With extensive experience in the aviation, science and technology sectors, Rachel Gardner-Poole OBE is seeking to transform humanitarian air services with a new non-profit called Aviation for Good.

“There is very little awareness, even within aviation, of the impact of humanitarian flying,” says Gardner-Poole, who serves as a board member on several prestigious aviation firms.

Yet, as the moniker for Aviation for Good suggests, humanitarian flights ‘bridge the gap between isolation and opportunity.’

The organization is in the process of forging key aviation partnerships with the aim of supporting campaigns that will send healthcare teams, medicines and other life-saving supplies to South Sudan and Papua New Guinea.

Though Aviation for Good is still in the development stage, Gardner-Poole’s work is not just about pooling resources and funding, if you’ll pardon the pun. She hopes to show a side of aviation that is often overlooked — how it saves thousands of lives daily.

“Most people do not see the full picture of what aviation does, particularly in a humanitarian context. Many think of holidays or business travel, but not of light aircraft delivering medical care, transporting doctors, responding to disasters or reaching isolated communities that would otherwise be cut off,” Gardner-Poole explains.

“That is one of the reasons I care so much about Aviation for Good.”

How did Gardner-Poole become an advocate for humanitarian flying?

From the time she was little, she has wanted to make a difference and assist people in need through aviation.

“I was six years old when I first heard about Mission Aviation Fellowship and the way they used light aircraft to bring help, hope and practical support to some of the most remote communities in the world,” she tells Runway Girl Network.

“I remember thinking, ‘that’s what I want to do. I want to fly, and I want to help people.’”

As a girl-child with a low-income background and no family in the aviation industry, her dream felt a little out of reach. Nevertheless, she stayed true to her vision, and it shaped most of her career.

A gifted musician and mathematician, she began her journey by securing a diploma in Piano Performance from the London College of Music and thereafter a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics at the University of Exeter. She went on to receive a MSc at Cranfield University before more fully focusing on aviation. 

In 2000, after training at Britannia Flight School, she earned her PPL and later her ATPL. She secured her CPL in 2008. 

While Gardner-Poole first intended to join Mission Aviation Fellowship, her life took a different direction, one that saw her assume leadership roles at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the UK Space Agency and Connected Places Catapult, among other prominent positions.

An analytics expert in mathematical modelling of submarine systems, fast jet trials and aircraft surveillance program management, Gardner-Poole is a Board member of the British Aviation Group, a Board Advisor to Astroscale and Chief Sustainability & Growth Officer at EmPower Flight, which is redefining professional pilot training with a focus on sustainability, innovation and excellence. As such, she closely cooperates with NGOs, governments and private operators.

“No two days are quite the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about my work. I have a portfolio career across aviation, sustainability, innovation and leadership, so my days can vary significantly… But I love variety, so it’s all good,” she says.

Her impressive career has given Gardner-Poole OBE a thorough insight into industry gaps, including the vital need for more humanitarian flights. It also taught her how to “tackle complexity, test assumptions, and make evidence-based decisions.”

She believes that effective partnerships come down to listening, trust and shared purpose. That conviction will serve her well as she embarks on her new mission, Aviation for Good.

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All images credited to Rachel Gardner-Poole