Contact Dr Guy Gratton
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754474
- Email: Guy.Gratton@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @GuyG_Boffin
- Google Scholar
Areas of expertise
- Air Transport Safety & Investigation
- Aircraft Design
- Airworthiness
- Aviation Management & Operations
- Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
- Environmental Impacts
- Flight Physics
Background
Guy Gratton's early career was in military flight testing, but he moved in 1997 to be Chief Technical Officer at the British Microlight Aircraft Association. Whilst at BMAA, he did his PhD part time with the University of Southampton, in the development of airworthiness evaluation techniques, and was approved as a test pilot for microlight aeroplanes.
In 2005 he moved to Brunel University London where he was subject lead for creation of their BEng and MEng programmes into Aviation Engineering, as well as supporting the new Aerospace Engineering MSc and building a body of aviation safety research.
In 2008 he moved to Cranfield, working for the Natural Environment Research Council, as head of the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (now FAAM Airborne Laboratory) for seven years, then another four years as Head of Airborne Science and Technology to the National Centre for Atmospheric Science.
Guy Gratton is also a commercial, test and instructor pilot holding commercial licences for the UK, Europe and the USA - he has logged 1900hrs in 109 aircraft types. He's written four books: The Microlight Flyers Handbook (Camber), Initial Airworthiness (Springer, 2 editions) and Achieving Success with the Engineering Dissertation (Springer, with Petra Gratton) Guy is also an experienced Expert Witness, practicing mainly in civil litigation related to aircraft accidents, and has regularly appeared on TV and radio in relation to aviation and air safety matters.
Research opportunities
Working in the overlap between aeronautics and environmental sciences, particularly interesting in collaborations in:-
Impact of climate change on aviation operations.
Weather and environment related aviation safety.
Low emissions flight.
Use of aircraft as research platforms.
How to deliver air transport in a world where infectious diseases such as Covid exist.
Related ethical research and considerations.
Also very happy to discuss anything related to the content of any of my books, or my earlier work on flight safety.
Current activities
Programme manager for EnabEl: Enabling Aircraft Electrification, a collaboration between Cranfield University, The Light Aircraft Company Ltd, Flylight Airsports Ltd and CDO2.
Editorial boards for Aeronautical Journal (Royal Aeronautical Society) and Cockpit (Society of Experimental Test Pilots).
PI for COSBAT (Covid-19 Secure and Biosafe Air Transport) consortium of Cranfield, Manchester and Brunel Universities - currently seeking funding.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Gratton G, Delaney T, Zaghari B & Kendall G. (2024). Take-off performance of a single engine battery-electric aeroplane. The Aeronautical Journal, 128(1330)
- Daniels S, Braithwaite G & Gratton G. (2023). Establishing best practices in the use of an upgraded airborne teaching laboratory. The Aeronautical Journal, 127(1315)
- Gratton G, Williams PD, Padhra A & Rapsomanikis S. (2021). Reviewing the impacts of climate change on air transport operations. The Aeronautical Journal, 126(1295)
- Gratton G, Padhra A, Rapsomanikis S & Williams PD. (2020). The impacts of climate change on Greek airports. Climatic Change, 160(2)
- Bennett CJ, Wellpott A, Lawson NJ, Delise M, Woodcock B, .... (2019). Characterizing instrumentation canister aerodynamics on the FAAM BAe-146-301 atmospheric research aircraft. Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 32(4)
- Stratton G. (2019). A pitch trimmer can cause a catastrophic structural failure in an aeroplane, but this is avoidable. The Aeronautical Journal, 123(1260)
- Ahmad Shukri S, Millar R, Gratton G, Garner M & Mohd Noh H. (2017). The root cause of ability and inability to assemble and install components using written manual with or without diagrams among non-native English speakers: Root cause analysis. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 270(1)
- Gratton GB, Hoff RI, Rahman A, Harbour C, Williams S, .... (2014). Evaluating a set of stall recovery actions for single engine light aeroplanes. The Aeronautical Journal, 118(1203)
- Hoff RI & Gratton GB. (2013). Spin induced aerodynamic flow conditions on full-scale aeroplane wing and horizontal tail surfaces. The Aeronautical Journal, 117(1198)
- Saeed B & Gratton GB. (2012). An approach to evaluate lift generated by an annular-Coanda-wing for vertical/short take-off and landing applications. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 226(10)
- Hoff RI & Gratton GB. (2012). Camera tracking and qualitative airflow assessment of a two-turn erect spin. The Aeronautical Journal, 116(1179)
- Bromfield MA & Gratton GB. (2012). Factors affecting the apparent longitudinal stick-free static stability of a typical high-wing light aeroplane. The Aeronautical Journal, 116(1179)
- Saeed B & Gratton G. (2011). Exploring the aerodynamic characteristics of a blown annular wing for vertical/short take-off and landing applications. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 225(6)
- Saeed B, Gratton G & Mares C. (2011). A feasibility assessment of annular winged VTOL flight vehicles. The Aeronautical Journal, 115(1173)
- Saeed B & Gratton GB. (2010). An evaluation of the historical issues associated with achieving non-helicopter V/STOL capability and the search for the flying car. The Aeronautical Journal, 114(1152)
- Gratton GB. (2008). Stalling Speeds and Determination of Maneuver Speed for Rogallo-Winged Microlight Airplanes. Journal of Aircraft, 45(2)
- Gratton GB. (2008). A timed method for the estimation of aeroplane take-off and landing distances. The Aeronautical Journal, 112(1136)
- Gratton GB. (2007). Use of Global Positioning System velocity outputs for determining airspeed measurement error. The Aeronautical Journal, 111(1120)
- Gratton GB. (2006). A method for predicting the rate and effect of approach to the stall of a microlight aeroplane. The Aeronautical Journal, 110(1112)
- Gratton G & Newman S. (2003). The ‘tumble’ departure mode in weightshift-controlled microlight aircraft. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 217(3)
- Gratton GB. (2001). The weightshift-controlled microlight aeroplane. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 215(3)
Conference Papers
- Ahmad Shukri S, Millar RM, Gratton G & Garner M. (2016). The potential risk of communication media in conveying critical information in the aircraft maintenance organisation: A case study
- Gratton G. (2015). Flight testing the Titanic: re-visiting the loss of His Majesty's Airship R101
- Bromfield M, Gratton G & Young M. (2015). The Effects of Stick Force Gradient on Pilot Mental Demand
- Gratton GB. (2014). Flight Testing the Titanic: re-visiting the loss of His Majesty’s Airship R.101
- Bromfield M, Gratton G & Watson T. (2013). Flight Testing in a University Environment: challenges and lessons learned
- Gratton G, Gascoyne M & Nott G. (2013). Maximising scientific return by combining manned and unmanned airborne atmospheric measurements
- Gratton GB & Mares C. (2012). Design Considerations for Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Gratton G. (2010). Planning and execution of atmospheric research flight operations in the UK following the 2010 Icelandic volcano eruption
- Bromfield M & Gratton G. (2010). Loss of control testing of light aircraft and a cost effective approach to flight test
- Bromfield M & Gratton G. (2009). Flight test: Supporting the investigation of factors affecting loss of control of light aircraft
- Bromfield MA & Gratton GB. (2009). Factors affecting loss of control in general aviation aircraft
- Saeed B & Gratton GB. (2008). Numerical Evaluation of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Annular Wingform for V/STOL Applications
- Gratton GB & Bromfield MA. (2008). Aspects of general aviation flight safety research
- Gratton GB. (2008). Test Pilot Skills in the Courtroom
- Gratton GB & Porteous TC. (2007). Protecting the flight test programme
Books
- Gratton P & Gratton G. (2020). Achieving Success with the Engineering Dissertation (1st)
- Gratton G. (2018). Initial Airworthiness (2nd)
- Gratton G. (2015). Initial Airworthiness
- Gratton GB. (2014). Flight Test Reports In Blockley R & Shyy W (eds), Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. John Wiley.
- Gratton GB. (2012). Use of Airborne Vehicles as Research Platforms In Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. John Wiley.
- Gratton G. (2008). Microlight Flyers Handbook
- Gratton GB. Flight Test Reports In Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. Wiley.
