Michael Mustillo
- Head of Flight Control
- Vertical Aerospace
Mike Mustillo is Head of Flight Control at Vertical Aerospace, leading aircraft and flight control systems, actuation and flight control laws team for the company’s eVTOL aircraft programme. He has more than 20 years of aerospace engineering experience across flight controls, avionics and safety-critical systems, with leadership roles at Vertical Aerospace, TTTech, and Mitsubishi Aircraft, as well as systems engineering roles at Parker Hannifin and Thales Canada.
Having worked across Canada, Japan, Austria and the UK, Mike has led teams through complex aircraft development challenges spanning system design, integration, verification and certification. His expertise lies in translating advanced control and avionics concepts into practical, testable and certifiable solutions for next-generation aircraft.
Sessions
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Panel Discussion: Meeting Certification Standards – Barrier to Entry?
While certification standards safeguard safety and reliability, their rigidity and escalating costs may deter innovation and small-market participation. Inconsistencies across commercial, military, VTOL, and UAV certification frameworks further complicate compliance. Limited data sharing also hinders assurance for advanced cockpit systems, as more tech is introduced to support the pilot. In the wake of the 737 MAX crisis, stricter oversight—such as CS-25 Amendment 28 and EASA’s conservative stance—has intensified regulatory caution. This panel discussion explores whether adopting DER-like delegated authority frameworks or reverting to simpler, lower-complexity technologies could streamline certification, reduce cost and time, and help sustain innovation without compromising safety, or whether regulators are hindering the industry by over protection.