Meet The Consultant
Chris started his professional aviation career in 1976 with a graduate aeronautical engineering apprenticeship with Hawker Siddeley Aviation at Hatfield. Following graduation, he joined the company Flight Development Department as a Flight Test Engineer on the initial BAe 146 programme.
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Joining the Royal Navy in 1982, he served as a helicopter pilot and A2 QHI on a series of frontline squadrons before completing test pilot training in 1992. Following 5 years conducting Experimental and Release to Service Test and Evaluation projects, subsequent tours included command of 700M NAS, overseeing the introduction to service of the Merlin HM 1 helicopter. His final military appointments took him back to Boscombe Down, initially as Deputy Chief Test Pilot, UK Test and Evaluation and subsequently as the Commanding Officer of the Empire Test Pilots’ School.
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Transitioning to commercial aviation, Chris joined British International Helicopters in 2008, engaged primarily in VIP transport to a multitude of vessels at sea. Chris was subsequently recruited to the Bristow Group where he served as a Search and Rescue pilot, supporting the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. In addition to core duties Chris was involved in the introduction to Service of the AW189 aircraft to the UK SAR fleet, providing technical authorship for a series of capability or safety enhancements. Having been awarded company Aerodynamic Compliance Verification Engineer status, Chris worked closely with the Group’s Part 21 Design Office and Flight Operations Post Holders managing a series of airworthiness, standards and procedural changes on all the Bristow Group Fleets.
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For over 7 years Chris has actively provided practical advice to Hospital Trusts and other Helicopter Landing Site operators. This engagement has helped ensure that site operators are equipped with an understanding of the regulatory requirements and their implications for the initial design, specification and continued compliance of such facilities. This has enabled demonstration of due diligence by both helicopter and site operators for the safety of helicopter operations to aircrew, patients, staff and visitors. These activities have resulted in him advising the Civil Aviation Authority, British Helicopter Association and the UK Emergency Air Response forums on a unified International code of practice for such sites including the coordination of a National Database of Hospital Landing Sites.
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After more than 45 years experience in aviation, he remains passionate about promoting aviation safety and the successful introduction of new technological advances in a cost-effective manner.
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Chris is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
