I have had the honour and privilege of working with Ajoy for some 20 years now since he came to Queen's after working in Bombardier. I have always learned much from his vast experience and wisdom, and have always thoroughly enjoyed partnering with him. Most recently, this was in our venture writing the book titled Theory and Practice of Aircraft Performance (ISBN: 9871119074175), along with David, whom I have also been fortunate to know from a variety of research programmes and his engagement in our degree programmes. He has added much value to these with his industrial practitioner's experience and, of course, many years of technical knowledge.

When it comes to the subject of aircraft design there are few who really have the depth of perspective and breadth of knowledge to be able to convey the concepts to those wishing to learn. Although there are many aircraft flying today, those who have actually designed an aircraft that has successfully flown and become operational are few. Ajoy is one of those few. My own experience lies far more in the details of design and manufacturing, focusing more on how those concepts can be realised in a manufacturing environment. This is still the business of aircraft design, but there is a particular ability required of the concept designers. They require a knowledge of many aspects of the aeroplane. Understanding of aerodynamics, performance, structures, materials, controls, costs, manufacturing systems, and so on is needed, and to this must be added the skill of understanding how these complex concepts and theories integrate and come together in the completed aeroplane. This is not easy.

As someone who has taught a range of technical subjects at undergraduate and post‐graduate level I had developed a deep understanding of many engineering science disciplines and of pedagogical approaches becoming a successful educator. An essential skill in the world of academia. However, the most challenging course I taught was aircraft design, for the reasons I mentioned above. But, moreover, due to the scarcity of experienced individuals who had designed successful aircraft, the range of text books available was small, and the necessary industrial knowledge and exemplars for students to learn from was absent. The frustration for me was that I could not find the resources to fill the gaps in my knowledge and so help the students move to the next level.

The opportunity, therefore, to work with Ajoy in developing a textbook that can provide students with the breadth and depth needed to develop their skills, and especially that brings a practical industrial perspective, with many real examples to follow, was something I could not pass up. Moreover, as we now see a transport revolution coming, with concepts in personal air vehicles and the appearance of large sophisticated drones, there is a real need to have many more capable aircraft designers in industry. The need is strong and therefore I am very pleased to join with Ajoy and David to help a new generation of aspiring designers learn their trade.

I have many people to thank for being in the right place and right time to have this opportunity. I am thankful to Queen's University Belfast for providing an environment supportive of educational development, and in particular the noble aim to provide graduates valuable to industry. Together with Ajoy and David, my contribution in this effort has been in shaping this book to offer course material in line with industrial standard approaches.

There are many who have supported me in my career and my life thus far. My mentors, Mr Sam Sterling, Professor Raghu Raghunathan and Professor Cecil Armstrong, who have all provided much in the way of guidance, wise words and sharp wit, in addition to standing as exemplars of their profession, providing excellence in education and research. My colleague, Dr Adrian Murphy, who has worked alongside me from the start and shared many of the risks we took in developing new ideas to bring to a sometimes sceptical world. We have learned much together as we trod the path of mistakes and blind alleys. I thank the outstanding team of academics and support staff in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and across our whole faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences who make work such an enjoyable part of my life. I cannot thank enough my family, my wife, Denise, and my daughter, Rachel, who have shown patience beyond their calling in allowing me space and time to fulfil my dreams. And lastly, my parents. My mother, Ann, who gave me the gift of words, and my late father, Matt, who instilled in me the virtue of delivering to the customer what they actually need, and hence my enthusiasm for this book; to fulfil a need for industry and the graduates they require.