Aviation

Airship Ventures, Inc.

As a Co-Founder and startup CEO I was responsible for raising the capital, sorting out the regulatory environment, hiring the team and launching this new business. Airship Ventures proudly operated America's first commercial passenger Zeppelin airship, "Eureka", from October 2008 to November 2012. Over 20,000 passengers were introduced to the wonder and joy of travel by airship, floating serenely over California and beyond. We provided unique 'flight seeing' tours, televised coverage of events, a stable aerial platform for scientific research & development, set aviation records, performed at air shows and produced a number of weird and wonderful skydiving stunts. We survived the recession but we ceased operations at the end of 2012 due to lack of a major/title advertising sponsor, a necessary part of the revenue mix.

Flyer @ Kitty Hawk

As Head of Operations I was responsible for the overhaul of the test facilities at Lake Las Vegas, and the establishment of process and protocols for the safe engagement of new pilots for training and flights. I managed a number of flight campaigns including the training of 50 new pilots in one day, who each then undertook A to B flights using a fleet of eVTOL's. I worked with colleagues in the identification and investigation of potential sites for other Flyer operations. It was one of the biggest thrills of my life to fly this eVTOL aircraft.

Cora@ Zee.Aero (KittyHawk)

I joined the Cora commercial team as a consultant as explorations were underway to base operations in New Zealand. As Head of Product I worked to understand the barriers for people to accepting autonomous flight, investigated acoustic impacts, and looked at early use cases and locations for the vehicle. During a period of transition, I functioned as the Program Director for the aircraft, monitoring the progress of all the activities against projected timelines.

Uber Elevate

I was engaged as a consultant to Uber to help define how Uber should engage with 'flying cars' as this has the potential to disrupt their business. After investigating some technology prize ideas, I concluded that the lack of ecosystem was the biggest challenge and the concept of producing a white paper and stimulating this ecosystem gained traction. I brought in other consultants to work with Uber personnel to map out the initiative, contributing to the white paper and launch of Uber Elevate. It's amazing to see what has happened since then!

Advisor, Community Air Mobility Initiative

"Supporting the responsible integration of the third dimension at the state and local level." As technology and the Civil Aviation Authority-level regulatory landscape develop, the need for urban air mobility (UAM) community resources and public education is becoming more acute. While other organizations provide federal-level advocacy, the successful implementation of UAM will hinge on air mobility being responsibly embraced by local communities, cities, states, and the general public. CAMI is the link to the local level, providing education and resources to the public, decision makers, and the media. We are here to help people and communities take to the skies.