Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by how we conquered the effects of gravity to soar into the skies. Not just the mechanics of it, but the idea of it. My earliest encounter with aviation was not in an airport, it was in the pages of Greek mythology. The story of Icarus and Daedalus, building wings from feathers and wax to escape Crete, captured my imagination. Icarus, of course, flew too close to the sun, and the rest is a cautionary tale. For me, it lit a spark. I wanted to know more about the people who dared attempt to defy gravity and the design of machines that made it possible.

​

That curiosity eventually led me to study aviation history in earnest. I even made the pilgrimage to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the birthplace of powered flight and, yes, I have a passport stamp to prove it. Standing there, looking out over the windswept dunes where the Wright brothers made their first flight in 1903, I felt a direct connection to over a century of innovation, risk-taking, and human ingenuity.

​

Before the Wrights: The Dreamers Who Came First

Long before Orville and Wilbur took to the skies, others were already chasing the dream. Chinese inventors were flying kites as early as 1000 BC, sparking the first aerodynamic studies. In the 9th century, Abbas Ibn Firnas in Spain attempted controlled flight with a glider like apparatus, though his landing left much to be desired. By the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci was sketching flying machines so intricate that even today engineers marvel at his vision. None of these early attempts got us all the way to powered flight, but they laid the groundwork for what was to come.

​

1903: A Short Hop That Changed Everything

When the Wright brothers achieved the first controlled, sustained, powered flight in Kitty Hawk, it lasted just 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. By their third flight that day, they managed nearly a full minute in the air (less than the time it takes to microwave a cup of coffee). The world of aviation was changed forever.

​

​From there, aviation developed rapidly, spurred on by both curiosity and necessity, particularly during the two World Wars. Aircraft became faster, stronger, and more reliable. By the 1930s, commercial aviation had begun to take shape, with aircraft like the Douglas DC-3 being adapted to offer scheduled passenger services between cities. In the 1940s, long-haul international routes began to open up, laying the groundwork for today’s global network.

​

It is worth noting that, at the time, sustainability wasn’t part of the conversation. Efficiency was measured in speed, range, and payload - not carbon footprint.

​

​The Jet Age and the Supersonic Dream

With the invention of the jet engine towards the end of World War 2, the post-war period ushered in the Jet Age. Aircraft like the de Havilland Comet, Boeing 707, and VC10 shrank the world, making long-distance travel accessible to more people than ever before. But no aircraft captured the imagination quite like Concorde.

​

At MPI, we’re proud to have played a part in that historic chapter. Our engineering teams supported work on Concorde, contributing specialist skills and technical knowledge to what was and remains one of the most iconic aircraft ever built. Supporting British Aerospace and its partners, our personnel helped maintain Concorde’s performance, safety, and reliability at the highest levels throughout its service and even as it was retired to its resting place in the British Aerospace Museum near our old office at Filton. To visit this and other amazing Aerospace achievements check out their website now: https://aerospacebristol.org/

​

Concorde could cross the Atlantic in around 3 hours, flying at twice the speed of sound. The economic realities, environmental concerns, and a tragic accident in 2000 brought its story to a close in 2003. Today, companies like Boom Supersonic are working to revive and improve commercial supersonic travel, with designs that aim to minimise sonic booms and operate more efficiently and sustainably. I look forward to the development of these aircraft, which will need huge investment to bring commercial travel for passengers that have the financial means to pay. Once achieved, there needs to be ambition and investment to design and develop larger aircraft that carry more passengers and lower fares so that supersonic travel is available tomore people. I believe that this is important to ensure the future of supersonic travel.

​

The Digital and Composite Era

​By the turn of the millennium, digital technology was reshaping aviation once again. Fly by wire controls replaced mechanical linkages, composite materials replaced heavier metals, and advanced aerodynamics squeezed more efficiency from every drop of fuel. Aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 set new standards for fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, and reduced environmental impact.

​

For over 6 decades, MPI, have been there every step of the way providing the engineering talent that keeps these innovations flying safely. From major structural modifications, avionics / technical advances, to day-to-day maintenance, our teams have supported OEMs, airlines, and MROs to ensure aircraft meet the evolving demands of the industry.

​

My fascination with aviation at an early age, set the foundations for my aviation career in aircraft development and innovation. I have been fortunate to be part of many new aircraft designs / developments, including commuter Jets, Commercial Aircraft and business aircraft with new technologies, efficiencies and advances.

​

Sustainability: The Next Great Challenge

Now, we stand at another turning point. Aviation’s contribution to global emissions is under intense scrutiny, and the push toward net zero is gathering momentum. This is not just a technical challenge; it is an industry wide transformation.

​

There is no single solution, but the innovations underway are nothing short of exciting:

• Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs): Produced from renewable sources like waste oils and algae, SAFs can cut lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. The technology exists now, and aircraft can already operate on blends of up to 50% SAF. The challenge is scaling production affordably.

  

• Electric and Hybrid Aircraft: From the VX4 eVTOL by Vertical Aerospace (150mph, 100-mile range) to Heart Aerospace’s ES-30 hybrid (30 passengers, up to 800km), these designs are redefining short-haul travel.

• Hydrogen Power: Hydrogen fuel cells emit only water vapour and could power longer flights than batteries can currently handle. However, new infrastructure and safety systems will be essential before widespread adoption.

As we work towards these solutions, MPI continues to supply the technical expertise that turns promising concepts into airworthy realities. Whether it is retrofitting existing fleets for greater efficiency or supporting prototype testing for next-generation designs, our role is to make sure these advances are not just innovative, but safe, reliable, and practical.

​

Beyond the Horizon

While much of the sustainability conversation focuses on incremental change, there are projects aiming for revolutionary leaps. Hypersonic aircraft capable of speeds above Mach 5 could cut intercontinental travel times to mere hours. Space tourism is no longer science fiction, with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin already taking passengers beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

​

It’s humbling to think how far we’ve come since those first fragile hops at Kitty Hawk. We have gone from gliders, balloons, Airships, to composite-bodied, fuel-efficient jets that cross oceans and continents daily. The industry’s spirit hasn’t changed at all. It is still driven by the same curiosity, ambition, innovation, determination and willingness to tackle impossible problems.

​

A Personal Reflection

For me, aviation is more than an industry - it is a lifelong passion. I have studied its history, walked the dunes where it began, and worked alongside some of the brightest minds keeping aviation moving forward. I am confident the future of our industry is bright, although there are challenges like addressing the shortage of qualified designers, Engineers and Technicians that our industry needs to support the future growth in aviation.

​

On this National Aviation Day, I am reminded that the story of flight is still being written. Each new technology, each bold experiment, and each young engineer who looks up and says, “I want to do that” is part of a legacy stretching back centuries and I am proud to have played a part in that.

​

Here’s to the next chapter, whatever shape it takes, and however high it flies.

​