Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide

Aerospace

Stobart Aviation hires Luke Hayhoe

Former BA CityFlyer General Manager Luke Hayhoe has joined Stobart Aviation as it works to boost relationships with its customer airlines at London Southend Airport, Carlisle Lake District Airport and Teesside International Airport.

Luke (above), whose aviation career spans more than two decades, working across a variety of areas, joined the business as Aviation Business Development Director on Monday 9th September.

Luke was most recently with BA as General Manager Commercial and Customer for BA CityFlyer.  During his time at BA CityFlyer, Luke led a team of more than 300 people, delivering profitable commercial growth at London City Airport as services expanded from just six routes to over 30.

Advertisement
ODU RT

Passenger numbers also grew at an impressive rate during Luke’s tenure - from 400,000 to nearly 3 million - amid the consistent delivery of exceptional customer experience on the ground and in the air.

Luke will be responsible for airline relationships, marketing and delivering passenger growth across the Stobart Aviation airports, with his main focus on London Southend Airport, London’s next big airport. 

London Southend is rapidly growing, with circa 50% more customers so far this summer and Ryanair and Loganair recently starting operations at the airport. easyJet has also based a fourth aircraft at London Southend Airport, serving more than 30 destinations.

Advertisement
ODU RT

The airport’s award-winning offering – consumer group Which? recently named London Southend the best airport in London for the sixth year in a row – will further grow with the addition of Wizz Air with flights taking off to Central Europe in October and November.

Commenting on his appointment, Luke Hayhoe, said “It’s really great to be joining Stobart Aviation at such an exciting time, the passenger growth is really impressive.  I’m looking forward to developing relationships with all of our customer airlines as well as welcoming new airlines so we can jointly add profitable growth, with a specific focus on delivering more than 5m passengers at London Southend Airport. London Southend has a fantastic customer proposition. It’s quick and easy to travel through, with excellent access from the heart of London with trains from London Liverpool Street in just over 50 minutes.”

Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner
IFS launches IFS Zero

Aerospace Defence

IFS launches IFS Zero

10 June 2026

IFS has launched IFS Zero, an agentic AI Emissions Operating System designed for asset-intensive industries, such as aerospace and defence, where organisations face pressure to improve emissions reporting and supply chain transparency, with Scope 3 compliance now a contractual requirement.

Smith Detection

Aerospace Security

Smith Detection's SDX 10080 SCT receives UK DfT approval

10 June 2026

Smiths Detection announced today that its SDX 10080 SCT has received UK Department for Transport (DfT) approval for deployment across UK airports and cargo operators for hold baggage and air cargo screening.

Aston University secures £3.9m to boost aerospace and cybersecurity skills

Aerospace Security

Aston University secures £3.9m to boost aerospace and cybersecurity skills

10 June 2026

Aston University has secured almost £4 million in new funding to improve the UK’s aerospace engineering and cybersecurity skills.

Marshall Aerospace completes initial flight model for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7

Aerospace

Marshall Aerospace completes initial flight model for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7

10 June 2026

Marshall Aerospace has successfully completed a flight dynamics and control model to support Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7, a revolutionary dual-use hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft currently in prototype development.

Advertisement
ODU RT
NATS invests in carbon removals with CUR8

Aerospace

NATS invests in carbon removals with CUR8

9 June 2026

NATS has committed £500k to carbon removals through carbon removals intelligence provider CUR8, contributing to an initiative led by the UK Sustainable Aviation coalition, to stimulate the carbon removals market as part of a £2 million Advance Market Signal.

HutanBio partners with Wakud on scalable SAF feedstocks

Aerospace

HutanBio partners with Wakud on scalable SAF feedstocks

9 June 2026

Cambridge biotechnology company HutanBio, which is developing algae-derived oils for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has signed its first commercial offtake Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oman's Wakud International, as the aviation industry searches for new feedstock sources capable of supporting future SAF demand.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner