Onboard Systems Hires Pablo Bravo as Vice President of Engineering

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Onboard Systems International, LLC, a leading provider of innovative helicopter cargo hook equipment, today announced that Pablo Bravo, most recently with DART Aerospace, has joined Onboard as Vice President, Engineering. Mr. Bravo brings 18 years of industry experience as a technical and strategic leader and holds a delegation from the FAA as a Designated Engineering Representative for Structures and Mechanical Systems & Equipment in Part 27/29, making him intimately familiar with the certification process as well as the importance of product safety in the rotorcraft industry.

When asked about the move to Onboard, Bravo said “As an engineer, you are always drawn to intricate machines and how they work, and in aerospace, we are constantly challenged to produce a part that is lightweight and strong at the same time. Onboard’s product offerings push both of those buttons for me, and I’ve always admired how their hooks exist at the junction between clockwork-like complexity, lightweight minimalism, and thoughtful function. However, you can’t produce great products without having great people, and it’s clear that there is plenty of passion and pride that pervades the daily actions of my new teammates. I’m excited to be part of a team that cares deeply about the entire process, and strives to be product-centric without compromising the customer experience. I feel that I’m joining at the cusp of exponential growth, and I’m ecstatic to bring my previous experience to help bring the company to the next level.”

After graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, Mr. Bravo started his career as a Project Engineer with Apical Industries, quickly being promoted into leadership roles with increased responsibility. After Apical was absorbed into DART Aerospace, he was exposed to a wide spectrum of mission equipment for helicopter and fixed wing aircraft, and led a dynamic, multi-site organization responsible for the design and development of emergency floats, air conditioning systems, landing gear, composite structures, aerial firefighting, and external cargo equipment.

“When a company grows quickly, the growth tends to strain the organization as people are asked to wear multiple hats and responsibilities increase,” Bravo said. “My goal is to make the experience as sustainable as possible. I’d like to do this by developing my team and preparing them for growth. Onboard already has great processes and structure in place, and I can add value by optimizing these processes to the mutual benefit of the team and our customers. Additionally, I want to instill a culture of innovation. The current designs are impressive, and there is always room for continuous improvement. As Onboard grows, I want to leverage new tools in the organization to level up the ability of the team to output the next generation of cargo hook design.”