CHIRP is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicky Smith as their new Director of Aviation.
Nicky, who is a former military and commercial helicopter pilot, takes on the role following the retirement of Steve Forward who has been with CHIRP since 2020.
Having started her aviation career almost 40 years ago, Nicky flew a number of different aircraft professionally, mainly in the Search & Rescue and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services roles.
In her spare time, Nicky has also flown light aircraft and paragliders, so she brings a broad and eclectic mix of experience to the team. In recent years, she’s specialised in Safety Management and Human Factors and is very much looking forward to contributing to improving safety in the air with CHIRP.
Liz Hughes said: “We are delighted to welcome Nicky to CHIRP and believe that her background and experience in the aviation sector will be an asset to the team moving forwards. Steve has done some fantastic work over the past few years growing the remit and building awareness of CHIRP aviation as well as forging key partnerships with industry stakeholders. We would like to thank Steve for all he has done for CHIRP and wish him the best of luck for the future.”
Nicky added: “I am extremely excited about the challenge of the new role with CHIRP. Having long been passionate about promoting aviation safety, it will be a real privilege having the opportunity to work with a charity dedicated to achieving positive change in our industry. I am very much looking forward to getting started and continuing the impressive work that Steve and his team have been doing.”
Find out more about Nicky and her team here: Meet the Team
Photo credit to Terry Donnelly.