Well helicopters are still flying!

Obviously, we would not expect anything different. The question is "how is your company? Is it still flying?" In today's volatile  market, which we must say, is not restricted to South Africa, changes are all around us. Will the price of oil average at $150 per barrel? What impact will that have on the price of fuel in SA?
What is going to happen in the Middle East? Will the 2012 prophesies come true? Are we heading towards the end of time as we know it?
One would hope that sense will prevail and discussions can be held to bring the whole infighting mess to a happy and satisfactory conclusion.
In the meantime look within yourselves and understand that you are special and were made that way.

E-Books

Boy to man with the associated life lessons will soon be available. My decision has to be whether I now write 'Child to Boy' or 'South Atlantic' or 'Mind over Matter'.

Choice of photo

I have just uploaded my profile photo - very laid back as you can see. This proves that first impressions can be very deceptive. Do not always take first impressions, in your decision making process, to reach your conclusions. What is to be found behind those closed eyes is the most important factor!

Peter Spindlove - Potted History

· Born in 1956 at Didcot, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire)

· Father; a railway worker and mother, a food packer.

· Schooled at Didcot Primary and Wallingford Grammar School.

· Left school and home at 15 - delivered vegetables, on a sack truck, to Oxford Universities.

· 1973 - Joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer Apprentice; specialised in aircraft engineering

· Worked on Whirlwind, Wessex 1,3 & 5’s, Wasp, Seaking and Lynx helicopters; maintaining, fault finding and repairing electrical, flight control, navigation, instrumentation and weapon systems.

· Represented Royal Navy at target and sub-machine gun shooting.

· Represented the Fleet Air Arm in the Field Gun Competition that was the main feature each year at the Royal Tournament, Earls Court, London.

· 1982 - Member of a ships helicopter crew in the Falklands War.

· 1984 - Joined a helicopter Search & Rescue flight team

· 1986 - Having completed 12 years ‘mans’ time, joined the Dorset Police.

· 1989 - Injured on duty and retired from service 1991.

· 1991 - Commenced university education; reading Electronic Systems Analysis and Design.

· 1994 - Graduated and joined a company specialising in the control of ‘Hot Spot’ temperatures of power transformers

· Studied for MBA, part time; Thesis: The introduction of electronics to a predominantly electro-mechanical company - strategic and cultural change management.

· 1997 - Implemented the change process on company

· 1999, 2000 - Trade visits to South Africa

· 9/11 2001 - ‘Where were you? - Me - Rosebank Hotel, Johannesburg

· 2002 - Department of Trade & Industry (UK) Secondment to South Africa; determine ‘Best Practice’ for setting up joint venture opportunities between South African and UK companies. Main research involved understanding the Aluminium industry in South Africa – Researched and met with AGI, Wispeco, Sheerline, Aluminium City, Hullets Aluminium, Profal, Clearway, IDC, BHP   Billiton, Hillside and Bayside. Worked with The Spatial Development Initiative, Industrial Development Zone and local municipality producing business plans incorporating project management to set up potential business opportunities, synthetic wood plant with UK company, Security Blinds with a UK company, including an aluminium extrusion plant, a biomass pellet manufacturing plant, bulk material storage facility, granite cutting and exporting facility and waste coconut carbon plant. Carried out consultancy with Trade & Investment KZN to set up a wire drawing plant.

· 2004 - Spindlove Strategies - Set up a aluminium manufacturing company

· 2006 - Invited to ‘turn around’ a manufacturing company

· 2007 - Joined Hulamin (Pty) Ltd - previously part of the Tongat Hullets group. Aluminium melting, rolling, extruding and distribution.

· 2009 - Diagnosed with haemochromatosis.

· 2011 - Born again.

Peter Spindlove - Boy to Man

There I was, in the headmasters office, wondering what I had done this time. In walked John L Cain; a frightening surname, “sit down boy”. “thank you sir” was my nervous reply. He then went into a long preamble about why he could not understand why I was leaving school before taking my ‘A’ levels for university entry. “You do understand that this grammar school is a feeder school for Oxford University, don’t you boy?” I replied “yes sir, but....” “Don’t but me boy, this is your future I am talking about.” I did manage to get my ‘but’ in and explained that my father would not support me any further. That was when the one directional conversation basically ended and he dismissed with “I am very disappointed”.

So, 15 years of age, going nowhere............

Coning and business planning - a facilitation team build

Peter Spindlove, a systems analysis and design engineer, approaches his work from a novel perspective. He uses his life experiences and presents these through the theory of helicopter flight. (© 2011) This enables him to present an holistic view of situations, challenges and solutions.

“ The use of the collective pitch lever alters the angle of attack on all rotating blades; the helicopter responds by changing vertical altitude “. - Comparative association - “Working together collectively gives direction, purpose and achievement”.

“ The external forces that a helicopter experiences in order to fly can be related to life and business environmental factors, which have to be modified or changed to achieve an equilibrium”.

“ Where is your company in its ‘life cycle’ ? “ - “ where is it going? “ - “ what does it need to get ‘there’? “ - “ Is it flying, hovering or auto-rotating? “

As a facilitator, key note speaker and consultant, Peters novel approach of applying theories to everyday and business activities, enables him to provide added value to individuals, groups and companies.

Peter can modify and tailor his unique models and approach to the specific  requirements of the client; thereby focusing in and enabling the sessions to be rewardingly creative, whilst result driven.

Aeronautical theory via coning

Welcome to my blog.

I have a background in aeronautical engineering; I spent many years maintaining helicopters in the following areas: Instrumentation, Weapon systems, Flight control systems, Navigation systems, Electrical systems, Engine control systems.

When I moved on from aircraft maintenance I went into the business world where over time I have tried to understand the fundamentals of business. I obtained an MBA, but what I found was that when I looked to explain how business operates, confusion occured.

I looked back at aeronautical engineering and the theory of helicopter flight; this led me formulate a coning model that I was able to apply to business. This simplified and clarified business understanding. I can do this for you.

For more information or any questions that you may have, please contact Peter