Engineering clarity into complex systems
Abstrahere Consulting GmbH
Systems Engineering, Development Assurance and Certification Strategy - ARP4754A/B, DO-178B/C, DO-254, Part 23/25/27/33.
Skills
Leadership & Management
Program-level DA strategy ownership and supplier oversight
Cross-functional coordination across Systems, Certification, Quality, and Supply Chain
Team leadership, coaching, and continuous improvement culture
Development Assurance, Certification & Quality
ARP4754A/B, DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160G
FAA/EASA Part 23/25/33 certification planning and liaison
SOI audit planning, supplier process evaluation, compliance documentation
Systems Engineering & Methodologies
Requirements-based systems specification and architecture trade studies
Dynamic systems modelling and simulation
Hardware- and software-in-the-loop verification and validation
My Work Experience
Sept 2025 – Aug 2026 — Electra.Aero, Manassas VA (Remote from Switzerland) Consultant Software Systems Lead. EL9 focal for Software & Airborne Electronic Hardware Design Assurance — built DA processes across the development lifecycle to ARP4754B, DO-178C, DO-254 & DO-160G, and oversaw Tier 1 supplier delivery.
Sept 2021 – Aug 2025 — Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Stans, Switzerland Consultant Systems Engineer. Resolved multiple in-service reliability issues through Root Cause Analysis and Six Sigma, and led the PC-24 Vapour Cycle System upgrade from planning through integration.
Feb 2020 – Aug 2021 — Kopter Group AG, Wetzikon, Switzerland Lead Systems Engineer. Led architecture, requirements and integration for a new Environmental Control System, and initiated design of the Rotor Brake System.
Feb 2014 – Jun 2019 — Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Stans, Switzerland Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer. System lead for the Cabin Pressure Control System (PC-12 & PC-24) and Vapour Cycle System (PC-12), owning architecture trade studies and cross-functional integration across Avionics, Flight Physics, Safety and Flight Test.
2000 – 2013 — Earlier Career Systems and controls engineering roles across BAE Systems, Europrop International, MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce Deutschland, Delphi Automotive and Goodrich/TRW Aerospace — spanning flight test support, supplier management, and progression into systems/software/hardware team leadership.
How I Work
From in-service reliability problems to root-cause process fixes
After two decades on design and systems integration, the recurring patterns are impossible to ignore: in-service reliability issues that look like design defects,
But, the actual root cause?
Process gaps — missing traceability, weak supplier verification, Development Assurance (DA) treated as a compliance checkbox rather than an embedded discipline.
What I do:
Systems Engineering grounded in DA
Engineered Process Improvement
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Feel free to contact me!
Address: Imfangring 16, 6005 Luzern, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0)78 319 89 22
Email: Clinton.hefford@theabstractengineer.com