Founders

Dana Goodwin

Co-Founder & CEO

Dana is an aerospace design engineer with 32 years’ experience in civil and military airworthiness. She has worked for major OEMs including Hawker Beechcraft, Boeing, and Airbus, leading aircraft modifications and commercial programme management.

Dana has also supported start‑ups across multiple sectors to build technical capability so understands the opportunities and challenges of scaling innovative technology.

Co-Founder & Head of Programme

Dr. David Gawith

David is a transport economist and commercial strategist with a PhD in climate economics from the University of Cambridge and over 10 years of consulting experience.

He has delivered climate, energy, and transport projects for the OECD, the Global Green Growth Institute, and the International Finance Corporation, along with aviation sector analysis on projects for the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

Team

Ray Long

Chief Test Pilot & Head of Production

Ray Long brings 38 years of experience in aviation, and 15 years in aircraft maintenance. He has held a commercial pilot’s licence for more than 25 years, has over 10,000 hours of flight experience, and holds a New Zealand category 2 test pilot approval.

He has been a flight test engineer or test pilot on seven different aircraft repower programmes, including the 750XL-II certification programme.

Head of Brand

Hannah Craig

Hannah is a strategic marketing and communications leader with experience in sustainability, digital engagement, and global brand management.

She has led projects at Fonterra, managed international brands in the UK, and driven go‑to‑market strategy for an AI startup. She brings strengths in digital strategy, brand development, and sustainability‑focused storytelling.

Dr. Prageeth Jayathissa

Technical Advisor - Energy

Prageeth is an energy systems engineer with 15 years of energy related research and development experience.

He holds a PhD from the ETH Zurich, with over 1500 academic citations and has worked in a broad range of deep-tech projects ranging from carbon nano-tube super capacitors, to thin film solar integration into building facades. He is currently the GM Sustainability at Vector Limited.

Dilan Singh

Intern - Propulsion and Systems

Dilan is an aerospace engineering student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign focused on propulsion and sustainable aviation. He has led propulsion development on aircraft projects through clubs, serving as Junior Board President. He is lead author of an award-winning sustainable aviation paper and has experience in satellite data analysis through work with Astrogate, a Japanese spaceport company.

Riona Armesmith

Technical Advisor - Aerospace Propulsion

Riona is an aerospace technology leader specialising in electric propulsion and advanced aviation systems. Now CEO of AEREVO Advisory, formerly CTO at magniX and held senior roles at Rolls‑Royce. She brings extensive engineering, product development, and programme leadership experience, having delivered five world leading battery electric and hydrogen electric propulsion programmes to flight.

Dr. Jamie Gawith

Technical Advisor - Cryogenics & Electrical Systems

Jamie is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Bath and holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge focusing on superconductivity and cryogenics.

His background spans technology startups, industrial research and development and academic research, specialising in emerging energy systems, including wireless charging, nuclear fusion and superconducting motors.

Crux Team