CAST Executive Team

Mike Sparrow

Policy Specialist Aerodromes

UK Civil Aviation Authority 

Mike has been with the Civil Aviation Authority for two years as a Policy Specialist Aerodromes focusing on rule making and AMC/GM for UK Regulation 139/2014, he is the editor of CAP168.  He is the UK Civil Aviation Authority member of the ICAO Airport Operation Working Group (AOWG), Aerodrome Design Working Group (ADWG), Friction Task Force (FTF), Airport Pavement Expert Group (APEG), and the Visual Aids Working Group (VAWG). 

Mike joined the Civil Aviation Authority after 13 years of senior airport management which required involvement all disciplines of aerodrome operations. Prior to an airport management career, he was an AFISO at a busy GA unit and previously spent 11 years with MoD (AIR) as an aircraft corrosion control and surface finisher later moving to United States Airforce Europe, Air Force Logistics Command - Support Group Europe (AFLC SGE) in the surface and air freight terminal. He took several technical courses provided by Gunter AFB Extension University, Alabama, becoming a specialist in air cargo, aircraft load planning, hazardous air cargo, shipment planning, and passenger handling.

Diane Jackson

Aerodrome Safeguarding Officer
Manchester Airports Group (MAG)

Diane started her Safeguarding career at the MOD, where she headed up the team and subsequently led on Safeguarding policy, as MOD’s SME. While at the MOD, Diane was on the UK Birdstrike Avoidance Committee, established the Wind Energy Working Group with BWEA and drafted the MOD’s stance on wind energy in the first Energy White Paper. She has been with MAG for the last few years, Safeguarding Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands. Diane is passionate about improving the tools available to Safeguarders and strengthening the legislation that underpins the vital work that we do. She would love to help train up future Safeguarders and create recognised professional qualifications for a formal aerodrome safeguarding career path.

Matt Wilkins

CAA Accountable Aerodrome Manager
Old Buckenham Airfield

Matt has been the CAA Accountable Aerodrome Manager for over a decade; he’s also the aerodrome’s Authorised Person. A real estate investor, developer and manager for 25 years, he’s been involved variously with Canary Wharf new build residential, Uber Prime development in Mayfair and sizeable regeneration projects. He currently owns a Managing Agency in London Docklands.
In addition to a multitude of roles at Old Buckenham he’s also Chairman of the British Air Display Association, one of the UK’s 50 Flying Display Directors, a member of the Flying Control Committee at IWM Duxford and a CAA Radio Operators Certificate of Competence Examiner, winning two safety awards in that capacity as part of the 2021 LAA Rally AG Team. He remains the only Event Organiser of an Airshow to also hold an FDD Accreditation. He’s the newly appointed Deputy Chairman of the Airfield Operators Group which represents 72 Licensed and Unlicensed GA Aerodromes.

Caroline Moore

Airfield Advisory Team Consultant
UK Civil Aviation Authority

Caroline joined the Civil Aviation Authority in 2020 as an Airfield Advisory Consultant after 15 years working for transport consultancies. Primarily, Caroline spent ten years working on road design and advising local planning authorities with prioritisation methods for road improvements using accident analysis and existing road design. In the last five years, Caroline has designed the movement of traffic within the airport environment and been part of a team to run economic analysis associated with Heathrow’s third runway. As an Airfield Advisory Consultant, Caroline enjoys the variety the role provides through supporting general aviation airfields on issues ranging from safeguarding, operations, safety, viability and much more.