An engaging day bringing the IFA community together for industry insight, discussion, networking, awards and celebrating future talent.

IFA John Saull Memorial Event 2026Tuesday 10 November 2026

Cranfield University, IDEAS Area, AIRC

The International Federation of Airworthiness (IFA) is delighted to invite members and friends of the Federation to join us at Cranfield University for the 2026 John Saull Memorial Event.

The John Saull Memorial Event is an opportunity for the IFA community to come together – to share experience, hear from leading figures in aviation, recognise the achievements of the next generation and, most importantly, continue the conversations that help make aviation safer.

This year’s event brings together industry experience, an extraordinary aviation story, awards, discussion and networking for a day designed to be both informative and engaging.

Our headline session will see Mick Adams and David Malins take us behind the scenes of an extraordinary aviation challenge:

Recovering a Giant from Storage to Flight

How do you take an Airbus A380 that has spent years in storage in the desert and return it to the skies?

Mick and David will share their experience of the delivery of an A380 12-year check, exploring at a high level the challenges involved in bringing a very large aircraft back from long-term storage and preparing it for flight.

The session will be followed by an open Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to put their questions directly to Mick and David and explore the realities behind a project of this scale.

Mick Adams has more than four decades of aviation experience and was formerly CEO of STS Aviation Services, where he played a key role in the organisation's expansion from a single narrow-body aircraft facility in Newquay to major MRO operations in Birmingham and Manchester. Mick is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and has received numerous industry awards, including the IFA Turnbuckle Award and Aviation Week's Lifetime Achievement Award.

David Malins brings extensive experience across aviation, airworthiness and safety, including his former role as Head of Airworthiness at the UK Civil Aviation Authority. His career has encompassed fast jets, rotary operations and large commercial aircraft, including the A380, as well as work across the regulatory and industry environments.

Together, Mick and David will offer a unique perspective on the people, processes and airworthiness challenges involved in returning a giant of the aviation world to service.

Celebrating the next generation

We will formally present the IFA / John Saull / Cranfield University Scholarship, recognising and supporting the development of the next generation of aviation and airworthiness professionals.

The scholarship reflects the legacy of John Saull and the IFA's commitment to encouraging professional development and supporting those who will shape the future of our industry.

Recognising excellence in aviation safety

We will also present the Frank Whittle Safety Award, celebrating an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to aviation safety.

The award provides an opportunity for the IFA community to recognise someone whose work, commitment or influence has made a meaningful difference to aviation safety.

Your experience. Your ideas. Your perspective.

The day will also include an interactive discussion session, bringing attendees together around the table to explore current challenges and opportunities facing airworthiness and aviation.

Expect open conversation, different perspectives and the opportunity to draw on the collective experience in the room.

Whether you have decades of aviation experience or are relatively new to the industry, your experience and perspective can contribute to the discussion.

And, of course, there will be plenty of opportunity throughout the day to catch up with fellow IFA members, meet new people and continue conversations over refreshments.

Who should attend?

The event is open to IFA members and invited guests, with attendees expected from across the aviation and airworthiness community.

We particularly welcome those working in, or with an interest in, airworthiness, aviation safety, maintenance, regulation, engineering and aviation operations, as well as students and those at earlier stages of their careers.

Whether you have been involved with the IFA for decades or are relatively new to the Federation, this is an opportunity to meet the IFA community, share your experience and hear from others across the industry.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 10 November 2026

Venue: Cranfield University, IDEAS Area, AIRC

Agenda

9:30 – Arrival and refreshments

10:00 – Welcome and introduction

10:15 – Recovering a Giant from Storage to Flight – Mick Adams & David Malins

11:30 – Break / refreshments

11:45 – Interactive discussion session

13:15 – Networking Lunch

14:00 – IFA / John Saull / Cranfield University Scholarship presentation

14:15 – Frank Whittle Safety Award prese

Description supplied by the event organiser.