Meet a Rotor Pro - David Meisels, Pratt and Whitney Canada

Posted 352 days ago ago by Admin

RPMN: What is your current position?

I am an associate director at Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) in helicopter marketing, and my function includes program management. I’m responsible for all interactions between certain helicopter OEMs and P&WC. My role is exciting because I have a wide breadth of responsibility: everything from the tactical (deliveries, quality, etc.) to the strategic (new products, new technologies) to the relationship with my OEMs.

RPMN: Tell me about your first experience with helicopters.

I remember going on a trip as a kid and my parents taking us on a short ride in a helicopter, the view was amazing, the feeling of motion and the possibility to go anywhere we wanted, made a strong impression on me.

RPMN: How did you get your start in the helicopter industry?

Pratt & Whitney is a remarkable place to work in that we work with almost every type of aircraft. In that way, I’ve been lucky to work in many different roles in my 28 years at P&WC. I started in engineering in analysis, design, and testing engines of all types, including helicopter engines. Afterwards, it was customer support on turbofans and turboprops. Then I had the privilege of working for the president of P&WC. Most recently, I’ve been part of the team in helicopter marketing.

RPMN: When and how did you choose the helicopter industry? Or did it choose you?

I was always intrigued by helicopters and by marketing, and when the role opened, I jumped at the opportunity. One of the great things about P&WC is the chance to take on different roles and widen your experience. This has been a great plus for me as an employee, exploring different aspects of the company, but it’s also positive for our customers because we can cross-pollinate lessons learned and apply them to different areas of the business. For example, our proactive Customer First center and carbon offset services started on turbofans, and were quickly brought to turboshafts, and then across all our product lines.

RPMN: Where did you get your start working professionally in the industry?

I started at P&WC in 1995 fresh out of university with a bachelor’s in engineering, and then I completed my master’s in engineering as a part-time student.

RPMN: If you were not in the helicopter industry, what else would you see yourself doing?

I would be involved in aviation in some way. I love to share my knowledge and learn more about aviation.

RPMN: What do you enjoy doing on your days off?

I like cross-country skiing, sailing, and camping. They’re all great activities with my family.

RPMN: What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?

All my roles at P&WC have been enjoyable, but the role in which I grew the most was as the executive assistant to the president of P&WC. I was responsible for P&WC’s strategic operating system, all daily operations of the president’s office including the planning and organizing of special projects, and I was co-chair of the company’s business continuity team. I had the opportunity to see our company from multiple facets, to shape communications with key customers, help illustrate the global trends, and see the vision for P&WC’s future products and services.

RPMN: What will be your fondest memory of the industry?

I really enjoyed the 10 years that I spent directly supporting operators of P&WC engines, and I always appreciate meeting our customers. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated, loyal customers who have propelled us to reaching 1 billion hours of flight across all our market segments. This, and the PT6 60th anniversary are two major milestones P&WC is celebrating this year. I had the great fortune to meet many customers at airshows and at other events over the years. It is always humbling to see how our engines have made a difference in people’s lives (especially with helicopter EMS customers) and seeing first-hand their professionalism and dedication, and learning how the crews have saved the lives of so many patients. To see how these EMS crews intervene on what is potentially the worst day of a person’s life and bring medical assistance to them is remarkable. When I hear how these customers depend on our engines, it re-energizes me to ensure our engines contribute to their essential missions.

RPMN: If you could give only one piece of advice to new people coming into the industry, what would it be?

Follow your dreams and passion. There are so many opportunities in the helicopter industry, and we need people from diverse backgrounds to help shape the future. Vertical flight is at an inflection point with revolutionary designs of aircraft, and a great race between different sources of energy: how will 100% electric, hybrid, or engines using traditional fuels disrupt the helicopter industry? We need the best and brightest to help tackle these challenges.

RPMN: In your view, what is the greatest challenge for the helicopter industry at this moment in time?

The quest to decarbonize mobility creates unique challenges in vertical flight. With more than two-thirds of commercial helicopters being turbine powered, JetA/A1 fuel is the most significant energy source for helicopters. The arrival of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will provide the most significant way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flight. Today all Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engines are certified for flight with up to 50% SAF. In the future, aviation’s proportion of greenhouse gas emissions may approach 25% of global emissions. It is important that we enable use of 100% SAF. Helicopters have unique technical challenges for fuel (e.g. the effect of lifting the fuel from the tank, often under the cabin floor, up to the engine), as well as the logistical challenges of many remote refueling sites. Therefore, the design of future 100% SAF has to take into consideration helicopter requirements.

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Meet a Rotor Pro - David Meisels, Pratt and Whitney Canada