Expert in Flight Operations, Airline Management and Pilot Training
Master’s degree in business administration (MBA) University of Sussex, FRAeS
Worldwide
Andrew McKechnie is an expert in flight operations, airline management and pilot training. He is currently a captain for Ascend Airways LTD involved in short/medium-haul UK/European ACMI operations.
Andrew has spent 20 years as a pilot and training captain in airlines and business aviation and 10 years as an inspector for aviation authorities, including the UK CAA and EASA. He has 17 years' experience as a pilot for British Airways, where he operated as Captain on routes to all continents (except Antarctica) on B737, B757, B767 and B777 aircraft, with a total flight time of more than 10,000 hours and more than 7,500 hours as Pilot in Command. He also operated regional turbo-prop services in support of the remote communities and oil industry in the North of Scotland. As a ‘Training Captain’ on the B737, he trained and checked fellow pilots.
After leaving full-time flying, Andrew worked for the UK Civil Aviation Authority as a Flight Operations and Training Inspector. Andrew was responsible for the certification and oversight of numerous aircraft operators and conducted inspections on aircraft ranging from a Cessna 172 to a B747-400, as well as several business jets.
Subsequently he was Nominated Post Holder (Head of Training) for a UK ATO. He was also responsible for training standards throughout the group of companies in UK, UAE and Philippines and for the content and regulatory compliance of all pilot training courses (CPL/ATPL/MPL and type ratings).
Andrew also worked for the European Aviation Safety Agency. His role included standardisation inspections of national aviation authorities, the development of regulations and guidance material and technical assistance to non-European aviation authorities.
He spent several years working as a Flight Operations Inspector for the San Marino Civil Aviation Authority providing certification and oversight of commercial business jet operators and was Commander on a corporate Boeing 737-700IGW (BBJ) for a private client.
As a consultant for McKechnie Aviation LTD, Andrew supported aircraft operators, pilot-training companies and national aviation authorities. Projects included:
▪ Consultancy to airlines and business jet operators, including interim Nominated Person Flight Operations (NPFO) for the start-up of Norse Atlantic UK in 2022.
▪ Developing regulations for EASA and national aviation authorities.
▪ Technical assistance and inspector training to national aviation authorities in Europe, Africa and Asia.
▪ Operations and management manuals for airlines and business jet operators.
Andrew has completed Bond Solon “Excellence in Report Writing” course in May 2020 and attended Bond Solon Expert Witness Seminars in 2022 and 2024. He has written reports on aircraft accidents and employment disputes and appeared as an expert witness in courts and tribunals in England and the Republic of Ireland.
He is proficient at the interpretation of data from aircraft digital flight data recorders.
Bond Solon “Excellence in Report Writing” course in May 2020
Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS)