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Our people

When fully operational, the FSTA programme will employ over 500 personnel at RAF Brize Norton. Just over half will be seconded from the RAF while the remainder will be AirTanker employees including Sponsored Reservists.

AirTanker Services Ltd currently employs approximately 50 people who come from a range of relevant backgrounds including former military personnel, defence and aviation industry specialists, airline pilots and engineers.

Key people

	Phill Blundell (Chief Executive, AirTanker Ltd) Upon graduating from Brunel University with an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Phill spent a number of years with the Rover car company in various design and manufacturing areas, mainly relating to the implementation of new technology and manufacturing systems.In 1993, he joined the defence and aerospace industry at Dunsfold, running a facility focused on the final assembly of Harrier aircraft. Following this, he was responsible for many of BAe Systems’ major manufacturing facilities. He then moved on to lead a number of systems and communications businesses before becoming Group Managing Director of C4ISR.Phill left BAe Systems in 2005 to become CEO of AirTanker Ltd, leading the Company to sign the FSTA Contract with the Ministry of Defence in March 2008.
	Gordon Page CBE DL MA FRAeS (Chairman, AirTanker Ltd) Gordon started his career in the defence and aerospace industry with Rolls-Royce, where he worked for over 25 years before becoming Managing Director of Flight Refuelling Limited (part of Cobham plc) in 1990. He was appointed Group Deputy Chief Executive of Cobham plc in 1991, Chief Executive in 1992 and Chairman in 2001. He retired from the Board in November 2008. He has been Chairman of AirTanker Ltd since 2009. He is also Chairman of Hamworthy plc (2004 – ), Chairman of P H Warr plc ( 2008 – ) and Chairman of the Bournemouth, Dorset & Poole Multi-Area Agreement for economic development in the region (2008- ). He is a past President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies (1997/8, 2002/3) as well as the Royal Aeronautical Society (2006/7). He is a past board member (2000/4) and Chairman (2004/8) of the Government’s Industrial Development Advisory Board, and has been a non-executive director of several industrial companies. He was awarded the CBE in 2000, an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Cranfield University in 2003, an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from Bournemouth University in 2009, and an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2009. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset in 2006.
	Dave Mitchard (Managing Director, AirTanker Services Ltd) Dave started his career in the commercial department of Eaton Aerospace before moving on to VT Group. Before joining AirTanker Services, Dave was Managing Director of Flagship Training – a joint venture between VT Group and BAE Systems which Dave helped to set up. During his time in this role, Dave successfully developed and grew the business, achieving revenue growth from £65m to £150m p.a. In Feb 2008, he was appointed Managing Director of AirTanker Services to deliver the complex and ambitious FSTA programme to the RAF.
	Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) Keith D Filbey CBE FRAeS (Chairman, AirTanker Services Ltd) Keith had a full career as an RAF pilot flying the Victor K1A, Nimrod R, TriStar and VC10 aircraft. He commanded No 216 Squadron in the Air Transport and Air to Air Refuelling roles from 1983 to 1986; RAF Brize Norton from 1990 to 1992 and he became Air Officer Commanding No 2 Group in 2000. On leaving the RAF in 2003, Keith worked briefly for Cobham plc before becoming CEO of AirTanker Services Ltd in 2004. Following the signature of the FSTA Contract in early 2008, he became Chairman of AirTanker Services; he is also the Customer Relations Director of AirTanker Ltd.
	James Scott (Director of Flight Operations, AirTanker Services Ltd) Having started his career at Oxford Air Training School working in Operations, Flight Planning and Air Traffic Control and self funding his professional Pilot training, James embarked on a career in Business Aviation. This started at Sabre Airways, which evolved into XL Airways, initially as a First Officer, then Captain a number of Fleet and Training management posts. His final role with XL was as Director Flight Operations before he joined AirTanker Services in October 2008 as Director of Flight Operations, leading the team that will deliver the Operations, Crewing and Training solutions.
	Paul Kimberley (Fleet Engineering Director, AirTanker Services Ltd) Paul commenced his career as an apprentice airframe fitter with Marshall Aerospace and then FLS Aerospace at London Stansted airport as an aircraft mechanic. In July 2001, Paul was appointed as the General Manager of easyTech, a joint venture organisation with easyJet, with responsibility for day-to-day Line and Light Maintenance, Maintrol and First line engineering support. In 2007, Paul was appointed to the position of Vice President, Aircraft Services with SR Technics. Paul joined AirTanker Services in February 2009.