The visionary mind behind some of the aerospace industry’s most eye-catching designs, Frank Stephenson, offered his insights into the future of aerial innovation in a conversation with FINN in 2023.
Here we look back at the channel’s interview of the year.
From iconic supercars to flying spacecraft of the future, Frank Stephenson has designed it all.
His company, Frank Stephenson Design, has a world-class pedigree in the automotive sector, having helped to shape the look and feel of vehicles from the MINI to Maserati.
But Stephenson is using his wealth of experience to further another industry in the quest for innovation, efficiency, and beauty – and that is the world of aerospace.
Using expertise gained over more than three decades, Stephenson has applied his philosophy to the new breed of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as well as spacecraft that could spur on tourism beyond Earth.
As Farnborough International celebrates its 75th birthday, FINN spoke to Stephenson about his legacy, and what the next three-quarters of a century might hold for aircraft design.
‘Everything about aviation interests me’
“Everything about aviation interests me, mostly from a design perspective, but also performance.” Stephenson said.
“When I was growing up, my father worked for Boeing, so I was always near aircraft. He also created an automotive dealership in the mid 1960s, and I was very attached to that as well, so I grew up with a huge interest in transportation and mobility.
“For the last 30-plus years, I’ve mostly been designing cars, from bread-and-butter type, A-to-B cars all the way up to the highest extreme of what we call hyper cars, or very limited edition cars.
“So that range pretty much introduces you to everything that could be a challenge in the automotive industry, whether it’s making a quality global runabout car and all the way to what the most extreme clients would want on a very unique and bespoke vehicle.”
Keep reading the full interview here.
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