From CLC to Chief Airworthiness Engineer: A career in engineering
From CLC to Chief Airworthiness Engineer
From CLC, I went to Oxford to study Physics. I chose Physics because its fascinating and because I could use what I’d learnt designing and making things as an engineer. I knew I wanted to be an engineer but had no idea what sort.
On graduation I got a job at Rolls-Royce, purely because it was in Bristol where my boyfriend worked. I stayed with Rolls-Royce until I retired in 2024 and in this blog, I’ll give some insight into why.
Picture 1: Picture of a Eurofighter Typhoon.
Firstly, in Rolls-Royce you’re involved in fascinating and complex technical projects. I worked on the engine for the Typhoon fighter aircraft from when the design contract was signed.
I did calculations on how different designs would – or wouldn’t – meet the specification. Later I helped develop algorithms for the software that controls the engine and run the test programme. I was the engineer in charge of the engine when the Typhoon went into service with the RAF – a proud moment.
Some challenges start from a much darker place but are still fascinating and technical. In 2000 I was in the team looking after the engine when an Air France Concorde crashed on 25th July.
We had to understand how the engines behaved during the accident, learn any lessons, and help get Concorde flying again.
Picture 2: AAAF trophy. The trophy for the Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France prix resussite 2001 which, along with others involved, I won for the activity to understand the causes of the Air France Concorde accident and get the aircraft safely back into service. I am particularly proud of getting a technical award from France.
Picture 3: Receiving the Lifetime Achievement award at the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) awards in 2012, presented by HRH Princess Anne.
I became interested in how to ensure engines and aircraft are safe - an interest that influenced future steps in my career.
My second reason for staying with Rolls-Royce is the range of different jobs, with promotion prospects, you can do both within engineering and beyond, such as manufacturing, finance and programme management.
The two roles I enjoyed most were, firstly, Chief Engineer, where I was accountable for all the engineering on specific engine types. If the engine was underperforming, unreliable, or there were any safety concerns I led the team that had to sort it, and quickly.
I was Chief Engineer on the Typhoon engine and then several older engines, which had to be kept safe but at minimal cost.
My other favourite role was Chief Airworthiness Engineer, which I did for 13 years. A Chief Engineer has ultimate accountability for the safety of his or her products, but, as many of Rolls-Royce’s products are safety critical, the design is subject to a second layer of safety checks, some required by safety regulators.
I ran the team that carries out the checks, talks to the regulator, and helps ensure that the company’s working practices produce safe products.
Picture 4: Trent 1000 engine on test. This was one of the civil aircraft engines that was certified and went into service whilst I was Chief Airworthiness Engineer.
Picture 5: An Airbus A350 with Trent XWB engines that were certified and went into service whilst I was Chief Airworthiness Engineer.
That leads me to two more reasons for staying with Rolls-Royce – the sense of achievement when an engine and its airframe get the go ahead to fly passengers is considerable, and while I was in the role we did that 4 times just in the UK.
Designing, testing and certifying an engine is a big team effort. At Rolls-Royce you are always part of a team, enjoying the company of and learning from others.
Nearly every role I had at Rolls-Royce involved working closely with people from outside the UK. This started with the Typhoon engine, a partnership between companies in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. The cultural exchange was a great part of the job. From 1994 to 1997 I lived in Munich so was able to immerse myself in the culture.
Later, in my safety role, I joined a community of engineers from across Europe and the Americas, working together, and talking with the regulators, to continually improve safety regulations in Civil Aviation. We needed regulations applicable to new technology, applicable worldwide and that incorporated learning from events.
Picture 6: I was presented with this panda plate – as were all panellists – at the EASA CAAC (European and Chinese Aerospace regulators) Safety Conference in China.
Picture 7: This is a picture of a panel I was on at the 2018 FAA EASA (US and European Aerospace regulators) Conference in the Mayflower Hotel, Washington DC, where I was an industry advocate for safety.
The lead up to Brexit was interesting as UK aerospace products were regulated by a European agency, so if Brexit happened without measures being put in place, planes throughout the world with British equipment would have had to stop flying.
I chaired a British industry group that liaised with the UK and European regulators, European industry, and the UK government to make sure appropriate measures were indeed put in place. It was great, post-Brexit, when everything happened as planned!
This illustrates my final reason for staying with Rolls-Royce.
Sometimes the job gives you a sense of achieving something not just challenging but really worthwhile.
So that’s why I made my career at Rolls-Royce. At the same time, I got married and had three children. I’d recommend a career in engineering, for the reasons I’ve given, and because there will always be a need for things to be designed, made, and work.
Picture 8: This photograph was taken by photographer Chris Brock for the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) awards in 2012.
Of course life doesn’t stop when you retire. I’m taking on new challenges such as running our local scout group. Organising and running a camp for 30 6-17 year olds was not something I anticipated doing before I retired.
What you can do, if you put your mind to it, remains amazing.
Belinda Swain (1974-81, Bunwell / Fauconberg)
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