Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Other Aircrew Forums > Flight Testing
Reload this Page >

D P Davies Handling the Big Jets

Wikiposts
Search
Flight Testing A forum for test pilots, flight test engineers, observers, telemetry and instrumentation engineers and anybody else involved in the demanding and complex business of testing aeroplanes, helicopters and equipment.

D P Davies Handling the Big Jets

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 27th Apr 2020, 13:03
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Age: 62
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
D P Davies Handling the Big Jets

I'm sure many people here have heard of D P Davies who wrote, "Handling the Big Jets". He died many years ago. I am trying to find out

1/ Who was his successor was as chief test pilot of the CAA?
2/ Who is the chief test pilot of the CAA today?
3/ When was the Air Registration Board abolished?

I have tried to contact the CAA but there are NO e mail addresses on their website! Seriously! All you get are forms to fill in if you want to do business with the CAA. It seems remarkable to me that despite being the government body responsible for the certification of all civil airliners in this country, there is NOTHING about it at all online except in obituaries for Davies which state that he was its chief test pilot. The only other mention of it I can find anywhere is on the cover of his book. It must have been abolished shortly after he retired in 1982. If anyone knows any of the answers to the above three questions please reply either here or to me personally on [email protected] Many thanks.
PaulMurphy is offline  
Old 28th Apr 2020, 11:30
  #2 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 14,216
Received 48 Likes on 24 Posts
I don't know who succeeded DP Davies directly, but I've worked with several CAA CTPs. The last of them was Paul Mulcahy - last because despite very little real flight test skill within EASA and some obvious imperatives to maintain a national skillset, Andrew Haines the then CEO decided late 2013 that CAA did not need a flight test department and made them all redundant. Paul is now project test pilot for the PC24 at Pilatus; his predecessor was Jock Reid who was in post circa 1997 when I first started working with that department, but I don't know for how long before and who preceded him.

I can't see Jock in any of the usual directories, and hadn't heard from him for years, so have no idea if he's still alive, I can only assume he's not in any kind of professional practice any more, which would be unsurprising given he must be 70++ now.

Presumably as we leave EASA this will be one of the various skillsets to be re-established: hopefully one of the excellent Brits at Airbus Toulouse or BAe Warton can be persuaded to take the role, or even Paul himself although he seems extremely happy in Switzerland.

G
Genghis the Engineer is offline  
Old 28th Apr 2020, 17:48
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: east ESSEX
Posts: 4,662
Received 70 Likes on 45 Posts
Dan Griffith was also in CAA FTD,and also Chris Taylor.... I also was an `approved` TP for ex-mil jets and GA aircraft,and some flight testing on AA`s Cessna,Electra and Convair at Coventry.
G .... Think `they` might find it a bit difficult after Br. unless there`s someone in the pipeline at a `school`.
sycamore is online now  
Old 28th Apr 2020, 19:05
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: A place in the sun
Age: 82
Posts: 1,267
Received 48 Likes on 19 Posts
And Nick Warner and Peter Baker as well as Jock Reid.
Bergerie1 is offline  
Old 28th Apr 2020, 19:52
  #5 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 14,216
Received 48 Likes on 24 Posts
Originally Posted by sycamore
Dan Griffith was also in CAA FTD,and also Chris Taylor.... I also was an `approved` TP for ex-mil jets and GA aircraft,and some flight testing on AA`s Cessna,Electra and Convair at Coventry.
G .... Think `they` might find it a bit difficult after Br. unless there`s someone in the pipeline at a `school`.
Chris was made redundant the same time as Paul but at least is in the UK and in practice.

I don't think that you'd want a CAA CTP to be straight out of a school, any more than you'd want CTP at Boscombe to be straight off TPS. There's much too much on-the-job experience, in CAA's case especially about civil certification needed post qualification as a TP needed.

I've no idea the present citizenship of the British TPs at Toulouse, but I can certainly think of a couple of names I'd trust in the role at Gatwick; the present CTP Heavy at Warton and a couple of his colleagues also. Whether anybody wants the job is another question altogether.


G
Genghis the Engineer is offline  
Old 28th Apr 2020, 20:30
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: near an airplane
Posts: 2,794
Received 52 Likes on 42 Posts
Originally Posted by Genghis the Engineer
I can't see Jock in any of the usual directories, and hadn't heard from him for years, so have no idea if he's still alive, I can only assume he's not in any kind of professional practice any more, which would be unsurprising given he must be 70++ now.
Jock Reid did a guest lecture for a module at Cranfield University in October 2015. I briefly chatted to him afterwards, he appeared to be in good health then.
Jhieminga is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 06:08
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: A place in the sun
Age: 82
Posts: 1,267
Received 48 Likes on 19 Posts
I emailed him a few months ago and he seemed OK
Bergerie1 is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 12:54
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 223
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
3/ When was the Air Registration Board abolished?

The Air Registration Board was incorporated into the Civil Aviation Authority in 1972. The CAA was established in 1972, under the terms of the Civil Aviation Act 1971, following the recommendations of a government committee chaired by Sir Ronald Edwards. The CAA has been a public corporation of the Department for Transport since then. D P Davies remained as Chief Test Pilot until he retired in the late 1970s.
happybiker is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 16:55
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 2,451
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 5 Posts
Successor candidates could include Gordon Corps, subsequently Airbus.

Nick Warner, subsequently Airbus.

Mike Bell, thence CAA senior management.
safetypee is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 17:04
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: A place in the sun
Age: 82
Posts: 1,267
Received 48 Likes on 19 Posts
Oh dear, I forgot Gordon Corps
Bergerie1 is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 17:11
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Location: Location!
Posts: 2,300
Received 35 Likes on 27 Posts
Originally Posted by PaulMurphy
I'm sure many people here have heard of D P Davies who wrote, "Handling the Big Jets". He died many years ago. I am trying to find out

1/ Who was his successor was as chief test pilot of the CAA?
2/ Who is the chief test pilot of the CAA today?
3/ When was the Air Registration Board abolished?

I have tried to contact the CAA but there are NO e mail addresses on their website! Seriously! All you get are forms to fill in if you want to do business with the CAA. It seems remarkable to me that despite being the government body responsible for the certification of all civil airliners in this country, there is NOTHING about it at all online except in obituaries for Davies which state that he was its chief test pilot. The only other mention of it I can find anywhere is on the cover of his book. It must have been abolished shortly after he retired in 1982. If anyone knows any of the answers to the above three questions please reply either here or to me personally on [email protected] Many thanks.
You could always start at [email protected]

Jack
Union Jack is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 17:31
  #12 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 14,216
Received 48 Likes on 24 Posts
Very glad to hear that Jock appears to be well, thoroughly enjoyed working with him back in the day.

G
Genghis the Engineer is offline  
Old 29th Apr 2020, 18:56
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 223
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
IIRC Head of Flight Test Dept after Mike Bell was David Chapman followed by Terry Newman.
happybiker is offline  
Old 30th Apr 2020, 11:56
  #14 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 14,216
Received 48 Likes on 24 Posts
Originally Posted by happybiker
IIRC Head of Flight Test Dept after Mike Bell was David Chapman followed by Terry Newman.
Worth mentioning that CTP and Head of FT were two different roles, the latter usually being held by an FTE.

G
Genghis the Engineer is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.