People
Mel James OBE MSc BSc CEng FRAeS
Director
Mel is an aeronautical engineer with almost 40 years experience of aerospace and defence engineering and logistics. Following early employment as part of the wing design team on the A300B Airbus, Mel spent 28 years in the Engineer Branch of the Royal Air Force as a first line engineer officer, Ministry of Defence staff officer specialising in equipment Reliability and Maintainability specification, training officer and NATO team leader on the Eurofighter / Typhoon, retiring in the rank of Wing Commander (Lieutenant Colonel). For the past 9 years he has undertaken a consultancy role across the whole defence spectrum specialising in safety management, project planning and logistics.
Paul Mason MBE BSc
Associate Consultant
Paul is a fuels technician and pilot with more than 20 years experience. During a 22 year career in the Royal Air Force he specialised in aviation fuels management during peacetime and combat operations with hands on experience of all forms of airlift handling equipment, vehicles and fuels technology. This experience has recently been expanded to include management of fuels procurement and distribution, and fuels team management for United Nations operations in Africa. Paul is also currently advising a fuel supply company in the Congo to set up a brand new fuel supply depot to supply Petrol, Diesel and turbine fuel to the UN and also the newly established mineral mining companies. In Kenya he is advising another company on the introduction of an electronic self service system for vehicle refuelling for customers that have an account with them, this will have significant cost reductions for them as well as providing a more convenient service to it’s customers. He is also a decorated glider pilot and instructor.
Mel and Paul worked together for 16 years at the Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, as Chief Engineer and Fuels Manager respectively.