As the world’s first female Eurofighter Typhoon pilot, Helen is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She carved her path through one of the most demanding and predominantly male environments in the world, serving as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force for over 20 years. Beginning... Read more
As the world’s first female Eurofighter Typhoon pilot, Helen is a trailblazer in every sense of the word. She carved her path through one of the most demanding and predominantly male environments in the world, serving as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force for over 20 years.
Beginning her career on the frontline Tornado F3 before transferring to the Typhoon in 2009 she has delivered air defence on Quick Reaction Alert for the UK, the Falkland Islands, and NATO in the Baltic states. She deployed on operations during the liberation of Libya and served as Mission Commander on major multinational exercises across the globe. Her operational experience spans hightempo missions, complex air operations, and the kind of decisionmaking that only comes from years at the sharpest end of aviation.
Raised by strong female role models, Helen grew up with deep selfbelief and a determination to succeed. That resolve was tested early when she failed the RAF’s aptitude tests on her first attempt, a crushing moment that could have ended her dream. Instead, she dusted herself off, passed on her second attempt, and pushed forward despite being repeatedly told that flying fast jets was “a man’s job.” Her quiet resilience and exceptional skill proved otherwise.
Whilst serving, Helen became a Typhoon Simulator Instructor, a Qualified Flying Instructor and she later held the pivotal Standards and Evaluation role, responsible for maintaining flying standards across the entire Typhoon Force.
Her last post was as an Evaluator Pilot on the Typhoon Test Squadron, leading the safe and effective introduction of new equipment and capability to the front line. Her work included missile firings, weapons trials, and some of the most complex radar, avionics, and test profiles in the programme. She was also the lead pilot for the Typhoon’s defensive aids system.
From a young girl with a dream to a historymaking fighter pilot, Helen’s story is one of resilience, precision, and breaking barriers and she uses it to inspire others to focus, trust, and thrive under pressure. Today, Helen brings the clarity, discipline, and operational insight of a fastjet cockpit to boardrooms and conference halls alike.
Helen Seymour and Rosie Steevenson (one of the world’s first all-female fighter jet teams) often conduct joint sessions together. Their dual perspective, pilot and navigator, delivers powerful, real-world insights into leadership, resilience and high performance from one of the most elite environments in the world.
Effective communication underpins operational success; from understanding what communication truly is to recognising how perception, expectation and hearing biases can distort reality. Using fast jet practices, participants learn the power of structured briefing and debriefing, practical tools to strengthen team learning, and a NASA developed method for escalating concerns when...
Sharing mental models reduces errors and rework. Individuals and teams build stronger situational awareness by understanding workload, multitasking limits and the human factors that shape perception and decision making. Participants examine how illusions, memory limitations and cognitive biases can distort reality, and learn practical tools to manage workload and optimise...
Improving reliability, safety and wellbeing are key to operational success. This workshop explores how individuals and teams can recognise, manage and mitigate stress to protect wellbeing and improve performance. Participants learn how to harness stress positively, understand the risks of fatigue, and address the impact of incivility on morale and...
This interactive workshop helps participants understand the difference between Imposter Syndrome and low confidence, while identifying personal triggers, unhelpful thought patterns, and high-pressure situations. Attendees learn practical strategies to challenge negative self-perception, strengthen day-to-day confidence and self-belief, and cultivate a supportive mindset and community. Ideal for professionals seeking to thrive...
This workshop introduces the core principles of human factors and system safety, helping participants understand the limits of human performance and how to manage them more effectively. Through a practical systems engineering tool, attendees explore how to optimise both work performance and personal wellbeing by designing safer, smarter and more...
This workshop explores how checklists and SOPs enhance safety and decision making in high risk, high stakes environments. Participants learn how to design, optimise and maintain effective checklists that streamline processes, reduce error and free up capacity for complex tasks. Through real case studies, including examples from the cockpit, the...
This workshop gives teams a hands-on opportunity to put into practise a decision-making tool through a scenario-based exercise. It consolidates key principles from previous sessions, allowing participants to deliver both a brief and a debrief in a realistic, supportive environment. Facilitators provide targeted feedback throughout to maximise learning and strengthen...