Aviation Consultant - A Day in The Life

Written by Stephanie Koathes

A Day in the Life: Aviation Consultant Tristan Esteves

From flying around the world innumerable times and looking down at the curvature of the Earth from the cockpit of a Learjet, Tristan Esteves’ life has been anything but dull.

Now Tristan runs an aviation consulting firm called Teamcon Ltd and is as busy as ever. He shares with us a little peek into a day in his life.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Honest, loyal, positive.

Tell us about what you do.

I am now running Teamcon Ltd which is an Aviation and Marine consulting and contracting business, we specialise in helping business aircraft operators and small charter airlines with technical and operational support. For example, we currently have a special mission aircraft on a management support contract where we coordinate their maintenance, regulatory and mission delivery requirements.

This requires us to test fly the aircraft for maintenance and mission-ready status, also to deliver it to its next job in a mission ready state so it can go on task when needed.

We also provide specialist support to the aviation industry with writing Operations and Safety Management Systems, bespoke manuals to order, and provide auditing services to various aviation standards. Our marine offering is still not fully defined yet, but will be on offer next year.

What motivated you into that field?

We identified that there was a gap in the market for a personal, knowledgeable, and professional service with an in-depth expert background of flying and operating and managing these sorts of aircraft.

What is your typical day like?

Very varied!

If I am required to go on a flying task, it may be 2-3 days of pure flying including positioning to wherever to either pick up or drop off an aircraft, or it may be half a day’s flying in say Munich or Doncaster to test fly an aircraft prior to it going into a hanger for maintenance.

On an office day, it will normally involve providing advice to an operator or researching an issue for them, writing a manual or liaising with a particular regulator on behalf of an operator.

What do you do on your days off?

Days off, what are they? Spending time with my wife and family including my little granddaughter, walking, working on my boat or tractor. In the summer all the above and boating, fishing, swimming, and spending time on the beach eating and drinking with our friends.

Tell us about your proudest career moment.

As a former long-haul business jet pilot, I have circumnavigated the world several times backwards and forwards and spent many happy hours cruising at 51,000 feet in a Learjet where you can see the curvature of the Earth.

Also having served as an airline captain with a well-known company was a highlight.

Oh yes, and I once flew Ronnie Corbett around, he was a favourite of mine.

What do you like most about living in Guernsey?

That’s easy! It’s a fantastic place to live and work, with a real vibe to it. I love that all my family is here, as are most of my old mates going back to my school days, also people I have known or worked with that I see from time to time and have a good chat with! It’s also a great place to do business with most things under one roof, so to speak.

What makes Guernsey special?

I love the variable weather, as we all know it ranges from 200mts in fog to a full on force 9 gale and anything in between. Of course, there is the stunning natural beauty, the friendly environment, and I never tire of our bustling, beautiful capital of St Peter Port with its winding streets, history and fantastic views.

What changes would you like to happen in Guernsey in the next 30 years?

It worries me that we do not do enough for young people in Guernsey.

I would like to see a return to some of the common sense practices from years ago being re-introduced, like the government selling builder free plots (with conditions attached), along with a policy of allowing family property to be developed, sub-divided or extended, or family land built on for the next generation.

I would also like to see less reliance on the finance and associated industries, and airlines and shipping who at the moment wield too much power in the island. We need to be expanding our airport and harbour to support expansion in the aviation and marine sectors and generally investing in infrastructure for future generations.

If you could give your younger self some advice, what would it be?

Find a good profession while you’re young, one that you can rely on to give you a good living, then travel the world using those qualifications and build on them. Enjoy yourself, do not settle down and have a family too early in life. Make your money/investments, or start a business when you’re young enough to do it.

What’s your personal motto?

Always keep your glass at least half full!