEP & MEP and active flight instructor and examiner.
Nick Wall
Independent
Nick Wall
Independent
Nick Wall is an aviation journalist focusing mainly on safety issues. A former Editor of a wide range of GA aviation magazines, he is, and has been, both a GA and glider pilot for many years.
Chris Yates
Independent
Chris Yates
Independent
Cabin Crew
Kirsty Arnold
CCAB Chair, Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kirsty Arnold
CCAB Chair, Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kirsty’s experience includes being a SME for cabin/above wing which included operational and occupational safety for cabin crew, pilots and customers. Kirsty’s role included SME safety lead for new aircraft entering service and retrofits – most recently the A350 and A330-900. Kirsty was also SME for lithium-ion batteries within the cabin. Kirsty lead investigations into significant safety incidents/accidents within cabin crew and flight operations.
Kirsty’s other roles include Cabin Crew Programme Manager at CHIRP (1996-2012) from its development into the current status following expansion from Flight Crew to include Cabin Crew, Engineers, ATCOs, General Aviation and eventually Maritime. She was responsible for the CHIRP Cabin Crew programme from its inception until 2012. Was also the Secretariat for ICASS (International Confidential Aviation Security Systems) Group whilst at CHIRP. Previously an In-flight Customer Experience Safety and Quality Partner at British Airways and flew as cabin crew on B747 and B777 aircraft (2012-2014).
Kirsty is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Flight Operations Group and am Chair of the Cabin Safety Specialist Group. I am also a member of IOSH (Institution of Occupational Health and Safety).
Nicola Walker
CCAB Vice-Chair, Independent (Cabin Crew)
Nicola Walker
CCAB Vice-Chair, Independent (Cabin Crew)
I started flying career in MAN for airtours International in 1996-2003, qualified on various aircraft types including A320/321 7A330, B757/B767 and worked on the Air New Zealand damp less aircraft B747-200 for a year. Wanted to be based near to my home town of Leeds , joined Jet2 on the first Cabin Crew course and have been there ever since.
I was promoted to Performance Trainer specializing in SEP/ Security& Dangerous Goods / Disruptive Passenger Training/ First Aid / Manual Handling, a role I loved and enjoyed for over ten year.
In 2016 I needed a challenge and was promoted to Cabin Standards Manager, which was a new role for the Cabin Services Department. During my time to date , I have developed key relationships with many departments including engineering, IFR and Cabin Safety. I play an integral part in implanting changes to our procedures and processes, which is driven from Audit data and Safety reports.
I manage a Team of Auditors, that takes a look at Cabin Services Operating Procedures, Training Facilities and Ground School Training, ensuring as a department, we are fully complaint with all our processes and procedures, aware of risk factors and maintain a safe working environment on board our aircraft.
Jen Clifford
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Jen Clifford
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Jen started her career in aviation in 1999 when she joined Monarch as cabin crew, operating on the B757, A320 and A300. She joined easyJet in 2001 and progressed through various roles including Cabin Crew Line Trainer, Crew Training Instructor and Training Duty Manager before moving into the Cabin Safety Department as a Cabin Safety Coordinator. In this role, Jen completed safety investigations, led policy changes relating to cabin crew operating procedures and administered the easyJet CSPM.
In 2021 Jen moved into the Flight Operations Assurance & Process department as Technical Publications Specialist, and as such was responsible for the coordination and administration of Flight Ops Manual updates, including OM Part A. In this role she gained a deeper understanding of aviation regulations as well as experience of wider airline operations, working closely with different functions and departments.
In October 2023, Jen re-joined the safety department as Cabin Safety Manager to lead the cabin safety team. She remains a qualified Cabin Manager, operating on easyJet’s A319, A320 and A321 fleet.
Meghan Doyle
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Meghan Doyle
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Meghan started her aviation career in 2009 with Ryanair. Starting as a junior cabin crew and working her way up to Senior Cabin Crew, Meghan successfully progressed to Safety and Emergency Procedures Instructor in 2014. She then moved into the Inflight Safety Office as a Safety Administrator in 2017 and is currently the Inflight Safety and Security Manager. As part of this role, Meghan is responsible for safety reporting for cabin crew, completing inflight safety investigations, trend analysis and participates in safety risk assessments.
She also ensures that safety policies and just culture is promoted within the Inflight department. Meghan still holds an attestation and operates onboard regularly.
Richard Eynon
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Richard Eynon
Independent (Cabin Crew)
After graduating with a bsc Biomedical Science degree from the University of Wales, Cardiff, Richard followed his ambition to become cabin crew and joined Emirates Airline in 2006. At Emirates, Richard was based in Dubai for nearly five years. The ambition was to fly for a maximum of three years, but the industry addiction led to Richard staying longer and joining British Airways. Some fifteen years later, doesn’t time fly?
Richard has experience of operating on the B777, B787, B747, A330, A340, A380 and A320 types. During his time at British Airways, Richard was an SCCM, cabin crew trainer, recruiter and completed two secondments with one leading to a permanent role in the Cabin Safety Team. Richard has been in the Cabin Safety team since 2016 and completed a NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and the CAA Cabin Inspector Theory course. In the British Airways Cabin Safety team, Richard still holds an attestation and is licensed on the B777, B787 and A320 types and works with a team of Operational Safety Evaluators looking after the compliance oversight of SCCM line evaluations and cabin sops.
n addition to compliance oversight, Richard also has experience investigating (actual and potential) incidents, completes risk assessments and is a member of the Cabin Safety Liaison Group (CSLG) – a group of Cabin Safety professionals from all UK operators.
Joanne Green
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Joanne Green
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Captain Chris Hanson
ATAB Chair – (Independent Flight Crew)
Captain Chris Hanson
ATAB Chair – (Independent Flight Crew)
Chris has been flying professionally since 1985 and has worked in a management role in British Airways since 2004. In the Royal Air Force, he flew, and trained pilots, on the Hawk and Tornado F3. In British Airways he has gained type ratings on the Boeing 737, 757, 767,777 and 787, he also has instructor ratings and examiner authorisation on the B737, 777 and 787.
Chris’s main focus has always been the training of pilots; as a Flight Training Manager he was responsible for the management of training on the B777/787 and B737 fleets. His management experience covered the fields of Quality, Technical and Training at both Heathrow and Gatwick and he has worked inter-departmentally within British Airways, across the airline industry as a whole, and with national and international regulatory bodies, including speaking at international training conferences.
Chris now works as a Training Standards Captain on the B777/787 fleet in British Airways, which he enjoys immensely.
Dale Hyde-Douglas
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Dale Hyde-Douglas
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Dale has been working in the aviation industry since 2003, most of which has been spent at Jet2. Dale has worked as Cabin Crew, progressing through to being Senior Cabin Crew and Cabin Safety Trainer, he also spent time at British Airways as Customer Service Manager and has operated on a variety of long and short haul Boeing and Airbus Aircraft.
Dale is currently the Cabin Safety Manager at Jet2, working within the Safety & Compliance team at head office in Leeds. In this current role, Dale manages safety reporting to monitor trends to be able to create a risk picture for the business, which ultimately helps ensure a safer operation and environment for the crew and passengers. Dale ensures safety investigations are also conducted in accordance with the companies “Just Culture” and advises the business as subject matter expert where required.
Lezio Liotta
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Lezio Liotta
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Lezio started his aviation career in 2005 where he worked for Ryanair for nearly a decade and in a variety of roles including cabin crew, senior cabin crew and SEP Instructor.
He then spent a few years working for the startup FlyDubai, the Emirates sister company in the capacity of Cabin Safety Officer where he was responsible for the entire cabin safety area including regulatory manuals, liaison with the regulator, set up of IOSA, occurrence reports / investigation and some flying duties.
In 2016 he went to work for Virgin Atlantic as Manager Cabin Safety & Training and responsible for safety & emergency procedures on A330, A340, A350, B747 and B787, departmental compliance monitoring, risk assessments, cabin crew training, IOSA, occurrence reports and investigations. In this role Lezio was also a member of the Cabin Safety Liaison Group (CSLG), a group of UK and Irish AOC Heads of Crew Safety/Training, working together for best practice related to cabin safety and training.
Lezio joined the UK CAA in 2023 as Inspecting Officer, Airworthiness. In this role, he will work with DfT and EASA and support the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft Programme (SAFA/SANA).
Kris Major
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kris Major
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kris has been flying as cabin crew for over 20 years and a workplace rep for over 16 years. He started at bmi and progressed to Cabin Service Manager and was also a Cabin Safety Trainer.
Kris is currently a Cabin Service Director at British Airways. He has a seat on the Cabin Crew Advisory Group and European Transport Federation, where his main function is to consider and offer opinion on issues affecting European commercial aviation. Recently, he has trained over 500 delegates on EASA Flight Time Limitations scheme and compiled 3 technical books and several courses, both National and International.
He values CHIRP as a vital tool in maintaining safe flying operations and considers his place on the Cabin Crew Advisory Board as one of the highlights of his career.
John Lobo-Pires
Independent (Cabin Crew)
John Lobo-Pires
Independent (Cabin Crew)
John joined Virgin Atlantic in 2001 as Cabin Crew and worked through the ranks to Flight Service Manager. In 2009 he became a Cabin Safety Training Instructor and since 2023 has been the Manager – Cabin Operations & Training. John is responsible for the Ops Manuals B and D, as well as standard operating and emergency procedures for A330, A350 and 787 aircraft. He is also responsible for departmental compliance monitoring, risk assessments, cabin crew training and safety investigations. John continues to fly online as a Flight Service Manager monthly so he is visible to the crew community.
Wendy Nair
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Wendy Nair
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Wendy started her Aviation career when she joined Monarch in 1997, over a period of 13 years Wendy operated on the A330, B757, A330, A320, A321 and B767. Wendy progressed to the position of Cabin Safety Instructor prior to leaving in 2010.
Wendy joined her current employer, AirTanker in 2012 whilst the operation was still in the start up phase. Over the last 10 years Wendy has introduced 14 A330 aircraft consisting of both civilian and military registered aircraft. Wendy still operates on the A330 and delivers all subjects relating to Cabin crew training. In addition as Cabin Standards Manager, Wendy holds responsibility for all processes and procedures relating to cabin safety.
Richard Oxbrough
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Richard Oxbrough
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Worked within the aviation industry since 2002, working for Ryanair, Excel Airways, Aer Lingus, Strategic Airlines and now Eastern Airways since 2012. During my career held the roles of Cabin Crew, Purser, Line Trainer, Classroom Trainer and now find myself in the position of Head of Cabin Services & Training. I still maintain my recency on 3 aircraft types ERJ/ATR/EJET and fly the line when I’m able to.
Helena Roman Echevarria
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Helena Roman Echevarria
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Helena started as Cabin Crew Member in Ryanair DAC in 2009 and became Senior Cabin Crew Member in 2014. In 2016 she became a Safety and Emergency Procedures Instructor, becoming a Safety and Emergency Procedures Examiner within the Company in 2018. At the end of 2019 Helena joined Laudamotion gmbh as Inflight Safety Officer and transferred to Vienna. In November 2020 she became Manager of Inflight Safety & Safety Training in Lauda Europe Ltd.
As Manager of Inflight Safety & Safety Training Helena participated on the set up of the Inflight Safety Office and the Inflight Training Department in Lauda Europe. Helena is responsible of the Safety Cabin Crew Reporting System, completing inflight safety investigations, trend analysis and participates in safety risk assessments. Helena ensures that safety policies and just culture is promoted within the Inflight Department. She’s also responsible for Cabin Crew Safety and Emergency Procedures Training and the Safety and Emergency Procedures Manual
Adam Rowland
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Adam Rowland
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Adam started his aviation career in 1995 as ‘summer only’ cabin crew with Airtours International on its 757s flying out of Glasgow. Along with his experience as cabin crew on larger jets he also operated as single crew on turboprops with British Airways franchise cityflyer Express at Gatwick on the ATR42 and 72, progressing to Line Trainer there. Became Safety Training Manager at Astraeus during its start-up and growth from 2001 to 2006, flying regularly alongside his management responsibilities. Joined Zoom Airlines in the same management role through its start-up and regulatory approvals to fly 767 aircraft, and operated as Cabin Manager.
Adam then joined the UK CAA as a Cabin Safety Inspector in 2009. After intensive training and rigorous CAA sign-off processes became a cabin safety inspector, undertaking inspections and audits on a wide range of UK operators, including the introduction of the 787 and A380 to UK AOC holders. Represented the CAA on the cabin crew CHIRP programme, attended EASA rulemaking task groups and provided regulatory oversight of cabin operations of UK airlines flying Hajj contracts.
In 2015, joined easyjet as Training Manager – Safety, Security & First Aid, and has been responsible for developments in the airline’s training methodology and delivery. Adam has extensive knowledge of EASA CS25 and an understanding of Part M and Part 145 through aircraft delivery and into service checks, gained from both an operator’s and a regulator’s perspective.
Claire Simpson
UNITE Regional Manager (Cabin Crew)
Claire Simpson
UNITE Regional Manager (Cabin Crew)
Claire has worked within the Aviation Industry for over 25 years. First as Cabin Crew gaining valuable experience in the air before joining Unites predecessor unions.
Claire’s work over the years has seen her support cabin crew through the impacts of 9/11 and the recent pandemic as well as lobby for support for the aviation industry at these critical times.
Her work also has included supporting Unites Cabin Crew Advisory Group which has seen the group raise the profile of Toxic Air and support those cabin crew impacted by fume events.
The focus on safety and the critical role that cabin crew have in delivering this day to day is supported by the reporting mechanism provided by CHRIP and essential to safe flying operations.
Air Cdre Dai Whittingham FRAeS
Air Transport Advisory Board, Vice-Chair
Air Cdre Dai Whittingham FRAeS
Air Transport Advisory Board, Vice-Chair
Independent
Dai Whittingham joined the RAF as a pilot in 1974. He flew Phantoms in the Air Defence fighter role and served as a flying instructor on the Jet Provost. He has commanded an E-3D AWACS squadron and the main operating base of RAF Waddington. A graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, he deployed in 2004 as the Air Component Commander for all UK flying operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, prior to taking up a MOD operational management appointment. MOD duties included policy for air safety, UK and European airspace, ATM aircraft equipment and uavs; he also chaired the Military Aviation Regulatory Group. He has held responsibility for operational management and oversight of all RAF airborne surveillance platforms and the RAF Search and Rescue Force. His last formal military appointment was as Deputy Commander, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force. Dai was Chief Executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee from 2012 until July 2024, where he worked with a wide range of industry partners to improve commercial aviation safety. He is Vice-Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group, a member of the RAeS Human Factors Specialist Group, and remains engaged with industry forums in Europe.Kurt Wilson
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kurt Wilson
Independent (Cabin Crew)
Kurt started his aviation career with easyJet back in 2003. Starting as cabin crew and then moving on to various other roles over a 17 year career. He was a pre-ops crewing officer in their Operations Control Centre and then became part of the people management team for Cabin Services. Kurt was then offered the chance to join the Cabin Safety team where he was given the responsibility for some key safety projects for the airline. He helped with the delivery of new aircraft variants, reviewed various cabin SOP’s and worked closely with the regulators. Once these projects were delivered, Kurt was given the opportunity to become the Risk Management Specialist for Operations. In May 2022 Kurt then went on to join Loganair, where he now leads Cabin Services and has responsibility for Cabin Safety. He joined the Cabin Crew Advisory Board for CHIRP in March 2023.
Drone
Rob Buckley
DUASAB Chair – Independent
Rob Buckley
DUASAB Chair – Independent
Rob was elected in 2011 as secretary of the UK Large Model Association (LMA), and since 2015 has worked with the UK DfT, CAA and the other UK model flying associations to steer and define the national implementation of model flying regulation under the EASA unmanned aircraft rules. He also sits on several CAA working groups representing the interests of model aircraft flyers. In 2016, he was a founder member of the European Model Flying Union and is an executive board member. He started flying model aircraft in 1982, and has built and flown everything from free flight gliders to turbine powered aircraft but never really got on with helicopters.
Since 2021 he has been Chief Engineer of the LMA, defining the design requirements and flightworthiness assessment processes for large model aircraft up to 150kg and their pilots.
He trained as an aeronautical engineer, and since 1996 has worked on the design, airworthiness and certification of balloons, airships, light aircraft, airliners and both large and small unmanned aircraft platforms as a chartered mechanical engineer. He additionally brings experience of the identification and mitigation of human factors and human error in large aircraft maintenance. He gained a fixed wing PPL in 2018 and now has a share in a permit to fly vintage aircraft.
During his career in Airbus, he was Civil Certification Manager for the Zephyr unmanned high altitude HAPS platform and Head of Operations & Chief Pilot of the Filton Unmanned Demonstrator aircraft organisation.