Simon Jones

Project Manager
Simon Jones

Simon brings over 30 years of aerospace expertise, excelling in project management and delivering complex engineering project under challenging conditions. Simon is a Project Manager at Element Digital Engineering with over 30 years’ experience in the aerospace industry and 17 years as a Mechanical Engineer in the Royal Air Force. He has led numerous high-stakes projects, including aircraft modifications and major crash repairs for QinetiQ and Boeing, and has also worked as a Qualification Test Project Manager on the Boeing KC-46 Program, successfully leading a lard, multi-LRU fuel system qualification program over 3 years.

Experience

  • Boeing Defence UK Simon was responsible for delivering multiple complex projects within the Through Life Customer Support portfolio, managing a $15.4M Aircraft CAT 4 Crash Damage Recovery and a $30M Operational Data Recording Program.
  • Cobham Mission Systems Simon’s responsibilities included project reporting on all aspects of Hardware Qualification Testing to Cobham’s VP of KC-46 and senior Boeing Management. He led a team of 16 Development Engineers, driving them to deliver a complex segment of the KC-46 Qualification Test Program. This role involved managing quality results under tight timelines, along with overseeing the budget, resources, risk, and schedule of a challenging development program.
  • Filton Systems Engineering Currently, at Element Digital Engineering (formerly Filton Systems Engineering), Simon manages a Design and Development Program which includes Test Rig Design, Manufacture, and Commissioning. His responsibilities extend to Test Hardware production and Development Testing that covers DO-160 Tests and Performance/Endurance testing. He also oversees an Innovate UK LH2 Project, designing a ground-based Liquid-Hydrogen Fuel System Demonstrator and testing this system in multiple configurations ahead of aircraft integration with our project partner ZeroAvia.

Simon is based in our Bristol office.

Career Highlights

  • Completed two tours in Afghanistan 2001-2002 and 2003 with 7 Sqn RAF.
  • Took charge of a failing MoD Trial Installation Project, and turned it around to deliver a profit, and secure a further £1M fleet wide embodiment program.
  • Successfully delivered a highly complex $15.4 M rebuild of a crashed CH-47 aircraft, on time and within budget.
  • Managed and delivered a $30M Operational Data Recording Project on two CH-47 Aircrafts, including test equipment installation, data gathering/reporting, and modification removal upon completion.

Qualifications and Credentials

Qualifications
  • Royal Air Force Modern Apprenticeship in Aeronautical Engineering 1991 to 1992

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