Nigel Breyley is flight standards manager with Qinetiq, the now privatised former Defence Evaluation & Research Agency. The job entails flying the Mirach unmanned air vehicle for air-to-air missile firings and flights from naval vessels, in addition to other topics as diverse as setting the policy for helicopter landing sites at St Kilda and other UK locations. He has trained the British Army to operate a loitering munition, has investigated UAV crashes, written a training course for would-be UAV pilots and developed a unique slot as a UAV crew resource management instructor.
What does a flight standards manager do?
My prime responsibility is to set and monitor the standards for our flying operations, but it depends on which day it is; that is part of the enjoyment of the job. I'm involved in a wide range of activities, be it the operation of a helicopter landing site on St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, a UAV demonstration programme, discussing airspace issues with regulators or delivering training courses.
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I have learnt to operate several types of unmanned aircraft and have trained with the manufacturers and the US Navy Test Pilot School. My job has then been to agree the training packages needed for the pilots of these aircraft to meet regulatory requirements in the UK. I've also developed and delivered CRM/human factors training for UAV pilots. It may seem strange doing CRM for unmanned aircraft but it is vital: the lack of situational awareness and communications issues are huge. Financially, CRM training makes a lot of sense.
How did you embark on your career in aviation?
Originally I joined the Royal Air Force to be a pilot. I'd always dreamed of flying Phantoms over Germany, but unfortunately it wasn't to be. I became an observer in the Royal Navy, initially flying the Sea King AEW. It proved to be a good grounding - the training was superb and you get a lot of responsibility early on.
Where did your career go then?
I spent 12 years with the Royal Navy and can't recommend the Fleet Air Arm enough. During my service I flew from aircraft carriers, spent time on loan with the RAF and was head of the air training department at one of the air stations involved in aircrew training design and course development. I'm still in the Royal Naval Reserve Air Branch, but left the Royal Navy looking for new challenges. This led to working on military support contracts in the UK and for NATO.
I then worked for the UK Civil Aviation Authority as a flight standards officer, responsible for MoD liaison and topics such as ETOPS and navigation approvals. I became interested in UAVs and when the opportunity came up to start flying these in 2004 I knew I'd found the right niche. It's the perfect match for the skills of an observer or navigator.
What have been the lowlights of your career?
Being told by the RAF that I was not going to make it as a pilot and finding myself unemployed was a low point. I was 19 and thought I'd blown it. However, I went on to get my wings as an observer and had many opportunities that would not have been there otherwise.
Sat in a Sea King over the Norwegian Sea with 30min fuel left and an aircraft carrier 50min away was also grim. Fortunately the ship was misreporting its position, but it took a while to establish that.
And the highlights?
Probably flying as a Royal Navy observer on loan to the RAF as a navigator - I felt I had something to prove.
Flying through the sound barrier in an F/A-18 ranks high up there too. But the most professionally satisfying part of my work is being given a challenge and the autonomy to meet it. Running the demonstration flights of the ScanEagle UAV for the MoD did that and I got to operate an amazing piece of technology.
Source: Flight International
