Friday, December 12, 2008

Eur Ing David Gibbings MBE C Eng, FRAeS 1932-











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David Gibbings joined Royal Air Force in May 1949 as an Engineering Apprentice, and subsequently trained as Navigator. In 1955 he joined Fairey Aviation as a Flight Test Navigator engaged in the testing of Air to Air guided weapons.
In 1959 David transferred to the Aircraft Division at Hayes/White Waltham, as a Propulsion Development Engineer, working at the Test bed facility for Rotodyne tip-jets, duties also included flying in Rotodyne as Flight Engineer.Upon conclusion of the Rotodyne programme in 1962 (Fairey now having been acquired by Westland), he was transferred to the Flight Test Department working on Scout and Wasp helicopters and Gannet AEW aircraft.
David subsequently moved to the Flight Test Department at Yeovil in 1964 continuing to work on helicopter and fixed-wing projects. Appointed Project Flight Test Engineer for Lynx project in 1967 and subsequently flew with the prototype on first flight.
Appointed Helicopter Icing Trials Manager in 1977. Appointed Deputy Chief Flight Test Engineer in 1980, and Chief Flight Test Engineer in 1989.
David retired from Westland in 1993.
In 1993, David was awarded The 'Kelly Johnson' Award for Outstanding achievement in the field of Flight Test engineering by the Society of Flight Test Engineers, the first time this prestigious award had been awarded outside the US.
David has continued to work as a Consultant and Aviation Artist since retirement. He was awarded an MBE in the 2014 New Years Honours list for services to aviation heritage and defence