About us
AeroTex UK LLP was established in 2002, initially as an aircraft icing consultancy, and our world class experts have over 50 years combined experience in aircraft icing ranging from the fundamentals of ice accretion physics, the practicalities of ice protection system design, all the way through to the certification process.
As the partnership expanded, the additional capabilities allowed the business to expand into structural dynamics, aeroelastics and vibration whilst strengthening our mathematical modelling capabilities enabling AeroTex to provide bespoke tools to customers for icing and beyond.
Internationally recognised, AeroTex UK undertakes work for a diverse range of customers, interacting with small businesses, aircraft primes, and research organisations on both commercial projects, and under large collaborative research programmes.
Having a deep knowledge of icing physics, and having developed a suite of bespoke codes for aircraft icing analysis and an in-house icing detection system, AeroTex are uniquely placed to advise on your icing issues from fundamental research to certification.
Our consultants have managed trials, delivered test articles and provided controllers for tests in most of the world’s major icing wind tunnels including CIRA, NASA, RTA, NRC, GKN, BRAIT, Cranfield, Cox, Collins and TUBS.
Experts in complex structural dynamics, providing test and analysis services utilising in-house and commercials codes such as Nastran and LS-Dyna, to provide the solution best suited to the customer requirements.
Our Team
All of our team has expertise in aircraft icing, but to find out a bit more about our other specialisms look below:
UK TEAM LEADER
Ian Roberts
PhD, MEng(Hons), MRAeS
Ian has over 20 years of experience in the field of aeroelastics, structural dynamics, aircraft icing and mathematical methods. Prior to joining AeroTex in 2011, Ian worked at both BAE Systems and QinetiQ, obtaining the BAE Systems Chairman’s Award for Innovation for the application of novel methods to reduce analysis time for non-linear aeroelastic problems and holding roles of Lead Engineer in the Aerospace Consulting Practice and Functional Lead for Loads and Aeroelastics, at QinetiQ.
Since joining AeroTex UK, Ian has become a respected figure in the field of aircraft icing, working for and with a wide range of companies and organisations including: MOD, Airbus, BAE Systems, Agusta-Westland, DLR, ONERA, Pilatus and MBDA, developing codes, leading research programs, acting as trials manager in some of the world’s major icing test facilities, supporting the certification process and chairing sessions in major icing conferences. In addition, he has developed a wide range of computational codes for mesh movement, design space mapping/optimisation, aeroelastic analysis and structural optimization and contributed to the development of AeroTex’s own icing sensor.
CONSULTANT
Jonathan Connolly
PhD, MEng, MReS
Jon joined AeroTex from GKN in 2024. He has an MEng degree in Engineering Science & MRes in Gas Turbine Aerodynamics and , a PhD from the Oxford Thermofluids Institute which focussed on the numerical simulation and experimental research of ice crystal icing in the field of commercial gas turbine engine compressor icing. After several years of interacting with Rolls Royce as a PDRA to further this research, he transferred into industry as a senior research engineer at GKN Aerospace. Working in their ice protection division, he was the project lead for the ATI funded DE-ICER project (led by Rolls-Royce), led the development of their optical ice detector and progressed their electro-thermal heater mat development.
CONSULTANT
Colin Hatch
BSc(Hons)
Colin has worked in the field of structural dynamics, vibration and dynamic testing for over 35 years, mostly as an employee of QinetiQ/DERA/DRA/RAE, but has been with AeroTex since April 2010. He has been involved with modelling and testing a wide range of items from satellite structures, avionics systems, full aircraft, scaffolding structures, hand tools and composite rotor blades. He was responsible for the active and passive dynamic design of a series of model rotor blades in an MOD funded programme aimed at reducing through life costs and improving performance. He was also responsible for modelling work in a research programme for the CAA/DTI/DoT, as a result of the Lockerbie incident, involving the analysis of internal explosions on aircraft structures. He has experience of analysis types ranging from harmonic and normal modes analysis through to highly non-linear rapid transient events. He has been widely used by the MOD to provide advice on vibration and dynamic related issues. He has represented the UK in organising and chairing collaborative programmes of work within Europe and is recognised and well respected within the rotorcraft community.
CONSULTANT
Richard Moser
ARAeS, MEng (Hons)
Richard has been involved in aircraft icing for over 20 years, working on a wide range of projects, including fundamental research (Super-cooled Large Droplets, SLD), civil jet transports (Boeing 787) and rotorcraft (Merlin and Apache). He has been heavily involved in both the development and application of several icing codes (2D and 3D), and has taken part in many icing wind tunnel test campaigns, including acting as Trials Manager, in some of the worlds major icing test facilities. He has also participated in natural icing flight trials for the Merlin and Apache helicopters. Richard is recognised internationally within the aircraft icing world, having organised and chaired sessions for both AIAA and SAE conferences.
SURFACE SCIENTIST
Liz Tull
PhD, MSci(Hons) After completing her PhD in Nanoparticle Electrochemistry and Surface Science at the University of Bristol Liz has held various PDRA positions. Firstly, looking at colloidal sprays in glass coatings, in the Engineering Department at the University of Oxford and then working between the School of Chemistry and the Centre for Optoelectronics at the University of Southampton combining clean room microfabrication techniques and surface modification techniques to investigate routes for self-assembly of glass microbeads on waveguides. After a career break for children and a few years as a TA and a maths tutor, Liz joined AeroTex UK in 2024.
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