Baines Simmons, part of the Training & Consultancy division of global aviation services group Air Partner, is pleased to announce that it has appointed three new consultants to the team. Steve Hough joins as Senior Consultant, while Ludo Forrer and Ferdi Taljaard have been appointed Associate Consultants. All three will report directly to Mike Wallace, Head of Training & Consulting Operations.
Steve has over 25 years’ experience in civil and military aviation and has a wealth of expertise in safety management and investigation. He began his career in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a Navigator on Chinook helicopters before becoming a Flight Safety Officer. Upon leaving the RAF, Steve joined Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) as Chief Investigator, later becoming Head of Safety Office and Safety Manager. Steve is also the Chairman of the IATA Accident Classification Technical Group.
Ludo brings rich experience from across the aircraft lifecycle, spanning initial design, airworthiness, engineering management and flight crew operation. He has held a variety of aviation roles, including Design Engineer at landing gear manufacturer Messier-Dowty Ltd, Continuing Airworthiness Manager at 2Excel Aviation Ltd, and Engineering and General Manager at 2Excel Engineering. He has a first-class degree in Aerospace Engineering, is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and is an active commercial pilot.
With 35 years in military and civil aviation, Ferdi has developed extensive experience and exposure across Maintenance, Operations and Regulatory Compliance. He enjoyed a successful career in the South African Air Force (SAAF) in a variety of roles, before joining geoscience company CGG as Chief of Aviation Services. He later started his own consulting business in 2015. Ferdi is also a qualified ISO 9001 Aviation Auditor.
