Philip Lammiman accepted the Michael Wheatley Award for Outstanding Services to the general aviation industry from The British Business and General Aviation Association last week, at its 44th annual meeting at Luton Hoo.
The award was presented by BBGA Patron HRH Prince Michael of Kent who congratulated him on a stellar 48 years in the sector.
Phillip has been involved in every facet of aviation – commercial airlines, general aviation and business aviation, right up to his retirement early this year. He started his aviation career as an apprentice for BOAC.
He joined BMI at East Midlands Airport in 1974 where he met his flight attendant wife, Cheryl. He moved into general aviation in 1975, before developing his own company, Phillips Aviation, providing MRO services on popular piston-engined aircraft. In 1989 he became General Manager for IDS Aircraft at Bournemouth Airport, which had recently been appointed a Cessna Authorised Citation Service Centre. The business was later bought by CSE Aviation and ultimately, BBA Aviation. His expertise helped BBA Aviation, under a new organisation, Signature TECHNICAir, understand the MRO businesses they were acquiring throughout the USA. BBA Aviation promoted Philip to Vice President Signature TECHNICAIR in 2010, giving him responsibility for a number of MRO facilities in the USA, including Bozeman, Montana; Dulles, Washington DC and Miami. The promotion meant regular air travel back and forth to the USA.
Philip supported the business, which has now grown to 18 locations, from California to London, up until December 2017, overseeing the most experienced and highly reputable European Cessna Citation MRO, based at their Bournemouth site as Managing Director.
He benefitted the industry as a pioneer of mobile service units in the UK (originally for CSE.)
Phillip was always committed to encouraging the younger generation to embrace aviation. Together with colleagues at Cobham Plc, he worked with the Economic Development Team at Christchurch and East Dorset Councils to help arrange inspirational school trips for BTEC engineering students from local schools and introducing Signature TECHNICAir’s own apprentices to share experiences.
His son, Craig Lammiman, carries on the family’s aviation legacy. Ex Marshall Aerospace, Craig is currently Sales Director of Pilatus PC-12 sales distributor and MRO provider, Oriens Aviation. During his time at helicopter company PremiAir Craig also worked with the late Michael Wheatley’s daughter, Louise.
*Michael Wheatley was a cornerstone of the UK’s general aviation/helicopter industry for more than 25 years.
He held a leading role in the support advisory services to the UK police and ambulance authorities, and also to leading financial institutions. He died in 2006 and BBGA created the award in his name.
