My Experience as a John Saull Scholarship Recipient by Oliver Burden
Ahead of our launch of the 2025 John Saull Scholarship, have a read below of what Oliver Burden, our 2024 winner experienced..
My Experience as a John Saull Scholarship Recipient
Hello! I’m Oliver Burden, a 32 year old Aircraft Engineer and one of the 2024 John Saull Scholarship Recipients.
Being awarded the opportunity to attend a short course at Cranfield University has without a doubt been a seminal moment in my aviation career and I will forever be proud of the fact that I have been a student of Cranfield University – even in an albeit limited capacity.
I’d like to thank the great people at the IFA and the Saull Family for providing this wonderful pathway for younger people in the aviation sector to re-engage with and further their careers in such a prestigious institution.
Whilst attending the prizegiving at the UK Industry Leaders Panel Event 2024 at Cranfield University DARTeC, it was clear the passion in the room from a wide range of industry leaders and the leadership of the IFA itself.
The IFA is clearly run by a group of people who care deeply about aviation and the insights of their membership and the broader aviation community regarding the issues of the day.
Just to be visiting Cranfield on that day, surrounded by such an interesting and diverse array of experiments, projects, research, facilities and people was truly inspiring.
To then be awarded the opportunity to attend a course there, stay there and really participate in what makes it such an incredible resource within our industry is something that will stay with me. You really feel that around every corner of Cranfield, some amazing piece of world-class research is taking place. To be given the opportunity to study there was a huge privilege.
The course itself, (Air Transport Engineering – Maintenance Ops) was brilliant.
In depth presentations from key people including Operators, MROs, OEMs, CAMOs etc. Insightful open-room discussions between students and speakers.
Everyone was so approachable and friendly, it made for such an engaging learning experience where I felt that I could share my experience with others and learn from theirs.
It showed the collaborative working within the aviation sector at it’s best and was a great opportunity to organically network with likeminded individuals both in and out of class.
I came away from the experience feeling like I had learned so much about the Aviation Maintenance sector, both in new aspects I wasn’t aware of and also in expanding my knowledge of my own role as an engineer within a Part-145.
In short, I would recommend anyone who is looking to expand their horizons in aviation to consider engaging with the work of the IFA and looking at the John Saull Scholarship.
No matter which course you end up choosing, you will be in one of the finest aviation institutions in the world, broadening your knowledge, and working with the brightest people.
I am confident you will come away as inspired and keen to return as I did.
