Michael Overd, a design chief at Leonardo in Yeovil, has been working with helicopters for 40 years

Yeovil helicopter engineer honoured for decades of groundbreaking design work

Paul JonesMarch 9, 20260 Comment0

A SOMERSET engineer has been recognised for his work helping design helicopters – one of which has landed the county a £1 billion Ministry of Defence contract.

Leonardo design chief Michael Overd was part of the team that delivered the new medium helicopter (NMH) that has been ordered by the UK Government – protecting thousands of jobs at the firm’s Yeovil factory.

Now, Michael has been honoured with a prestigious lifetime achievement award from the Vertical Flight Society (VFS), in recognition of decades of dedication to the industry.

Since his childhood in Langport, Michael – inspired by his father’s work as a rotary wing structural test specialist at the Yeovil site – has worked on aircraft in his home county.

And he said he was shocked to receive the accolade, primarily in recognition of his work on the AW149 – the UK military’s new NMH.

“I am honestly so honoured to have been nominated for this award and it was a wonderful surprise,” he said.

“I still find my work interesting and exciting, so the fascination doesn’t end. For example, a few weeks ago we witnessed what we believe is a world first in the maiden flight of Proteus, our autonomous helicopter demonstrator.

“It was an incredible sight and as the craft slowly lifted off the ground, it validated years of hard work and expertise that our team had put in. It performed a perfect six-minute hover with no human intervention.

“It isn’t just about getting a prototype flying, this needs to be underpinned by rigorous processes to prove to the regulator that the technology is sustainable and safe.”

He said the AW149, which is set to be built in Yeovil, was “designed to survive where it matters most”.

“Our focus has been on designing-in survivability from the outset,” he went on. “It has a robust undercarriage design which is able to withstand the very high descent rates typical of military requirements.

“As the only military rotary wing manufacturer in the UK, with a unique skillset gained from over 100 years of designing, developing, testing and manufacturing military aircraft, Leonardo has an unmatched ability to simulate tests like this.

“Those processes are the result of hard-won experience here at Yeovil and that’s why our expertise has stood the test of time.”

The AW-149 is the UK military’s new medium helicopter

Michael’s journey at the Yeovil plant – dubbed the ‘home of British helicopters’ – began in 1982, when he joined the company’s undergraduate training scheme.

He progressed to work on the design, development and certification of new and novel rotorcraft systems and technologies.

His subsequent career saw him support the certification of landmark programmes such as AW101 Merlin and Future Lynx right up to his current role as UK product engineering director.

And away from his own career in flight, Michael is determined to help younger engineers make their way at the company – and in the skies.

“If you wait until you feel ‘ready’ you might miss the opportunity,” he advised aspiring engineers.

“The industry is full of exciting paths – take any opportunities that arise. Don’t wait for the ‘perfect scenario’, as this rarely exists and you could miss out by waiting for it.

“Don’t be afraid to try something you’re not quite sure you can do yet; that’s probably a sign that you’re pitching your challenge at about the right level.

“You can learn and grow as you progress, so seize the moment.”