For a period of years up to 2000, appropriately experienced members of the de Havilland Moth Club and the DHC-1 Chipmunk Club were actively involved with BAE SYSTEMS (formerly British Aerospace) in assisting with the provision of technical support for a range of historic de Havilland civil aircraft.  The harmonious working relationship established between the groups, encouraged by the support of the Civil Aviation Authority, resulted in the opening of negotiations in April 2000 for the complete transfer of technical responsibility for most de Havilland historic aircraft to a new organisation to be established jointly by the de Havilland Moth Club and the DHC-1 Chipmunk Club.

The new company, de Havilland Support Ltd, was incorporated on 26th September 2000, 80 years and one day after the de Havilland Aircraft Company was founded.  At Hatfield on 23rd October 2000 de Havilland Support Ltd signed a Heads of Agreement with BAE SYSTEMS and continued with the negotiations which concluded on 14th December 2000 when the two parties jointly signed an Agreement for the Transfer of Technical Responsibility for certain de Havilland historic aircraft.

Thereafter, de Havilland Support Ltd reached agreement for office and archive accommodation at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.  Following refurbishment of the premises and the transfer of technical documentation from BAE SYSTEMS at Chadderton, on 2nd April 2001 the Civil Aviation Authority granted the Company approval under British Civil Airworthiness Requirements in Groups E1 and E2 as a Type Design Organisation.  As a result, de Havilland Support Ltd assumed technical responsibility for aircraft such as the DH 60 Moth, the DH 82A Tiger Moth, the DH 89A Dragon Rapide, the DH 104 Dove, the DH 114 Heron and the DHC-1 Chipmunk.  The Agreement with BAE SYSTEMS excluded the transfer of responsibility for de Havilland military aircraft, such as the Mosquito and Hornet, and any of the de Havilland jet aircraft, such as the Vampire, Venom and Sea Vixen.

Following the precedent set by transfer of technical responsibility for the de Havilland historic aircraft, on 1st December 2001 technical responsibility for the Beagle Pup was transferred to the Company from BAE SYSTEMS at Prestwick.  As a result of further negotiations with BAE SYSTEMS, Prestwick, in July 2002 technical responsibility for the whole range of Scottish Aviation Bulldog aircraft was also transferred to de Havilland Support Ltd.  On 26th July 2002, the Civil Aviation Authority formally assigned the Type Certificate for the Bulldog to the Company.

As a Type Design Organisation, de Havilland Support Ltd is responsible for ensuring the continued airworthiness of the worldwide fleet of de Havilland, Beagle Pup and Scottish Aviation Bulldog aircraft.  This requires the Company to undertake tasks such as maintaining the accuracy of technical manuals, issuing service bulletins and maintenance instructions and responding to enquiries from aircraft owners, operators and maintenance organisations or the National Aviation Authorities of those countries where the aircraft are based.
 
 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE – W J TAYLOR OBE IEng FRAeS

Born in Lincolnshire, Bill Taylor joined the RAF as an Aircraft Technician Apprentice at Halton in 1967.  Having attained the rank of Sergeant, in 1973 he was commissioned as an Engineer Officer and went on to serve in the UK and Germany on aircraft types such as the Buccaneer, Hunter, Hawk, Harrier, Jaguar and Tornado.  From 1998 to 2001, he was the Group Captain Engineer on the staff of the Headquarters Training Group Defence Agency, responsible for the engineering standards and maintenance of the all the RAF training aircraft fleets, including the Bulldog phase-out.  An active member of the de Havilland Moth Club since 1975, Bill was involved in the negotiations that resulted in the formation of de Havilland Support Ltd.  He retired from the RAF in April 2001 to work full time for the new Company.

For many years Bill has held a Private Pilots’ Licence and he has rebuilt a number of aircraft including a Tiger Moth.  Additionally, he has a deep interest in classic tractors and commercial vehicles, owning and restoring several rare examples.  He has written a number of books on aviation and RAF history and is a regular contributor of articles to a wide variety of magazines and journals.  Not married, Bill lives close to Duxford but returns to Lincolnshire at weekends to care for his aircraft and classic vehicles.
 

CHIEF ENGINEER – M J MILLER BSc(Eng) PhD FRAeS

Mark Miller has been a Duxford local for over 35 years, having flown model aircraft on the airfield in the 1970s and later joined the Duxford Aviation Society.  He traces a long-held enthusiasm for British pre-war civil light aircraft to childhood sightings of a Gipsy Moth on a Cambridge garage forecourt.  This interest lead directly to participation in the long-term restoration of a Dragon Rapide, now owned jointly by Mark and his father and first flown from Duxford in June 2004.  Mark learned to fly entirely on vintage aeroplanes, going solo on a Tiger Moth at Cambridge in 1981 and completing his PPL in the relative comfort of an Auster Autocrat.
After ‘A’ Levels, Mark studied for a degree in Mechanical Engineering at University College London.  He followed this up with postgraduate research on automotive spark ignition engines for a PhD, and worked thereafter on contract to the Ford Motor Co. and others.
Eventually the lure of aviation overcame all financial logic when in 1996 Mark went to work as a civilian for the RAF at Wyton.  Specialising in aircraft structures, Ageing Aircraft issues and Reliability Centred Maintenance, he was a member of the Structural Integrity Working Groups for Canberra, Jetstream, Nimrod, RAF Gliders, and (fortuitously, as things turned out!) the Scottish Aviation Bulldog.  In parallel Mark is involved in a small M3 maintenance organisation and is the holder of engineering licences in categories A, B, C and X.  He has flown over 1000 hours on Gipsy and Cirrus-powered types, owns his own DH87B Hornet Moth and regularly displays light aeroplanes at the Duxford events.  Mark’s involvement in de Havilland Support Ltd is a happy progression of his long-term interests and later RAF experience.
 

DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER – J C TEMPEST BEng(Hons) MRAeS

From a flying family, John Tempest’s first flight was at the age of three years old and he has been surrounded by aircraft ever since.  His employment in the aircraft industry began in as an undergraduate trainee with British Aerospace at Woodford, following which he completed an Aeronautical Engineering degree at Loughborough University. There then followed a four-year British Aerospace-sponsored research project at Cranfield University experimenting with the use of carbon composites in highly loaded airliner wing structures.

In 1996, John then moved closer to his major enthusiasm for sporting and vintage aircraft by taking up a position with the Popular Flying Association as Deputy Chief Engineer, responsible for the approval of new aircraft designs, modifications and continued airworthiness support activities on a fleet of 2000 flying aircraft and 1500 homebuilt projects. John’s recent employment with de Havilland Support Ltd takes him from the world of homebuilt and vintage aircraft maintained on Permits to Fly into the realm of Type Certificated aircraft operating on ICAO standard Certificates of Airworthiness with procedures to suit, albeit with a desire to keep it simple wherever possible.

In his spare time John has been involved in a number of aircraft projects including the rebuild of a Steen Skybolt and a Pitts S-2B aircraft, both of which he operates as a syndicate member; he is currently working to complete his Pitts S-1S homebuilt aircraft project. John obtained his PPL in 1987 flying a variety of aircraft including de Havilland Chipmunks and Tiger Moths.

SUPPORT ENGINEER – D R PULESTON

Dave Puleston has maintained a life-long interest in aeroplanes, which many would describe as an obsession, and seizes every opportunity to immerse himself in the world of vintage and sport aviation.  With his enthusiasm fuelled by a first flight at the age of eight and aerobatics in a Chipmunk a few years later, he began flying gliders at RAF Marham.  Whilst a very active member of the Air Training Corps, he craved more powered flying and began working part-time at the Norfolk and Norwich Aero Club, Swanton Morley.  This led to a management position with the club on completion of A-Level exams and the issue of a Private Pilot’s Licence in 1993, at the age of 17.  Dave also gained extensive practical experience maintaining and inspecting the Club’s aeroplanes.
Keen to increase his engineering knowledge and flying experience, Dave has subsequently worked at busy M3 maintenance organisations, inspecting, repairing and rebuilding a variety of aeroplane types.  He has also worked as a volunteer for The Fighter Collection at Duxford.  Dave joined de Havilland Support Ltd in August 2004 following several years working for VT Aerospace at RAF Wyton, a JAR 145 organisation contracted to supply flying training for the RAF.  He has flown more than 50 types of light aeroplane, mostly vintage or aerobatic and holds a CAA Display Authorisation.  Not content with just engaging in aviation activities for a day job, Dave is the joint owner of a Pitts S-1D which he helped restore to flying condition in 2005.

COMPANY SECRETARY – S W McKAY MBE

Stuart McKay was heavily involved in the formation of de Havilland Support Ltd, but now acts in a part time capacity as Director and Company Secretary.  The majority of Stuart’s time is devoted to his role as the founder and Secretary of the de Havilland Moth Club, Editor of the Club magazine The Moth, and managing the annual International Moth Rally held at Woburn Abbey.  In recognition of his services to the Club he was awarded the Bronze Medal of the Royal Aero Club in 1984 and appointed MBE in 1997.

Stuart learned to fly on a Gipsy Major-powered Beagle Terrier 2 in 1963 and three years later commenced building a Jodel D.9 which made its maiden flight from Heathrow in 1969.  In 1970 he acquired the redundant Tiger Moth glider tug F-BGJE, but pressure of work meant that it was not flying again until 1997, registered as G-AZZZ.  Stuart is married and lives in Berkhamsted. He attends the office part-time.
 

GENERAL MANAGER – Dr J B REID MA DPhil

John Reid was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford where he read Chemistry and then completed his doctorate in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.  After a short spell on tyre development with the Dunlop Racing Division, John spent nearly 20 years at Marks and Spencer’s Head Office, with management responsibilities in both the Clothing and Food Divisions.  In 1988, a return to the motor racing world found John at Pi Research in Cambridge, working on the business development of data loggers and analysis software for race cars and wind tunnels.  Four years later this lead naturally to joining Ilmor Engineering, who design, manufacture and build the Formula 1 Mercedes racing engines for McLaren.  John retired from Ilmor after ten years in engineering manufacturing and contributing to two World Championships, and is now part of the team at de Havilland Support; he attends the office two days per week.

John learned to fly on Chipmunks at Oxford University Air Squadron in the 1960s and gained his civil PPL on Tiger Moths.  He has been a member of the Duxford Aviation Society for 12 years, working on David and Mark Miller’s Dragon Rapide.  Outside aviation, John is interested in pre-war MGs and vintage tractors – in fact anything mechanical!  He is married with three grown-up children, and lives in Orwell near Cambridge.