✈️ Mayday at 8 Miles a Minute
🗓 Date: 25 February 2026
📍 Location: DLA Piper Office
🎟️ Free to attend – registration required
In this Proud HR event, we are proud to welcome Matt Lindley, Airline Captain, former Royal Air Force VIP pilot and human performance expert, for an honest and practical conversation on communication, crisis management and leadership under pressure.
When pressure rises, communication is often the first thing to break down. In moments of uncertainty, people behave differently, information gets filtered or withheld, and small misunderstandings can quickly escalate into major failures. Most organisations only discover this when a crisis is already unfolding. Aviation does not have that option.
Drawing on his experience flying Her Majesty The Queen, the Royal Family and Government Ministers around the world, Matt shares what it really takes to communicate clearly, make sound decisions and maintain trust when the stakes are high. At 500 miles an hour, clarity, judgement and teamwork are non negotiable, because one unclear instruction or delayed decision can have catastrophic consequences.
In this event, Matt brings those lessons into the workplace. Through a sharp and engaging session, he explores how leaders can communicate effectively under pressure, challenge and be challenged constructively, delegate decisively and maintain situational awareness when the pace accelerates.
Attendees will leave with practical tools they can apply immediately, helping them speak up earlier, listen better, reduce ambiguity and lead with confidence during high pressure moments.
⭐ Why attend
🧠 Understand communication under pressure
Explore how people really communicate when stress is high and why breakdowns often happen before a crisis becomes visible.
✈️ Learn from a high risk environment
Gain practical, evidence based insights drawn from aviation, where clear communication and decision making are non negotiable.
🗣️ Strengthen crisis communication skills
Learn how leaders can speak up earlier, listen better and reduce ambiguity when it matters most.
🛠️ Take away practical tools
Walk away with tools you can apply immediately to improve decision making, collaboration and confidence under pressure.
🤝 Network with other HR professionals
Connect with peers, share experiences and learn from others navigating similar leadership and organisational challenges.
👥 Who this is for
🎯 HR professionals supporting leadership development, wellbeing, culture, resilience and organisational performance
🏢 Business executives and senior leaders responsible for decision making, risk and leading teams through change or uncertainty
⚠️ Those managing pressure and complexity, including leaders and organisations working in fast paced, high stakes or high risk environments who value clear communication and want leaders to communicate with clarity, confidence and purpose when it matters most
🌱 And anyone curious to learn more about how people behave under pressure, how communication breaks down in crises, and how we can all lead and work better together when the stakes are high
🎟️ This is a free event with a limited number of places available. Registration is required, so we encourage you to secure your place early.
🎤 Speaker bio
Matt Lindley
Airline Captain, Former Royal Squadron Pilot and Human Performance Expert
Matt Lindley is a commercial airline captain and former Royal Air Force pilot, best known for his distinguished service with 32 The Royal Squadron, flying members of the UK Royal Family and Government worldwide.
After graduating with a degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham, Matt began his career at Ford Motor Company, where he was selected from the graduate intake for his expertise in Japanese management techniques. In 1995, he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force and trained as a fast jet pilot.
In 1999, Matt was selected to serve on the prestigious Royal Squadron at RAF Northolt in London. As a VIP pilot, he was endorsed to fly Her Majesty The Queen, served as a qualified flying instructor and flew operational missions in Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Following the lifting of the ban on LGBTQ+ personnel, Matt became one of the first openly gay pilots in the RAF. This experience shaped his passion for inclusive leadership and cultural change.
In 2007, Matt transitioned to commercial aviation, flying the Boeing 747 and 777 on global routes.
Alongside his flying career, Matt is a recognised subject matter expert in Human Performance Factors, the applied science of how people perform under pressure. He now speaks to global audiences on high performance culture, inclusive leadership, resilience and reducing error through better teamwork, communication and trust.
👉 Spaces are limited. Register now to secure your place.
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