The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has appointed Rachel Gardner-Poole as the new head of its General Aviation Unit.
Rachel, who is currently the Portfolio Director at the CAA has previously worked on counter-terrorism with the Home Office and as a scientific researcher in the defence sector which is where she learnt to fly.
She also volunteers for a flying charity delivering aid and emergency relief to remote locations.
Rachel takes over from Tony Rapson later this year who has been in the post for over 5 years.
The CAA’s General Aviation Unit (GA Unit) was formed in 2014 and manages the regulation that supports and encourages
Mark Swan, Group Director Safety & Airspace Regulation, said: “We are delighted to make this announcement. Rachel is the right candidate for this role. Her ability to deliver complex projects, combined with her strong leadership skills and wide-ranging aviation experience, made her the obvious choice. Many in the General Aviation community will already know Rachel and I am sure they will welcome her appointment.”
“Tony Rapson has done an incredible job leading the General Aviation Unit since its inception in 2014, and has delivered significant improvements for the General Aviation sector. We thank him for his hard work and dedication to date and look forward to continuing to benefit from his experience in the coming months, ahead of this change.”
Rachel added: “I’m really looking forward to working with the dedicated and professional colleagues in the General Aviation Unit. I’ve been passionate about aviation for many years and my first role here was as the General Aviation Programme manager where I used my flying knowledge and experience to implement positive changes. I’m delighted to be returning to the unit in May to build on the excellent work of Tony Rapson and the team.”
