Australian green aviation company AMSL Aero announced that it has appointed renowned aviation leader and military veteran Chris Smallhorn as its inaugural chairperson.
Smallhorn will advise and support AMSL Aero’s experienced executive team led by co-founders Andrew Moore and Siobhan Lyndon as it prepares Vertiia, the long range, zero emissions electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, for commercial launch in 2026.
Smallhorn is a retired Navy Commodore and former commander of the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, former CEO and vice president of Coulson Aviation Australia, an adjunct associate professor at the University of Sydney’s renowned business school, the current vice chairman of the board of Safeskies Australia, and has been acting as an advisor to AMSL Aero since early 2022.
A qualified experimental test pilot and aerospace engineer, Smallhorn said he was attracted to AMSL Aero by its innovative and pragmatic engineering culture, a deep desire to improve the planet for tomorrow, the gravitas of its people and the leadership and quality of its founder and investor base, which includes IP Group Australia, Telstra Super Hostplus, and the St Baker Energy Innovation Fund.
He said: “I knew I wanted to be part of this endeavor as I walked into the AMSL Aero hangar in Bankstown. I saw a group of truly brilliant young engineers from diverse backgrounds, all educated and trained in Australia, doing innovative work to create the first Australian-designed certified aircraft in many years.
“Sitting in the hangar was the advanced prototype of Vertiia, which immediately impressed me with its efficient aerodynamic design, safety and redundancy-based configuration and practical hybrid power plant design. This is a world beater.”
Smallhorn added: “In AMSL Aero’s husband and wife founder team I saw the beginning of a great Australian story: Andrew Moore is a brilliant engineer with deep aviation experience and Siobhan Lyndon a lawyer and former executive from Google. They are the foundation of an impressive team that truly cares about having a significant measurable positive environmental effect on future generations. Together they form a unique pairing creating vital sovereign capability for Australia. AMSL Aero has the clear potential to become a highly successful Australian company exporting Vertiia to the world.”
“In creating a zero-emissions aircraft that can travel 1,000 kilometers, further than any other eVTOL design, AMSL Aero is leading a revolution that will disrupt the global aviation industry, and it’s happening right here in Australia. What’s not to like about that?”
Mooresaid: “Chris has the unique background that is well suited to steering the future of AMSL Aero in this key stage of growth and development. He is a highly astute leader and adviser and will provide significate strategic value and counsel to the company in this next phase of growth.”
Lyndonsaid: “We are delighted to have Chris Smallhorn join our board of directors and be appointed chairperson. As a highly accomplished leader, aerospace engineer, test pilot, with experience spanning both the private and public sectors, Chris brings to the table a wealth of knowledge and counsel that is highly valuable to the long-term sustainability of AMSL Aero.”
In February 2023, AMSL Aerocompleted the maiden test flight of Vertiia, the first by an Australian-designed and built eVTOL, the new generation of aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like a plane.
AMSL Aero recently deepened its partnership with CareFlight to refine and test the aeromedical fit-out of Vertiia.
This press release was prepared and distributed by AMSL Aero.
