Dr Alisdair Wood FRAeS

Dr Alisdair Wood FRAeS

Dr Alisdair Wood FRAeS has been elected President of the Royal Aeronautical Society for 2025-2026.

Born and educated in Perthshire, he studied Engineering at the University of Bristol, obtaining his BEng with Honours in 1987, an MSc in 2003, and finally an Engineering Doctorate in 2012, specialising in Health and Usage Monitoring. Throughout his career he has amassed wide experience in both military and civilian aerospace sectors, notably in rotorcraft, flight safety and risk management. His early roles included design and flight test work, and later he moved into leadership roles in systems safety, managing large scale engineering programmes and complex systems.

As President his themes are boldly aspirational: making safety an enabler so innovation can fly without being grounded by avoidable risk; equipping future generations with the skills they’ll need in a fast-moving, tech-driven industry; and deepening the Society’s role in the sustainable aviation debate, helping ensure the sector’s future is not only exciting but responsible

Royal Aeronautical Society

The Royal Aeronautical Society stands as the world’s oldest and most respected professional institution dedicated to aerospace, aviation, and space. Founded in London in 1866, it has inspired generations of pioneers, engineers, pilots, and visionaries who dared to turn humanity’s oldest dream of flight into reality. For more than 150 years, the Society has united people with a shared passion for pushing boundaries beyond the horizon, from the first fragile aircraft to today’s sustainable aviation and space exploration.

What makes the Society so uplifting is its unwavering commitment to knowledge, safety, and innovation. It nurtures new talent through scholarships and mentoring, fosters dialogue across disciplines, and ensures the highest professional standards. Every member is part of a living legacy that continues to influence policy, guide ethical progress, and spark the imaginations of tomorrow’s leaders.

The Royal Aeronautical Society is more than an organisation—it is a global community where dreams of flight become achievements, where technology and humanity soar together, and where the next chapter of aviation history is written with courage and collaboration.