About Consultavia
Consultavia provides independent aviation advisory services to organisations facing complex operational, regulatory and strategic challenges.
Led by Rikke Carmichael, a senior aviation leader with more than three decades of experience spanning commercial helicopter operations, defence, infrastructure, safety management and emerging UAS technologies, Consultavia helps clients make informed decisions with confidence.
Whether supporting procurement programmes, operational change, safety assurance, regulatory engagement or UAS integration, Consultavia delivers practical advice grounded in real-world aviation experience.
Why Bring In An Independent Aviation Adviser?
Clients typically call us when
independent advice from a former commercial pilot and aviation executive with experience across defence, infrastructure, procurement and emerging technologies is required.
- Launching a new aviation programme
- Procuring aviation services
- Evaluating supplier proposals
- Establishing or reviewing a safety management system
- Planning UAS or BVLOS operations
- Navigating regulatory challenges
- Conducting independent operational reviews
- Managing aviation-related risk
Rikke Carmichael - Keynote Speaker
From helicopter pilot to boardroom adviser, Rikke Carmichael's story is one of courage, resilience and reinvention. A former aviation leader with Boeing Defence UK and Network Rail, she has spent her career breaking barriers, leading complex programmes and navigating change in high-pressure environments.
Through humour, honesty and powerful storytelling, Rikke helps audiences rethink what's possible, build confidence in the face of uncertainty and turn life's setbacks into opportunities for growth.
Core Themes
- Resilience & Reinvention: How to rebuild when life forces you to start again.
- Leadership Under Pressure: Lessons from aviation, corporate transformation, and leading high‑stakes teams.
- Women Breaking Barriers: Thriving in male‑dominated industries without losing your identity.
- Courageous Career Moves: From global relocations to entrepreneurship—how to take bold steps even when the path is unclear.
- Turning Adversity Into Advantage: Using setbacks as fuel for growth, innovation, and self‑belief.
Why Audiences Connect with Rikke
- Her story is real, raw, and deeply human.
- She blends adventure with vulnerability—flying helicopters, moving continents, surviving surgeries, and rebuilding her life.
- She offers practical, actionable insights grounded in lived experience, not theory.
- She leaves people feeling braver, more capable, and more willing to pursue the life they want.
News
Consultavia: Trusted Aviation Expertise Since 1995
For more than 30 years, Consultavia has provided independent aviation advisory services to operators, regulators, and organisations working in complex and safety-critical environments.
Founded in 1995, the company has built a reputation for delivering trusted guidance in aviation operations, safety, compliance, tendering, risk management, and regulatory assurance. Our clients have included organisations across offshore energy, search and rescue, air ambulance services, defence, utilities, and critical infrastructure.
A key milestone came in 2004 when Consultavia produced a landmark safety analysis that enabled larger modern helicopters to operate from legacy offshore helidecks. The work was accepted by both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive, reinforcing the company's reputation for evidence-based, independent advice.
In 2024, Consultavia entered a new chapter under the leadership of Rikke Carmichael, an aviation professional with more than 30 years of experience across helicopter operations, aviation leadership, defence programmes, and emerging aviation technologies.
Today, Consultavia combines its longstanding expertise in conventional aviation with a growing focus on UAV, BVLOS, and next-generation VTOL operations. Drawing on practical experience gained through pioneering drone programmes, including BVLOS trials for Network Rail, we help organisations navigate the regulatory, operational, and safety challenges associated with integrating new technologies into the aviation ecosystem.
While aviation continues to evolve, our mission remains unchanged: providing independent, practical, and trusted advice that helps organisations operate safely, compliantly, and with confidence.
