About Consultant
Ray started his career as an undergraduate apprentice with British Airways, gaining aircraft maintenance engineer licenses for airframe and engines, and an Honours degree in Air Transport Engineering. Ray also obtained a Private Pilot’s Licence at this time. After spending some time in British Airways’ Technical Services working on the B747 and Concorde fleets, he moved to British Caledonian Airways as a Senior Development Engineer.
In 1989, Ray joined the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s Safety Regulation Group as a Design Surveyor where, amongst a number of significant certification projects, he was the Project Certification Manager for the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and 800 engines. He was appointed as Head of the Propulsion Department in 2001 and moved on to become Head of the Aerodrome Standards Department in 2005. During his time in this role, he was appointed Chairman of the European Group of Aerodrome Safety Regulators (GASR).
In 2009, he was appointed as Head of Licensing & Training Standards Division where he was responsible for a number of departments overseeing personnel licensing, aerodrome safety, medical standards for pilots and air traffic controllers, and training and examination standards for pilots and engineers. Ray left the CAA in 2014 and now provides consultancy and training services to the aviation industry and regulators. He is also CEO of AQE.
Ray has worked extensively in the International and European aviation regulatory regime in various roles, working regularly with the UK’s Department for Transport and the European Aviation Safety Agency providing specialist advice on matters of regulation development and aviation policy.
He is a Chartered Aeronautical Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and has written leading articles for major aviation magazines.