Richard Lauder's role at Martin Aircraft is mainly to lead planning, funding and commercial activities, but like all staff he is sometimes asked to strap the company's Jetpack on his back and take to the air
Richard Lauder started in pulp and paper, then was a boss of infrastructure construction and maintenance before embracing the Martin Jetpack as chief executive of New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft.
Do executives get a Jetpack?
Everyone here has flown the Martin Jetpack. We need a full range of novice pilots to test various things from time to time - so we all have a testing role. I am waiting for the time we have two Jetpacks facing off against each other with paintball guns - then I will make sure I get more air time to thoroughly test this concept.
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How did you become chief?
When we launched at Oshkosh I took the week off work to be there. At that stage we had already begun the search for a company chief executive. I was then executive chairman of Excell, an infrastructure services company employing 1,200 staff in New Zealand and Australia. We were in the final stages of a trade sale of the company, which was completed in late 2008.
So, having sold away my own job, I put my name forward for the Martin Aircraft role.
When did you meet the founder?
I have known Glenn Martin from about the time he started the Martin Jetpack project in the early 1980s. In 1987 I became the second investor in the company. After moving back to Christchurch in New Zealand, I was able to catch up with Glenn more often, and in 2003, for the first time I admit, I thought the project might be successful.
Glenn and I worked together to get venture capital funding and unlike many entrepreneurs we managed to get the first venture capitalist we approached, No 8 Ventures, to invest. In 2004, with venture capital backing, the company began the move forward more quickly. I joined the board, along with Glenn and Jenny Morel of No 8 Ventures.
What sort of executive decisions are you making?
Most work I do is commercial. Glenn Martin takes the role of chief technology officer and Jetpack evangelist, managing R&D and most of the media work.
I lead planning, funding and commercial activities. Most of the effort has been in funding and it has not been a great year to find new funds. We are looking for a cornerstone investor to go forward.
Will you be hiring more engineers or salespeople soon?
We would double our engineering team tomorrow if we had the resources. As far as sales are concerned, our focus is on our tourism business - the Martin Jetpack Experience - which has the mission to give everyone the opportunity to experience the thrill of flying a Martin Jetpack, and on our large commercial customers.
Who are your biggest customers?
Negotiations with a government customer that has expressed interest in purchasing at least 500 Martin Jetpacks a year are well under way. We cannot disclose this customer, but the application is for an emergency response, rough terrain access, search and rescue role.
When do the air show and other demonstrations start?
We get requests every week to attend air shows and other events. We have been turning them all down as they are expensive and disruptive for us to attend. When we are satisfied that we have addressed all safety issues, we will start demo work.
What are your engineering puzzles?
The only technical issue we need to resolve for high flights is the testing and installation of the ballistic parachute.
We aim to have one on the aircraft that is effective from as low as 33ft (10m).
Source: Flight International
