Apera

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 Otto Aviation It’s no secret that we support some of the coolest technologies across the world. It's our reason for being. To push boundaries. To do things that have never been done before. To make a meaningful impact on the world around us. Our very own Sarah Taylor spent a week onsite with J. Scott Drennan and the team at Otto learning more about their mission, their tech, their people, and their future. If you haven't heard already, Otto are developing a new generation of super-efficient business jets and this week Thomas Wayman, Technical Fellow of Applied Aerodynamics, hosted a 'Laminar Flow 101' session to inform how this phenomenon is being used to make an aircraft with less drag and less fuel burn than seen before. 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹, 𝘃𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗬𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲. The culture of this business is something very special and it's a key factor in hiring talent. There really is no substitute for experiencing this first hand. Otto really is a group of some of the best brains in aerospace and we're so proud to represent this business in finding the best aviation minds across North America to join this incredible mission. Keep your eyes peeled for more content 👀🍊. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. At Apera, we are assembling a team of superheroes. People who are at the top of their game individually, but it's how we work together that ensures we deliver the best products & services in the world. In the words of Michael Jordan 'talent wins games, teamwork wins championships'. What a Q1 it has been. #UnlockingHumanPotential

We are hiring across Leeds, Manchester & LA. As they say, go big or go home. We have signed off and need to add at least 20 H/C this year (in addition to the new starters we already have lined up) across the TA arm of our business (Exec Search, 360 Perm, 360 Contract & Delivery). With long-term agreements signed with some of the most exciting deep tech players out there, the level of demand we have for our services is crazy. Please get in touch with Alexander Woodhead or Sophie Whiteley if you want to be a part of this once in a lifetime mission. #UnlockingHumanPotential

At Apera, #TheCode (our culture) is split into two. 5x internal values that we embody in how we behave internally and 5x external pledges that ensure we deliver the best products & services in the world. The internal piece is all about sustainable performance, working together to create a high performance environment that encourages us to constantly inspire each other and level up. Unlike many, we are more interested in doing, rather than talking about it. This weekend's participation in #Hyrox Malaga perfectly encapsulates the internal culture we are building. Preparation. Training. No excuses. Execute. Melissa Holden and Sarah Longshaw worked together to ultimately finish in the top 6%. Jonathan Birbeck and Alexander Woodhead finished in 65 minutes (62 if you ignore Alex getting lost). #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲? Past. Present. Future. At Apera conversations in the office often get pretty geeky. Quickly a conversation on 'what is your favourite fighter jet' (thanks Sarah Taylor) evolved into a full-blown deep dive into each generation of jet fighter, key technological advancements and how they have enhanced commercial aviation. Manned fighters are historically some of the most interesting technical platforms out there. Military R&D often accelerates innovation because of significant budgets and operational urgency. Once proven, these technologies are commercialised, albeit often in less extreme forms. Much like motorsport serves as a high-stress R&D environment, enhancing the automotive sector (seatbelts, wingmirrors and disc brakes started life on the racetrack), technologies honed in the battle for aerial supremacy ultimately make commercial aviation safer, faster and more efficient. With AI-enabled 6th generation aircraft currently in development it's going to be pretty interesting to see what technologies influence the commercial aviation platforms of the future. So what are some of the notable innovations across the 6 Generations of manned fighter and their impact on the wider commercial space? Check the below for a generation-by-generation breakdown of key tech and notable aircraft across the years. We got a bit carried away. #UnlockingHumanPotential

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁. Manned fighter aircraft are still a big deal, but drone swarms are changing the entire playbook. The definition of air superiority is changing, the days of one on one dogfights, pretty much over. Sorry Maverick. So what exactly is the future of the manned fighter? 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 - 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Imagine hundreds of drones flying together, thinking for themselves, learning and working as a team. They can scout, jam radar, or attack, and they don’t mind getting blown up in the process. That’s the beauty of swarms. They’re cheap, fast, and expendable. They overwhelm through numbers. 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 - 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲. Modern fast jets cost up to $300 million… add to this the value of human life, as well as the pilot’s training and years of experience. A swarm of drones? Expendable. 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. The development of AI pilots in recent years has been insane. Shield AI’s #Hivemind software for example can pilot autonomous vehicles ranging from small drones to F-16s, and support swarming operations, even when GPS and comms are jammed. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Human pilots still have a role. Future manned jets will likely fly missions leading these swarms. Directors of the action, rather than participants in old-school dogfights. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. As with much in todays tech landscape, It’s not human vs. machine, it’s all about human with machine. Manned fighters leading autonomous drones, backed by connected tech, intelligence and data. It’s going to be about speed, stealth, and who controls the data, not who has the fastest or most manoeuvrable jet. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. Manned fighters aren’t gone, but they’re shifting into a different role. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁. The spirit of Top Gun (the elite pilot, instinctive flying, split-second decision-making) still matters. But the role of the pilot and the nature of the fight are changing. Elite pilots will still be critical, but more as leaders and tacticians in highly networked battles. The days of old-school dogfighting are giving way to data-driven, high-speed decision-making. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁. 6th Gen fighters are designed to be next-level: stealthier, faster, smarter, and capable of running entire fleets of drones. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀? #UnlockingHumanPotential

At Apera, our high performance culture is all pushing boundaries in and out of work. We believe in sharing atypical experiences that challenge the norm. Stepping outside our comfort zones. We enjoyed another awesome day at The Farm Club, that featured a combination of fitness (Hyrox) and wellbeing activities (sound baths, breathwork, cold water therapy). Because wellbeing isn’t one-dimensional. It’s about moments that move us Emotionally Physically Socially. It's the perfect embodiment of the sustainable, high-performance culture that #TheCode outlines. Push limits. Unplug. Reconnect. Recharge. Come back even stronger. #UnlockingHumanPotential

Leading by example. #UnlockingHumanPotential

As Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost orbits the moon for a 3rd and final time in advance of landing in 3 days, it's got us thinking. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Yes 50 years have passed since mankind first set foot on the moon, but progress is massive. The renewed focus on Moon missions is driven by the need to test technologies and gain resources for deeper space exploration, especially Mars. The Moon also offers scientific opportunities, and with growing commercial and international interest, it’s seen as a key step for building a sustainable space presence. Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander made history with the first private Moon landing in Feb 2024, followed by the Athena mission earlier this month, which aims to establish a 4G network on the Moon. This first-of-its-kind lunar network is more than just a communication upgrade, it represents a major leap future space missions. The ability to send and receive data in real-time will enhance robotic exploration, research, and eventually human settlement on the Moon. Meanwhile, Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 forms part of NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, carrying 10 NASA instruments designed to advance our understanding of the Moon and support future human missions. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗽𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱. Next step is NASA's Artemis III, currently planned for 2027, which will mark humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. The gap is crazy, but the progress of humanity, and difference in purpose is even more significant. Apollo 11’s purpose was to showcase US dominance through a one-time lunar landing, focused on short-term scientific goals and political achievement. In contrast, Artemis III aims to establish a sustainable lunar presence, advancing long-term scientific exploration, international collaboration, and preparation for future missions to Mars. We're particularly excited to see the Axiom Space x Prada Group spacesuit in action. #UnlockingHumanPotential

At Apera we truly live & breath the technologies we support. One topic that comes up in Space regularly is the question of... 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝘃𝘀. 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀. Ultimately, purpose-built spacecraft outperform legacy designs (in terms of efficiency, capability and mission success) by offering superior manoeuvrability, advanced tracking, and reduced development costs. Traditional satellites require extensive modifications to adapt to new missions, whereas modular, software-defined architectures enable rapid iteration, autonomous operations, and enhanced survivability. As space demands evolve, next-generation spacecraft set new benchmarks in agility, efficiency, and operational superiority, ensuring mission success across different domains, whether defence, commercial or scientific.   𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘆 - 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱.   We're proud to be supporting a leader in the space security field, True Anomaly. One of the hottest SpaceTech companies out there, they are committed to pushing the boundaries of space superiority. Unlike conventional satellite platforms that require extensive reengineering to adapt to new mission profiles, Jackal’s modular and software-defined architecture enables rapid, iterative enhancements with minimal turnaround time. True Anomaly are leading the way when it comes to cutting-edge, mission-adaptive space capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defence and the U.S. Space Force. By leveraging a fundamentally superior spacecraft architecture, Jackal achieves unprecedented performance, cost efficiency, and operational agility, positioning it as the definitive solution for modern space superiority challenges. Contact Sarah Longshaw to find out more. #UnlockingHumanPotential