Steve left academia in 2012 in order to focus fully on real-world practice, and has since conducted over 200 pieces of work for 40+ aviation organisations across 15+ Countries, including scientific research, accident investigations, and procedural design. He authored the UK CAA's 'Flight Crew Human Factors Handbook' (CAP 737), used across the world.
Practical Application
A few examples of Steve's recent work:
- Air New Zealand’s Airbus A320 RNP and night RNP operations.
- Scientific study on pilot EC usage for CAA (with GASCo), yielding practical training video / advice for GA pilots.
- Airbus' A320 Head-Up-Display Procedures
- ATR-72 emergency checklists
- Mount Cook and Air Nelson pilots' emergency processes
- World wide helicopter procedures / training to avoid wrong deck landings
- Understanding pilot-monitoring in large helicopters (long-term scientific work for HeliOffshore)
- Reports by the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch
- easyJet’s cabin procedures
- Bond Offshore Helicopter colour schemes
- RNZAF’s T6-II Texan Operation and C130/P3 flight deck upgrades
- HF/training to instructors and examiners for multiple airlines
Steve conducts instrument monitoring research for organisations including airlines and helicopter operators, and is the monitoring work-stream lead for Helioffshore. He researches automation effects, monitoring, aircraft control and roots of error. He acts as an advisor for R & D projects for several global organisations.
Accident Investigation Work
Since 2012 Steve has investigated major accidents and incidents for airlines and helicopter operators by request (including BA, Thomas Cook Airlines, Bristow, Babcock PLC, and others under NDA). His expert opinion is sought for legal cases and he has assisted the UK AAIB directly (e.g. Boeing 737-86J, Belfast, July 2017) as well as indirectly through his reports for operators.
Teaching and Training
Steve has designed and delivered training courses for many organisations, and provides some limited bespoke training on request. Being continually engaged in practical cutting-edge research, he is able to bring the very latest findings into training.
Presenting and Publishing
Steve is an experienced speaker, regularly delivering keynotes and plenaries at international conferences. He has published scientific articles (in peer review journals) conference papers and book chapters.
Voluntary work
Steve has provided expertise at his own expense to the Royal College of Surgeons (England) for over three years, to help progress medical safety. This has included assistance creating HF training courses, presenting and chairing workshops at events, and co-publishing articles. He also advises the aviation industry, for example a recent in-person briefing to the FOLG-TSG (heads of training group from UK airlines and CAA flight ops), and presenting at the annual British Gliding Association conference.
Aviation Knowledge
Steve's work benefits from deep aviation knowledge and experience. He has thousands of hours private flying and gliding, including instructing and examining, and gained a Boeing 737-3/4/500 full type-rating with Air New Zealand for professional development. Additionally he has hundreds of hours of flight-deck observation and live flying familiarisation across airline and military types (fixed and rotary wing).
Main Qualifications / Registrations
PhD - Applied Aviation Psychology
MSc - Human Factors and Safety Assessment in Aeronautics
CSci (Chartered Scientist; UK Science Council)
CPsychol (Chartered Psychologist; British Psychological Society)
CErgHF (Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist; CIEHF)
FIEHF (Fellow - Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors)
AFBPsS (Associate Fellow - British Psychological Society)
FRAeS (Fellow - Royal Aeronautical Society)