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BIO

Experience over 50 years in the Aviation Industry – A Biography of David Hamilton, CEO of Dalriada Aerospace Holding Ltd.

I joined the apprenticeship scheme at British Caledonian Airways (BCAL) on the 31st of August 1971, along with 14 other hopefuls. This lasted for 4 years, during which I had the theoretical work carried out at Crawley College of Technology and gained practical experience in the workshops and aircraft hangars at Gatwick Airport. Upon completion, I had qualifications in Aeronautical Engineering, Electronics, Systems and Control, which proved to be a great foundation for my future career in aviation.

After graduation, I became a Fitter (Mechanic) in the hangars doing Electrical and Instrument work on the BCA 1-11 and B707. I studied for my first Civil Aviation Authority license and passed the exams in 1977, License Number 16268. Then I took another interview and was promoted to Inspector in the Hangars so that I could gain as much experience on the aircraft as possible.

Over the next few years, I studied for additional licenses and by the time I had finished I had 13 endorsements on my 16268. I was moved from the Hangars (Base Maintenance) to Line Maintenance as a Supervisor.

Engine

I did many subsequent courses to obtain my company’s approval for the new fleet introduced to the operation, including my first trip to France for a course on the Airbus A310 in 1983. As a result of this, I became one of the few to have full approval on the aircraft. In 1984, I was tasked with doing deliveries of 2 x A310s for BCAL and 2 x A310S for Cyprus Airways.

This delivery activity led me to be selected to be based in Toulouse with my Family from 1986 to 1990 where I delivered the first 10 A320s for BCAL/BA. During that time (1988) British Airways (BA) bought BCAL and on my return to the UK, my employer was BA, based at Heathrow.

I did many jobs at BA in the late ’80s and early ’90s including overseeing the upgrade of several computers on the A320, the delivery of 6 Turboprop ATP and Woodford near Manchester and the disposal of 18 BAC 1-11’s that were being replaced by the A320 and B737 aircraft. In 1992 I was subcontracted by Excalibur Airways to carry out the inspections and delivery of 3 x A320 aircraft in Toulouse.

In 1994 I Worked on the B777 and was part of the delivery team to ensure the smooth introduction of the new aircraft into the BA operation. After this, I was called to the engineering director’s office and was told I was getting a new job in marketing, where I was to be the liaison between engineering and marketing for the introduction of IFE onto the Long-haul aircraft fleet.

This involved several projects, from getting the current trial installation to work or having it removed and if removed, sourcing an alternative system. Ultimately, the trial system failed during a flight with staff passengers onboard and could not be reset. So, it was removed and replaced on all of the long-haul fleets with a new system. This was called project Dusk and I was the Project Manager.

Another project I managed was Concorde’s return to service, after the required fuel tanks modification following the Air France accident in Paris in July 2000. Part of this was a proving flight of Concorde from Heathrow to New York, this took place on the 11th of September 2000, so we had to do a U-turn at Mach 2, back to LHR, as all US airspace was closed following the attacks! I was asked in 2003 if I would project manage the retirement of Concorde, but I declined.

I left British Airways at the end of 2004 and joined Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi early in 2005. When I joined, there were 4 leased aircraft in the fleet, my job was to create the specification and ensure that the aircraft were delivered to these specifications. By the time I left in 2017, I had delivered over 130 aircraft!

In 2018 I was asked if I could deliver some new Airbus aircraft for Standard Charted Bank, which I did from Hamburg and Toulouse. Again in 2018, I was asked to join Avolon to work on new aircraft from Airbus, and over the next two years, I delivered 35 aircraft.

Due to my extensive experience and history in the aviation industry, I am now working as an independent consultant and have delivered 3 second-hand aircraft and have carried out mid-lease inspections on a B737 and A320.”