- 200 years
- Study
- International
- Business and employers
- Research
- About us
https://webcdn.mmu.ac.uk/profiles/img/profile-images/Callum-Thomas-crop-145x145-577b7d518653a.jpg
I have a degree in Zoology, my doctorate is in seabird reproductive biology. I carried out post doc research at Durham University into the wintering gull populations in Northern England before moving to Manchester Airport where I set up its Bird Control Unit, Environment and Community Relations Departments. I was then seconded to and later employed at MMU where, working with David Raper, we established the Centre for Aviation Transport and the Environment. My expertise is in bird hazards to aircraft, the sustainable development and environmental impacts of the air transport industry and how these can be addressed to enable the aviation industry to grow and contribute to sustainable regional development.
I teach because I get pleasure out of sharing my knowledge with others and preparing them for employment. But also it gives me the ability to influence people and hopefully enable them to contribute to developing a more sustainable world.
We are all responsible for the world that we hand onto our children. All of the things we do, the products we buy and the way in which we treat others can have significant implications for future generations. Flying is something that thrills me. Travelling around the world and meeting people from other cultures excites me (despite the enless queues in airports!). The personal, the social, the cultural and economic benefits of flying are significant. But so are the negative social and environmental impacts. I hope that a little of what I do in my work will help reduce those negative impacts and so enable us to continue to be mobile in an environmentally constrained World.
I will share my experience of working in the real world. I will tell you about the research I am involved with. I will hopefully inspire you with exciting stories that articulate the sustainable development challenge we face. I will try to be available for your when you need advice and support.
Callum Thomas is Professor of Sustainable Aviation at the Manchester Metropolitan University having returned to academia in 1998 after 13 years in the aviation industry. He has since been responsible (with colleagues) for establishing the Centre for Aviation, Transport and the Environment (CATE), a thriving research group within the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences.
Thomas is internationally known within the industry and has been an advisor to the UK Government, the European Commission, the Civil Aviation Administration of China on aviation and environmental, and sustainability issues.
CIVIL AVIATION UNIVERSITY OF CHINA IN TIANJIN 2010
Appointed Adjunct Professor of Aviation
ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY 2008
Appointed Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM 1975 – 1978
Doctorate: Population ecology and reproductive behaviour of the Kittiwake gull (Rissa tridactyla).
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1972 - 1975
Degree: B.Sc. Zoology (Hons.) Upper Second Class, Associate of the Royal College of Science
MANCHESTER AIRPORT PLC
Sustainability Advisor 1998 – 2008
Whilst seconded to MMU, responsible for providing advice to the Senior Management and
Board of Manchester Airport on environmental constraints to growth and sustainable development.
Head of Environment Solutions 1996 - 1998
Responsible for establishing and managing the Airport's environmental consultancy business, providing advice, training and services to internal and external clients.
Head of Environment 1992 - 1996
Responsible for establishing and managing the Airports Environment Department dealing with Environmental Management, Community Relations, Health and Safety and Occupational Health.
Environmental Control Manager 1989 - 1992
Responsible for formulating the Airport's first Corporate Environment Policy, gaining support and funding for the development and management of a noise control and community relations departments.
Bird Control Officer 1985 - 1989
Responsible for providing advice on the control of bird hazards to aircraft and establishing and managing the Company's Bird Control Unit.
UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
Academic Tutor in Zoology 1983 - 1985
Senior Research Assistant 1978 - 1983
Researching the origins and ecology and behaviour of the wintering seabird populations of Northern England and Scotland.
Co-Director of the Centre for Aviation, Transport and the Environment
Editorial Board : Journal of Airport Management
Our love of flying provides a wonderful example of the challenge we face as a society in respect of the sustainability of the lives we live. Aviation has changed the world, permitting global mobility and travel for business, to visit friends and family and for personal fulfillment. The social and economic benefits of air transport are very significant, but so too are the adverse environmental impact, many of which are growing year on year a trend that is unsustainable. My research and teaching is focused upon quantifying those adverse impacts and finding ways to reduce then so that we can continue to travel in the future.
Third Year Unit : Aviation and it's Environmental Impacts
MSc Sustainable Aviation
Graeme Heyes - PhD - Airport Retailing in a Low Carbon Economy - Completed 2016
Jon Davies - PhD - Implications of the Internationalisation Strategies for UK Universities for their Carbon Emissions - Submitted 2016.
Andy Wolfenden - PhD The Effects of Airport Noise on Avian Song and Communities - Ongoing
Carly Fletcher - PhD Towards Zero Waste: Optimisation of waste material flows for sustainability benefits.- Ongoing
Regine Sonderland-Saga - PhD - Smart Cities: Understanding the interplay between Community Engagement, Consumption of Energy and Carbon Emissions. Ongoing
Rebecca Hudson - PhD - The development of improved metrics for use in aircraft noise communications as part of stakeholder engagement strategies around airports. Ongoing
Exernal examiner at Loughtborough University - PhD - Aircraft Noise Impacts Around Airports in Thailand
Sustainable development and the air transport industry.
Airport environment capacity constraints.
Aircraft noise and airport community impacts
Airport carbon management
Aviation adapting to a changing climate
Managing bird hazards to aircraft
Academic Exopertise Provided to the following organisations:
· Abu Dhabi Airport – environmental management and sustainable development of airports.
· Aeroports de Paris – inter-modal transfer and sustainable development.
· Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), Switzerland – aviation sustainable development.
· Airports Council International (Brussels) – aviation and environment.
· ACI Latin American and Caribbean Region – sustainability, environmental management at airports.
· Assaeroporti – Roma – aircraft noise management.
· BAA – Aircraft noise compensation schemes
· Belfast City Airport – aircraft noise and environmental capacity.
· Bristol Airport – aircraft noise community relations sustainable development.
· British Airways (BA) - aircraft noise, compensation and house prices, bird strike hazard.
· Civil Aviation Administration of China – sustainable development, aircraft noise, environmental capacity at airports.
· Cairo Airport Authority – Environmental management and sustainable development.
· The UK Conservative Party (London) – Aviation sustainable development.
· Delta Airlines – environmental reporting.
· Department for Regional Development – Northern Ireland –aircraft noise management.
· Dublin Airport (Aer Rianta) – aircraft noise and bird hazards.
· Egypt Air – Airline emissions and the European ETS
· English Nature – Bird Strike hazards to aircraft.
· European Commission (Brussels) – Aircraft noise.
· Eurocontrol (Brussels) – Environmental capacity, climate change and aviation.
· Greener By Design (London) – Environmental impacts associated with air transport
· International Air Transport Association – Airline environmental management/ reporting.
· Kunming Airport (China)– environmental capacity constraints at airports.
· Lloyds of London – Bird strikes
· Liverpool Airport – bird hazard management.
· l'Office National des Aeroports Marocains (ONDA) – aircraft noise.
· Manchester Airports Group – Sustainability, environment, adapting to climate change, bird strikes,
aircraft noise.
· The UK Met Office – The implications of climate change for airports.
· Milan Malpensa Airport, Italy – aircraft noise impacts on local communities
· National Air Traffic Services (NATS) – Implications of a changing climate for UK air transport.
· Nottingham East Midlands Airport – sustainable development, aircraft noise, night flying.
· OASA (Athens) – Sustainable development of Airports.
· Ove Arup and Partners– Airport sustainable development, environmental capacity airports adapting to
climate change.
· Routes / ASM – Climate change and airline route development.
· Royal Aeronautical Society – sustainable development.
·SevernTrent Water – Bird strike hazards
· Spanish Airports (AENA) - aircraft noise monitoring and management.
· Sustainable Aviation (London) – aviation sustainability
· Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport,Australia – aircraft noise and community relations.
· US Fish and Wildlife Service / FAA – bird hazards at JFK Airport New York
· UK Civil Aviation Authority – Advisory to CX and Chair on Aviation Sustainability
· World Economic Forum– Sustainable Aviation
PD. Hooper, DW. Raper, CS. Thomas (2010). Air Transport in an Environmentally Constrained World. Journal of Airport Management. 5(1), pp.4-6.
JA. Maughan, PD. Hooper, KI. Hume, CS. Thomas (2008). Aircraft Noise - Disturbance, Perception and Policy Implications. Public Policy and Air Transport.
S. Shaw, C. Thomas (2006). Discussion Note: Social and Cultural Dimensions of Air Travel Demand: Hyper-Mobility in the UK?. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 14(2), pp.209-215.
KI. Hume, HE. Morley, MJ. Sutcliffe, GR. Smith, CS. Thomas (2005). What do the location of noise complainants and noise-contours tell us about the pattern and level of disturbance around airports?. International Congress on Noise Control Engineering 2005, INTERNOISE 2005. 2, pp.1281-1288.
CS. Thomas (2005). Environmental Issues and their Impact Upon the Market Value of Airports. Airport Investor Monthly. September(4), pp.1-4.
P. Upham, D. Raper, C. Thomas, M. McLellan, M. Lever, et al. A. Lieuwen. (2004). Environmental capacity and European air transport: stakeholder opinion and implications for modelling. Journal of Air Transport Management. 10(3), pp.199-205.
P. Upham, Y. Yang, D. Raper, C. Thomas, D. Gillingwater, et al. C. Hinde. (2004). Mitigating Environmental Constraints at Airports through Long Term Planning: A Decision Support Approach. Air Traffic Control Quarterly. 12(2), pp.107-124.
K. Hume, H. Morley, C. Thomas (2003). Aircraft noise complaints around some European airports. Acta Acustica (Stuttgart). 89(SUPP.),
K. Hume, M. Gregg, C. Thomas, D. Terranova (2003). Complaints caused by aircraft operations: an assessment of annoyance by noise level and time of day. Journal of Air Transport Management. 9(3), pp.153-160.
P. Upham, C. Thomas, D. Gillingwater, D. Raper (2003). Environmental capacity and airport operations: current issues and future prospects. Journal of Air Transport Management. 9(3), pp.145-151.
K. Hume, D. Terranova, C. Thomas (2002). Complaints and Annoyance caused by Aircraft Operations: Temporal Patterns and Individual Bias. Noise Health. 4(15), pp.45-55.
J. Maughan, D. Raper, C. Thomas, D. Gillingwater (2001). SCAN‐UK — a network approach to environmental best practice in the aviation industry. Eco-Management and Auditing. 8(4), pp.240-247.
P. Upham (2001). Environmental Capacity of Aviation: Theoretical Issues and Basic Research Directions. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 44(5), pp.721-734.
C. Thomas, D. Raper, P. Upham, D. Gillingwater, Y. Yang, et al. C. Hinde. (2001). A strategic decision support tool for indicating airport sustainability. Environmental Modelling & Software. 16(3), pp.297-298.
J. Maughan, D. Raper, C. Thomas, D. Gillingwater (2001). SCAN-UK the UK sustainable cities and aviation network. Air & Space Europe. 3(1-2), pp.56-59.
C. Thomas, D. Raper (2000). The role of aero engineering in the sustainable development of the aviation industry. AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL. 104(1037), pp.331-333.
C. Thomas, D. Raper (2000). Sustainable mobility and the air transport industry -. Air & Space Europe. 2(3), pp.13-16.
D. Moss, G. Warnaby, S. Sykes, C. Thomas (1998). Manchester Airport's second runway campaign: The boundary‐spanning role of public relations in managing environmental‐organisational interaction. Journal of Communication Management. 2(4), pp.320-334.
JC. Coulson (1985). Changes in the Biology of the Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). A 31 Year Study of a Breeding Colony. Journal of Animal Ecology. 54, pp.9-26.
JC. Coulson, JEL. Butterfield, N. Duncan, SV. Kearsley, P. Monaghan (1984). The origin and behaviour of Great Black-backed gulls in North East England. British Birds. 77, pp.1-11.
JC. Coulson, JEL. Butterfield, K. Ensor, P. Monaghan, C. Shedden, et al. CS. Thomas. (1984). Scandinavian Herring Gulls Wintering in Britain. Ornis Scandinavica. 15, pp.79-88.
JC. Coulson, J. Butterfield, C. Thomas (1983). The herring gull Larus argentatus as a likely transmitting agent of Salmonella montevideo to sheep and cattle. J Hyg (Lond). 91(3), pp.437-443.
CS. Thomas (1983). The relationships between breeding experience, egg volume and reproductive success of the kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Ibis. 125(4), pp.567-574.
P. Monaghan, JC. Coulson, N. Duncan, RW. Furness, CB. Shedden, et al. C. Thomas. (1983). The geographical variation of the Herring gull Larus argentatus within Britain and in northern Europe; a biometrical approach. Ibis. 125(3), pp.412-417.
JC. Coulson, N. Duncan, P. Monaghan, CS. Thomas, C. Shedden (1983). The use of head and bill lenth to sex live gulls. Ibis. 125, pp.549-556.
JC. Coulson, N. Duncan, P. Monaghan, C. Shedden, CS. Thomas (1983). Seasonal changes in the Herring Gull in Britain: weight, moult and mortality. Ardea -Wageningen-. 71, pp.235-244.
JC. Coulson, P. Monaghan, J. Butterfield, N. Duncan, CS. Thomas, et al. H. Wright. (1982). Variation in the wing-tip pattern of the Herring Gull in Britain. Bird Study. 29(2), pp.111-120.
JC. Coulson, N. Duncan, CS. Thomas (1982). Changes in tjhe Breeding Biology of the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) indiced by reduction in the size and density of the colony. Journal of Animal Ecology. 51, pp.739-756.
JC. Coulson, N. Duncan, CS. Thomas, P. Monaghan (1981). AN AGE‐RELATED DIFFERENCE IN THE BILL DEPTH OF HERRING GULLS LARUS ARGENTATUS. Ibis. 123(4), pp.499-502.
JC. Coulson, CS. Thomas (1978). The significance of egg size in gulls. Ibis. 120,
C. Paling, C. Thomas (2018). The Routledge Companion to Air Transport Management. N. Halpern, A. Graham. In: The Routledge Companion to Air Transport Management. Routledge, pp.297-310.
C. Paling, P. Hooper, C. Thomas (2014). The Sustainability of Air Transport. AR. Goetz, L. Budd. In: Geographies of Air Transport. Lund Humphries Publishers, pp.125-125.
CS. Thomas, PD. Hooper (2012). Sustainable Development and the Environmental Capacity of Airports. NJ. Ashford, HPM. Stanton, CA. Moore, P. Coutu, J. Beasley. In: Airport Operations 3/E. McGraw-Hill Professional, pp.553-578.
DJF. O'Connell, DG. Williams (2012). Air Transport in the 21st Century. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.,
DA. Graham, DA. Papatheodorou, PP. Forsyth (2012). Aviation and Tourism. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.,
B. Daley, D. Dimitriou, C. Thomas (2012). The environmental sustainability of aviation and tourism. DA. Graham, DA. Papatheodorou, PP. Forsyth. In: Aviation and Tourism: Implications for Leisure Travel. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., pp.239-254.
P. Upham, J. Maughan, D. Raper, C. Thomas (2012). Towards sustainable aviation. pp.1-250.
C. Thomas, M. Lever (2012). Aircraft noise, community relations and stakeholder involvement. In: Towards Sustainable Aviation. pp.97-112.
B. Daley, C. Thomas (2012). Challenges to growth: Environmental issues and the development of the air transport industry. In: Air Transport in the 21st Century: Key Strategic Developments. pp.269-294.
CS. Thomas, J. Maughan, P. Hooper, K. Hume (2010). Aircraft Noise and Community Impacts. R. Blockley, W. Shyy. In: Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering, 9 Volume Set. Wiley-Blackwell,
B. Daley, D. Dimitriou, C. Thomas (2008). The environmental sustainability of aviation and tourism. In: Aviation and Tourism: Implications for Leisure Travel. pp.239-253.
K. Hume, D. Terranova, C. Thomas (2003). Complaints and Annoyance Caused by Aircraft Operations. In: Noise Pollution and Health. NRN,
CS. Thomas (1996). Noise Related to Airport Operations - Community Impacts. NT. Pedoe, DW. Raper, JHW. Holden. In: Environmental management at airports. London: Inst of Civil Engineers Pub, pp.8-34.
CS. Thomas (1985). Reproductive Success in the Kittiwake Gull Rissa trydactyla. In: Reproductive Success. Chicago University Press,
JC. Coulson, C. Thomas (1983). Mate Choice in the Kittiwake. In: Mate Choice. Cambridge University Press,
J. Davies, PD. Hooper, C. Paling, H. Preston, CS. Thomas (2014). Compensation for Aviation Carbon Emissions of Staff and International Students at Universities. In: Proceedings of the 20th ISDRS onference. Trondheim,
G. Heyes, PD. Hooper, CS. Thomas (2014). Facilitating Sustainable Business Model Innovation within Firms. In: Proceedings of the 20th ISDRS Conference. Trondheim,
D. Dimitriou, A. Voskaki, CS. Thomas (2013). Airports environmental Impact. In: Proceedings of the Air Transport Research Society. Bergamot,
K. Hume, C. Thomas, P. Hooper (2007). Quantifying aircraft noise impact on local communities using complaints. In: Turkish Acoustical Society - 36th International Congress and Exhibition on Noise Control Engineering, INTER-NOISE 2007 ISTANBUL. pp.3797-3807.
CS. Thomas, KI. Hume, PD. Hooper (2004). Aircraft noise, airport growth and regional development. In: Collection of Technical Papers - 10th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference. pp.78-88.
K. Hume, H. Morley, C. Thomas (2004). Community Complaints in Response to a New Airport Runway. In: 10th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference. pp.98-105.
KI. Hume, D. Terranova, CS. Thomas Can complaints about aircraft noise be used as an index of annoyance?. The Hague, 27/8/2001.
P. Upham, Y. Yang, D. Gillingwater, C. Hinde, D. Raper, et al. C. Thomas. (2001). A strategic decision support tool for indicating environmental and operational factors in Airport Development Scenarios. In: Proceedings of the Association for European Transport.
CS. Thomas, S. Thomlinson, KI. Hume, D. Fullarton (2000). Generic systems to permit public access to environmental information - a prototype for aircraft noise and flightpath data. In: Proceedings of Inter Noise 2000.
JC. Coulson (1985). Differences in the Breeding performance of Individual Kittiwake Gulls, Rissa tridactyla. In: Proceedings of the British Ecological Society.
JEL. Butterfield, CS. Thomas (1982). A reappraisal of the use of refuse dumps as feeding sites for gulls (Larus). In: Proceedings of the XVII International Ornithological Congress. Moscow,
JC. Coulson (1978). A Study of the Factors Influyencing the Duration of the Pair-bond in the Kittiwake Gull, Rissa tridactyla. In: Proceedings XVII Int. Ornithol. Congr.. Berlin,
CS. Thomas (2010). The impact of climate change on UK Air Traffic Patterns. UK NATS, UK National Air Traffic Services.
CS. Thomas, AJ. Drew (2010). Challenges of Growth Environmental Impact Study :Climate Adaptation Case Studies. Eurocontrol, Eurocontrol, Brussels.
K. Hume, H. Morley, CS. Thomas Attitudes to Aircraft Annoyance Around Airports. Eurocontrol, Eurocontrol.
CS. Thomas, PD. Hooper, KI. Hume, J. Mills, H. Morley (2003). A Good Practice Guide to the Assessment and Management of Aircraft Noise Disturbance Around Northern Ireland Airports. DRDNI (Belfast), Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland.
CS. Thomas (1985). Airports Council International Environmental handbook. ACI Europe (Brussels), Airports Council International (Europe).
2008 Appointed Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Current or previous:
Airports Council International WORLD Standing Committee on Environment
Airports Council International EUROPE Environment Committee (chair between 1995-1997)
Airports Council International Airport Carbon Accrediation Scheme Advisory Board
Member of the Airports Commission Experts Panel that is considering the provision of extra runway capacity in the SE of England
UK Government DETR Aviation and Airports Policy Advisory Group
UK Government DoT Noise and Sleep Disturbance Working Party
UK Government DTi Commercial Aviation Sustainability Strategy
Board Member Greater Manchester Waste and Chairman of GMW (Manchester Collections) Ltd
Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Airport Management
Adjunct Professor at the Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin