Management
Charles – LSL’s Founder, CEO and Design Leader for strategic company plans and guidance of its Buoyant Aircraft (BA) developments.
From Hawker Siddeley Aviation training and graduation in aeronautics, Charles began his career as a structural design/stress engineer. After gaining industry experience he then joined Airship Industries (AI) 1981 to help overcome shortfalls and provide revisions, later setting up & running the Stress Office to get SKS500 & 600 types certified. He lastly was appointed AI’s Head of Structures for new developments.
This was his scene, enabling design and mock-up work towards AI winning the US Navy contract for a 30 day duration airship flying mid-ocean to support their fleet – undertaken between dealing with arising issues of airships in operation. During this time, he became a full member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and was awarded Chartered Engineer status.
After AI closed 1990 he then was re-engaged by Westinghouse to set up and continue unfinished work. This involved completion of the US Navy airship design (designated YEZ-2A) to a CDR level (achieved) followed by completion of S1000 type certification work, awarded late 1993, after which Westinghouse closed all UK airship business.
Charles reverted to other aircraft work, initially as the Chief Stress Engineer for Hurel-Dubois UK, while developing his own airship ideas privately. These new designs were to overcome issues not dealt with before. However, before launching business, he was invited to join CargoLifter in Germany, taken up end of 1998.
It was an exciting project but also life changing. He was deeply involved: first assessing the CL160 proposal to transport outsized 160 tonne payloads point-to-point; helping staff to understand the issues; fixing problems to enable their Joey design to fly; helping to provide CL160 design solutions and then (mid 2000) working to enable the CL75 AirCrane proposal as an easier way to go. This involved getting a prototype designed, built & tested – all achieved at a fraction of the CL160 costs. Even so, it then was the CL160 costs that led to CL’s closure mid-2002.
Realising from the CL experience how to produce alternative airships for aerial-crane work, Charles started LTA-Solutions Ltd to continue as an aircraft consultant working from home – producing designs for new omni-directional types instead. Post CL was a difficult time for new airships but from stirrings in Canada 2007 he became a partner in SkyLifter Pty Ltd (Australia) and SkyLifter Limited in the UK, later renamed Luffships Limited (LSL) early 2018, after which he took it over.
As the main owner of the IP and physical assets he has enabled LSL to continue with new projects currently under test as a small business. This now has new directors and specialists (as below) for design/engineering services and a new BA on the verge of series production for customers awaiting.
Andrew – LSL’s Non-Exec Chairman, enabling growth as a leading BA business.
Former Government Minister, Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to South Africa and Mauritius and MP for South West Bedfordshire, Andrew is a qualified Chartered Insurer and a director of City and Commercial Ltd, part of a global reinsurance group. He was a Territorial Army officer and served in many overseas locations. As a trade envoy he worked to promote UK exports to South Africa and Mauritius and to increase trade and investment. He has also served as a trustee of a £10 billion endowment fund for the Church of England. Andrew now is using his experience to expand Luffships into a successful global business.
Christopher – LSL’s CFO for Accounts and Finances. Chris manages the financial actions, planning and reporting of the company.
An astute strategist, Chris is experienced in leading top-performing teams. He provides sound financial and project management skills, helping to build Business Intelligence and KPI reporting to drive results. He also brings considerable business experience over 36 years’ across many sectors of Industry, able to drive forward LSL’s financial planning for Luffships as a new technology BA development company.
Brian – LSL’s COO and technical adviser for new BA types.
Brian has extensive Aerospace & Defence industries experience in both Strategic and Operational roles, having held key roles as a Group Managing Director for BAE Systems, CEO / Geschäftsführer in Eurofighter GmbH (also with 4 years running the UK Naval sector – so understands vessel buoyancy) and was the Business Unit MD at Marshall Aerospace & Defence Group. He also has recently worked as CTO for Lilium GmbH.
Brian holds an MA (Hons) in Engineering from Cambridge University. He also is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Aeronautical Society. Relevant skills and experience include: Strategy/growth, International business, Aerospace and defence sectors.
He brings experience and capability from more than 40 years of achievement, across businesses involved with design, development, manufacture, production, certification and support of defence and aerospace platforms and components. His roles have varied from Strategic through General Management, Engineering, Business Winning, Contract Negotiation and many Programme Management roles.
Most recently he’s been focused on Sustainable Aviation and eVTOL Urban / Regional Aviation working with rapidly growing startup companies. This includes BA, where he has been actively involved with the Airship Association to enable business in this aircraft sector.
Technical Team
Paul – LSL’s Head of Systems Engineering. Leader responsible for the company’s aircraft systems developments & overall test activities.
Paul is an Aerospace Engineer with significant experience in buoyant, fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft gained from working for companies including: Safran, Airbus, Ultra Controls, Rolls Royce, BAe Systems, Lockheed Martin, Cobham, Eaton Fuel Systems, CargoLifter, Airship Industries and Skybrid Technologies. He is a working member of the RTCA for Aviation Procedures/Practices development.
Degreed in Electro-Mechanical engineering, he is familiar with: Electrical distribution systems, hydraulic systems, flight instrumentation, communications (including satellite uplinks), fuel systems, auto flight controls, engine monitoring systems, pneumatic and gas management systems.
He has considerable Certification expertise, familiar with: CS30T for buoyant aircraft, EASA CS25/ FAA CFR14 part 25 and 21, undertaking Test work to DO160F and DO178B, and Systems work to ARP4754 standards.
His Flight Test work embraces:
- A310 MRTT Luftwaffe air-to-air refuelling systems. 66 sorties for STC EASA approval.
- Light acrobatic aircraft (Hyperbipe) for development of Airborne Data Service (satcom).
- Tucano flight trials for RAF.
- Airships SK500 and SK600 in UK, Sentinel 1000 in USA, and CL75 AirCrane in Germany.
- VC10 Tanker for RAF for avionic systems (UK).
- B737 Airborne Data systems (Canada).
He also is familiar with Crash Investigation work by the AAIB and BEA on the AF447 and MH370 as part of the ICAO/IATA aircraft tracking task force.
John N – LSL’s Head of Flight Sciences, including Aerodynamics and Flight Simulation Modelling. John oversees scientific work & groups performing the company’s research, as well as analytical programmes.
He is an experienced aerospace engineer and mathematician who has held Chief aerodynamicist & consultancy positions in both civil and military engineering companies covering low subsonic to high supersonic Mach systems designs and performance analysis. This includes airship developments undertaken by Airship Industries and the Advanced Airship Corporation, Isle of Man.
He thus has wide-ranged relevant experience in aircraft simulation modelling (including airships), novel concept design, control application and modelling validation via trials studies for aircraft entering commercial and military service.
John currently is supporting LSL with simulation modelling of the LS-L6 series and later bigger designs as well as organising wind tunnel (w/t) activities in support of type certification. His simulation work is scalable so that, after verification it can be used for the design of large types. It also will be used for autonomous flight.
LSL’s Advisory, Operations and Support People
Stephen – LSL’s Commercial Adviser for Business Plans and Marketing.
Stephen has significant experience as a former banker with strategic finance and marketing strategies from many aviation companies involved in transportation, logistics and UAVs (drones), helping to transform LSL’s business plans for needed investment. BA are special aviation types new to most people, needing such business talent.
Stuart – Adviser for Aerostat Operations and Fabric Structures Production Support.
From being the Owner/Director of Airborne Industries Ltd, Stuart is well versed in the manufacture of technical inflatable/aviation products for training, military, security and other applications.
Stuart currently sits on the Council of the Airship Association.
His company’s heritage leads back to Leabridge Engineering Ltd, a business originally producing barrage balloons during WWII, and his team have very broad experience in developing bespoke solutions for both defence and aerospace applications. His company offers a range of military systems that are in operation across the world. Stuart also is lead Consultant for Airborne Operations Ltd.
He has a wealth of knowledge in fabric materials and manufacturing techniques. He also can draw on extensive design and manufacture team support, several of whom have >30 years development experience of high quality Technical Inflatable Systems and Helium Aerostats. Stuart’s business previously was responsible for making our LS-L18T-1 aerostat.