1. CURRICULUM VITAE - MARK HOWELL
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name Mark Howell BSc MRAeS
MAPM AIAA
Telephon
e
Mobile: 0793 1197684
Addres
s
13 Laxton Gardens Work: 01223 399778
Baldock Home: 01462 630800
SG7 6DA
PERSONAL PROFILE
A Highly experience graduate engineer with proven design, management and leadership skills developed over 18 years
in the Aerospace industry and 12 years in the MOD DE&S. Proven communication skills and an ability to analysis
complex problems generating viable and novel solutions. An industrious and resilient individual with a professional
approach to all aspects of employment, experienced in a wide range technology including textile and ‘conventional’
designs, their validation, industrialisation and in-service support, with experience through out the concept disposal
(CADMID) process. Capable of engaging with stakeholders at all levels, delivering to the required standards within the
required time scales. Having worked in a small multi-disciplinary, specialist teams and larger organisations a specialism
in aerodynamic decelerators of all types has been developed.
I am a professional member of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA) and a member of the
decelerator conference technical committee. I am also a member of the RAeS with qualifying qualifications for
professional registration at CEng an application is in preparation.
CURRENT POSITION
Airborne Forces Equipment Engineering Manager –DE&S C17CSAE-AFE Cambridge Jul 2014 to date. Grade C1
(Acting)
Lead Engineering Authority providing in-service support and safety and airworthiness advice to the operational and
technical communities for a range of man-carrying parachute systems and associated ancillary equipment.
• Programme managed a key man-carrying parachute system replacement introducing a fleet of 900 items to service,
including a complete through life management package.
• Planned and directed spend of an annual £13M budget in direct support of all Airborne Equipment systems and
associated industry contracts.
• Holder of a delegated Letter of Airworthiness Authority, enabling approval of engineering changes and associated
release to service use of all Airborne Equipment.
• Provided Safety and Airworthiness advice to user communities on the implications of specific operational scenarios and
use of man-carrying parachute systems.
KEY ACHIVEMENTS
Introduction to Service of the BT380 parachute:
• Situation - The BT380 is a parachute used for training and water entry and is an important capability. It was selected
by open competition. I played a major part in this programme including setting the technical requirement.
• Task - Defining the technical and system requirements to the competing contractors.
• Action -Using the Statement of User requirement I defined the technical and system requirements for the equipment I
detailed the safety case requirements in accordance with Def Stan 00-56. This included stakeholder engagement
for Safety Working Groups and ultimately a Hazard Review Board.
• Result – I gained an in depth understanding of the current Def Stan 00-56 as applied to parachutists’ equipment.
Introduction of a New parachute Deployment System:
• Situation – An accident occurred due to the failure of a free fall parachute to deploy.
• Task – Analyse the problem determine and implement a solution that prevents the pilot chute becoming trapped by
the bodies base drag (burble).
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2. CURRICULUM VITAE - MARK HOWELL
• Action – I held a stakeholder meeting to investigate the main cause of the accident. I gather data from the US that
supported the cause as a common fault with that type of deployment. I worked with the DO to establish a novel
technique. I task the Test and Evaluation agencies and collected evidence to support a change to the safety case. I
then staffed a modification through to TAA approval.
• Result – The new deployment system has been in service for 7 years and a notable improvement in reliability has
occurred. This method was then successfully applied to the other Free Fall parachute system with good result. I
learnt how to search non-uk data bases and how to mange stakeholder meetings. I also learnt the revise
Modification Proposal Form (MPF) process.
HUYGENS Lander:
•Situation - Following open competition my company was awarded the contract for the HUYGENS Descent Control sub
system.
•Task – As the team leader my task was to design and develop parachutes to meet the esa specifications, to qualify them
and to manage the manufacture and final delivery of flight models to fixed and non-negotiable time scales.
•Action - From within the company I formed a team, supplemented by specialist contractors and as the lead engineer and
project manager I directed their work and provided documentary evidence of qualification and final deliveries.
•Result - The equipment was successfully delivered and was integrated into the CASSINI/HUYGENS probe, which
successfully landed on TITAN one of the moons of SATURN. My major learning point was the need for properly
prepared and supporting documentation. Similar to the current MAA requirements on DE&S. I also learnt about. The
programme constraints taught me about working at pace with accuracy.
ALARM Missile Tail cone Design:
•Situation The ALARM project was a major undertaking for my company for which I was a design engineer.
•Task - The task was to design a tail cone with an integrated heat shield to protect the parachute bay from rocket motor
efflux to BAe defied interfaces.
•Action - I used first principle thermodynamic calculations to select materials and processes to produce designs for test and
evaluation. The principle design was verified by finite element analysis
•Result - The defined interfaces changed due to motor design problems and as a result I learnt about configuration control
and interchangability and the principles contained in the then AvP32 and Def Stan 05-123. I also learnt about analysing
evidence to support my decisions and presenting the evidence.
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIANCE
Date
From/to
Grade Unit/Company Full Job Title, Type and Responsibilities
Apr 2013
– Jul
2014
C2 HTPT-AE Airborne Forces Equipment Manager. Return to the AFE
responsibilities listed below. Letter of Airworthiness Authority
(LoAA) for AFE and ADE.
Nov
2012 –
Apr 2013
C1
(Acting)
C17 CSAE AE Aerial Delivery Equipment Manager (ADE): Airworthiness
delegations and responsibilities similar to those for AFE, this
now includes a team of 3. ADE equipment includes platforms,
stores and mechanical/pyrotechnic disconnects. This was in
addition to the AFE responsibilities immediately below. The
principle contractors remain the same with the addition of
Babcock Engineering. Letter of Airworthiness Authority (LoAA)
for AFE and ADE.
Mar
2002-
Nov
2012
C2 S&AD IPT –
followed by
HTPT
Airborne Forces Equipment Manager (AFE): Responsible for
the management of buissness as usual and Project
Management of Post Design Services (PDS) Design and
Procurment activities activities Airborne Forces Equipment
(AFE) manned parachute systems. Responsibility as Visiting
Project Officer (VPO) for technical and commercial preparation
of modifications, investigations and their progress and
authorisation to Militaray Airworthiness Authority (MAA)
Regulatory Articles (RA) . Technical Airworthiness Autority
(TAA) deligated Chair of the Local Technical Committees
(LTC).
1999 to
2001
Product
Group
Manger
Irvin-GQ Ltd Product Group Manger for Weapons, Space, RPV, aircraft
break and spin stall recover, ejector seat parachutes.
1996 to Project Irvin Aerospace Project Manager for Weapons, Space and Remotely Piloted
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3. CURRICULUM VITAE - MARK HOWELL
1999 Manager Ltd Vehicles (RPVS) Responsibilities included the day to day
running of team of specialist engineers, as the lead engineer
and the Engineering Manager.
1989 to
1995
Senior
Project
Engineer
Irvin (GB) Ltd. Senior Project Engineer for Weapons Projects and Space
projects. Lead engineer, managing subject matter experts and
the technology used.
1989 to
1995
Project
Engineer
Irvin (GB) Ltd. Project Engineer for the ALARM project: As below.
Responsible for constructing work packages to be followed by
the project team at the detail design and sub-system level.
1984 to
1987
Assistant
project
Engineer
Irvin (GB) Ltd. Assistant Project Engineer for the ALARM project:
Responsible for detail design work as directed.
QUALIFICATIONS
Letter of Authority for Aircraft Safety 2014
Letter of Financial delegation 2014
Certificate in Resource Management
Letter of Technical delegation for aircraft equipment 2003
Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies 1992
Degree Aeronautical Engineering (University of
London)
1983
MEMBERSHIPS AND OTHER SKILLS
Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (MRAeS) 2009
Member of the Association for Project management
(MAPM)
2009
Senior Member of the AIAA and Decelerator
Conference Technical Committee
2007
Chair of Local technical committees.
Chair of Hazard Working Groups.
Team commendation for Ex Winter Rider 2011.
Management of Integrated Logistics support activities, Technical Publications to AECMA 2000 and Reliability activities
such as FMECA, Hazard and Risk Analysis, of FEA analysis and other mathematical modelling to system levels.
Experience MS office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Parachute technology training course presented to Singapore Technologies.
Presentations given to the SAFE Europe conference and the Shepherd UAV conference. Clean, current, full UK driving
licence and car owner.
Previously, Chairman and Director of the Laburnum Rd management Co. Responsible for the re-establishment of the
Co and the recovery of both debts and credibility.
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