RN Staff to Join Startup Airframer for ‘Mini-MBA’

Aeralis, British developer of a modular jet for training and operational roles, has partnered with the Percy Hobart Fellowship, a training programme that strengthens ties between SMEs and the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

The Fellowship gives the opportunity to 43 people from the two services to spend 12 weeks on secondment to defence technology firms. During this period the Fellows – who may be officials, officers or NCOs – will receive mentoring and coaching sessions from key individuals, as well as learning about areas such as idea development, commercial forecasting, business scaling and modelling. The syllabus is described as offering a ‘mini-MBA’.

Aeralis will be welcoming two RN staffers – Aircraft Engineering Technician Wayne Reed and Weapon Engineer Steve Spiller. The company already has strong bonds with the RAF, whose Rapid Capabilities Office has signed a three-year contract with Aeralis. Among other outcomes, the RCO is hoping to use the Aeralis platform to test an in-development open-architecture avionics system.

“The Percy Hobart Fellowship is an exciting initiative that aims to integrate SMEs with the Royal Navy and RAF and enable an exchange of skills and knowledge,” stated Aeralis CEO Tristan Crawford. “Our team at Aeralis is delighted to be part of this programme, and we look forward to welcoming Wayne and Steve and helping them develop key learnings that will translate into tangible benefits for the Royal Navy.”