Vancouver, Canada-based provider of fully certified human external cargo systems, personal carrying device systems and related training services Boost Systems has appointed Michael Petsche as vice president of engineering. Petsche has over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry and is a Transport Canada Design Approval Representative.

Petsche’s interest in rotorcraft started when he worked on the 429 programme with Bell Helicopter. From there he went to Dart Aerospace as director of engineering and gained valuable experience in aircraft certification, STCs and the helicopter industry as a whole.

“After leaving Dart, I continued in the helicopter STC realm," he says. "In 2016, I became a Transport Canada Design Approval Representative. In 2018 I started MPDAR where, for nearly four years, I have been an independent DAR, consulting and obtaining STCs for customers in both the rotary and fixed wing industries. This is how I began my relationship with Boost.

“I have been consulting for Boost for nearly two years. We developed a great rapport very quickly. After being self-employed for several years, I never thought I’d ever go back to working for another company. But Boost are the real deal. They themselves are pilots and are actually the ones hanging from the helicopters to help people. I’m thrilled to be able to be part of a team that is out in the real world. I believe that my background in product development and certification of equipment specifically for helicopters makes this a natural fit.”