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Massey staff to lead Royal Aeronautical Society

Thursday 26 July 2012, 1:14PM

By Massey University

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Two Massey University staff members have taken up key roles at New Zealand’s leading professional body for the aviation industry.

Frank Sharp, the manager of professional programmes at the School of Aviation, has been appointed president of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s New Zealand division, while Dr Ritchie de Montalk, the school’s aviation safety manager, is the society’s new secretary.

Mr Sharp, who has been on the society’s council for six years, most recently as vice-president, said he was “both delighted and very proud” to become the organisation’s president. He was also pleased that his School of Aviation colleague would be serving as secretary at the same time.

“I think our appointments reinforce the relationship between Massey and the Royal Aeronautical Society, which is a global and learned organisation. It’s good for our staff to be members as it allows us to build relationships within the industry and keep up with the latest aeronautical developments and research,” Mr Sharp said.

“And having Ritchie as secretary will certainly make it very efficient when we want to organise society meetings,” he added.

As well as enabling aeronautical engineers to attain registration and running the workshops and symposiums the society is known for, Mr Sharp hopes to get two particular projects underway during his two-year term as president.

“The society is in the early stages of developing a project that will see high school students build a light aircraft over a three-year period. This is something I would love to see happen as it is an excellent way of engaging young people in the aviation industry,” he said.

“The other project is the society’s contribution to the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. We will be launching a New Zealand Aviation Hall of Fame to acknowledge outstanding individuals whose achievements and roles have contributed to the world-class reputation that New Zealand holds in aviation circles.”

School of Aviation chief executive Ashok Poduval congratulated both Mr Sharp and Dr de Montalk for their appointments, saying they complemented his own roles as council member and chair of the Safety Advisory Committee and the Education and Research Committee of the Aviation Industry Association.

“It is significant that these important positions have gone to members of the School of Aviation,” he said. “It reflects the standing of the school in the aviation community, and the professional calibre of our staff members.”