THIS year’s Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Awards have been presented to two outstanding graduates working at the Leonardo site in Yeovil, in recognition of the exponential growth of their skills and abilities within just a few years.

At the recent award ceremony in London, Tom Magowan, senior structural dynamics analyst at Leonardo was formally presented with the Alan Marsh prize for his innovation in the field of aeronautics.

Jennifer Miles, mechanical engineering graduate received an N E Rowe commendation for a technical report based on her aerospace presentation that won the 2022 Reggie Brie award earlier this year.

Leonardo’s Tom Magowan won the award due to his outstanding technical ability demonstrated on live programmes at Leonardo.

After graduating from the University of Bath in 2015 with a degree in Integrated Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tom spent two years on the Leonardo graduate scheme.

He then started work in the Structural Dynamics Department in order to pursue his keen interest in helicopter dynamics and control.

Tom excelled in his role to such a degree, that he is now the department technical lead for the high-profile AW159 and Lynx helicopter programmes.

Tom was nominated for his exceptional work overseeing the integration of a crucial weapon system onto the Wildcat helicopter, as well his work developing new active vibration control systems to minimise aircraft vibration.

Throughout this work, he demonstrated a professional and proactive approach that impressed Leonardo management.