Ian is our Maintenance & Production Manager, and has been with us for 23 years, starting as a Trainee Instrument Technician in June 1996. Ian oversees the upper and lower floor supervisors and the divisions they’re responsible for. This has meant stepping away from the workbench, which for any engineer, can be hard to absorb.
Q. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
A. I must admit that playing the piano is something I would love to learn. It is something that can bring everyone together (just like the old days!)
Q. What is your favourite aircraft?
A. This one is easy for me, without a doubt it is the Lockheed p-38 Lightning. Those exceptionally beautiful lines and the twin boom made it a great looking aircraft which was fast too. My particular favourite was “California Cutie” which was unfortunately lost during the 1996 Flying Legends Airshow at Duxford.
Q. If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
A. “Thrust” from the film Bumblebee. For those who haven’t seen the film he’s a Lockheed Martin F-35 Transformer. Who wouldn’t want to be a transformer that’s a jet fighter 🙂
Q. What’s your favourite activity/leisure?
A. Cycling has always been a favourite for me. With the 2012 Olympic mountain bike track right on my doorstep and cycling from London to Bruges back in September 2009 it’s something I can now also enjoy with my 5 year old son.
Q. What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
A. I don’t really have any chores that I absolutely hate, but if I had to name one it would be the bins on bin day!
Q. What is your favourite film/TV show/book?
A. The Goonies for sure. I even made time during a hoilday to visit Astoria in Orgeon, USA where it was filmed. Did you know Kindergarten Cop and Short Circuit were also filmed there!
Q. What do you like about working at Oakenhurst?
A. There are many things that help me enjoy (yes, enjoy!) my working day here at Oakenhurst, but the two main reasons are the type of units we work on and how interesting they are and of course the people or ‘work family’ that I work alongside.
The next ’60 Seconds with…’ will be in two weeks, featuring someone else from Oakenhurst. If you want to keep up-to-date with more posts like this, keep an eye on our site and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.