David Edwards on 160 Years of Aerospace and What Comes Next

Welcome to this episode of What Follows - the podcast where we explore the people shaping aviation today, and the ideas defining what comes next.

In this episode, host Nate Thuli speaks with David “Dave” Edwards, Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society, about a life in aviation and the responsibility of leading one of the world’s oldest aerospace institutions. Dave traces his path from earning a pilot’s license at 17 through roles spanning airlines, business aviation, charter operations, Gama Aviation, Wheels Up, and Qatar Executive.

The conversation looks back to the Royal Aeronautical Society’s founding in 1866, when questions about bird flight and aerial navigation pointed toward a future that had not yet arrived. Dave identifies the moments that changed aerospace, from powered flight and global navigation to systems management, space exploration, automation, and artificial intelligence. His central lesson is that innovation rarely moves in a straight line: ideas return when technology, economics, regulation, and public trust are finally ready.

Nate and Dave also examine what greater autonomy could mean for pilots, passengers, and the wider aviation system. They discuss the difference between technical capability and public acceptance, why safety and trust must develop alongside automation, and how humans and machines may share responsibility in future flight operations.

The episode closes by turning from history to stewardship. Dave explains why the future of aerospace depends on giving young people access, inspiration, and room to create their own defining moments. From Kitty Hawk to the next breakthrough in aviation or space, progress continues when one generation is prepared to pass the torch to the next.

Key Topics

Earning a pilot’s license at 17 and building a career across commercial and business aviation

Leadership at the Royal Aeronautical Society and the responsibility of stewarding a 160-year institution

The Society’s 1866 origins in questions about bird flight and aerial navigation

Major inflection points in aerospace history and the conditions that made them possible

The evolution from direct aircraft control to navigation, automation, and systems management

Current innovations shaping the future of aviation and aerospace