ALISTAIR SMITH

Alistair has been involved in flying his entire life, having a father who was a flight instructor. With over 20 years in the sector, Alistair has worked his way through most of the different areas of aviation. He began as a glider tug pilot then worked flying 4-engine turbo-props for a cargo company. He has moved into the passenger airline industry on short-, mid- and long-haul on both Boeing and Airbus aircraft and is currently a Senior First Officer for British Airways on the Airbus A350. He is a trainer and examiner for Boeing 747 and the Airbus A350 aircraft, working for British Airways training and third-party training organisations.

Still also interested in the general aviation sector, Alistair is also a flight instructor and has undertaken flight training from ab-initio to commercial levels. He still flies regularly in light aircraft and enjoys extending the skills and experience levels of licensed pilots.

Through the experience of teaching others, Alistair has seen the power and influence of the way in which an understanding of human factors can change the way in which real-world problems can be solved. His interest is especially related to the way in which people interact with their environment as well as with the products and object within that environment. He has seen a direct correlation between how an awareness of these skills directly improves efficiency and safety.