P R O F I L E

Helmut Mayer
MAICD FIEAust CPEng RPEQ
PhD B.E.-Aerospace (Hons 1) B.Sc.-Psych

Helmut Mayer is an experienced pilot, engineering designer, systems architect and C level excutive. With an engineering and psychology background and significant expertise in leadership, automation and safety systems he is uniquely equipped to lead a project for bringing convenience, simplicity and user-focus to personal aviation with the objective of bringing about a quantum leap in the take-up of light aircraft for cargo and personal transport. With a PhD in design science, focusing on the management of design teams for performance and accuracy, he will be well placed to keep the design teams focused and productive.

As an innovator, business owner and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the design and delivery of large bulk material handling machines, he clearly understands how innovation projects are conceived and progressed along the path to effective returns.  He built several businesses, Mayer International Design Engineers and Mayer International Machines, from small design-only activities to delivering large complex multi-million mobile machines for global customers. He has now sold these businesses and they are held under the FLSmidth umbrella, head quartered in Denmark. 

Helmut’s career began in the 1980's as a commercial pilot and, prior to joining the family engineering business, he spent eight years in general aviation.

His focus is in pursuing opportunities for developing the business models and technologies needed to make personal aviation a day to day reality. He has identified several Aircraft Manufacturing organisations who, together with his passion and experience, can add value in building this innovative new business stream.

Academically, Helmut completed an Aerospace Engineering/Psychology double degree with first class honours. His undergraduate thesis titled Fatigue Design Procedures for Pressure Vessels brought new levels of accuracy, and yet simplicity, to the detailed fatigue design method published in the Australian Standard for Pressure Vessels, AS1210-2010. In 2012, he achieved a significant milestone in his professional development on being admitted by the Council of The University of New South Wales to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for his research on Mitigating the effects of errors on the outcome of design processes.