Gursonia Clair

Gursonia Clair is a Data Engineering Manager at Kubrick Group, where she has worked for over four years across multiple industries, including insurance and aviation. Originally based in the UK, Gursonia relocated to New York City in 2024. She holds a BSc in Biomedical Science and an MSc in Chemistry and Drug Discovery, bringing a scientific and analytical foundation to her work in data consulting.

Since being placed with an aviation client through Kubrick Group over a year ago, Gursonia has become a subject matter expert in maintenance planning and ATA coding, delivering multiple data solutions that support operational efficiency and compliance across the maintenance planning space. She works at the intersection of data technology and aviation operations, helping clients modernize processes and improve decision-making through better use of their data.

Gursonia is an active participant in the New York aviation community and is passionate about encouraging women and career changers to consider aviation as a destination for their skills.

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How did you begin your career in aviation, and was it your first career choice?

Gursonia Clair: Aviation was never something I had planned – and honestly, that makes my journey into it all the more exciting. My career began in data consultancy with Kubrick Group, where I worked across different industries based on client need. My first major placement was in insurance, which gave me a deep understanding of how data can drive decision-making in complex, highly regulated environments.

When I was placed with an aviation client over a year ago, I came in as a data professional, not an aviation expert. But I threw myself into learning – the technical language, the regulatory frameworks, the operational nuances. I didn’t expect to fall in love with the industry, but I did. Aviation has this interesting combination of precision, safety, and scale that makes the data work we do genuinely meaningful. What started out as a placement has become a passion.

What are the essential skills that a new airport or aviation worker should possess to succeed?

Gursonia Clair: From my experience coming in as an outsider, the most important skill is adaptability – the willingness to learn a completely new domain from scratch, ask questions, and not be intimidated by the complexity. Aviation has its own language, its own regulatory structures, and its own culture. Respecting that while bringing fresh perspective is a balancing act.

Beyond that, attention to detail is non-negotiable. Whether you’re working in maintenance planning, operations, or data – errors in aviation have real consequences. Strong analytical thinking, the ability to communicate technical ideas clearly to non-technical stakeholders, and a genuine commitment to safety and compliance will take anyone far in this industry.

What is the most memorable moment in your aviation career so far?

Gursonia Clair: There was a specific moment, not too long into my placement, where I was deep in an maintenance planning problem and realized I was reasoning through it independently – not searching for answers, but actually knowing them. Something had clicked. I had gone from being a data consultant who happened to be working in aviation, to genuinely thinking and problem-solving like an aviation professional.

That shift – from consultant to aviation expert – happened faster than I ever expected, and it remains the moment I’m most proud of. It reminded me that expertise isn’t always built over decades. Sometimes, with the right environment and enough curiosity, it can happen in a year.

Are there any airport redevelopment projects you’re particularly excited to see completed?

Gursonia Clair: Having relocated to New York from the UK, I’ve arrived right in the middle of one of the most ambitious periods of airport infrastructure investment in the city’s history. The transformation of LaGuardia has already been remarkable – it was famously criticizedfor years, and watching it become a modern, functional airport has been genuinely impressive. But the projects I’m most excited about are the continued redevelopment at JFK and the new Terminal A at Newark.

JFK’s transformation feels significant beyond just aesthetics – it’s about repositioning New York as a world-class international gateway, and the scale of ambition behind it is striking. As someone working in aviation data and operations, I’m also interested in what these new facilities mean from an efficiency and technology standpoint – modern terminals aren’t just prettier, they generate better data, enable smarter operations, and create opportunities to improve the passenger experience in ways that older infrastructure simply can’t support.

How has your company adapted to sustainability initiatives in aviation, and what has your organization implemented?

Gursonia Clair: As a data consultancy, Kubrick Group’s contribution to sustainability in aviation is fundamentally about enabling smarter, more efficient decision-making. The solutions I’ve delivered in the maintenance planning space are a good example of this – better data means better planning, and better planning means less waste, fewer unscheduled maintenance events, and ultimately more efficient aircraft operations.

Beyond maintenance, we’ve also worked with an airline to optimize arrival delay fuel planning – helping them better anticipate delay scenarios so aircraft aren’t carrying more fuel than necessary. It sounds like a small thing, but unnecessary fuel burn addsup quickly across thousands of flights, so getting this right has a real emissions impact.

I’m proud that the technical work I do has a genuine sustainability dimension, even when sustainability isn’t always the headline objective.

How are the insights of women in leadership roles important in fostering innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity?

Gursonia Clair: I think the most important thing women in leadership bring is the demonstration that there is no single model for success in aviation. My path – from data consultant to working within the insurance industry, relocating across the Atlantic, and becoming an aviation expert by doing – doesn’t fit a conventional aviation career. And I think that matters.

When people see someone who looks like them, or who came from an unexpected background, succeeding in a technical, traditionally male-dominated field, it changes what feels possible. Innovation thrives on having diverse perspectives and inclusive decision-making. And true inclusivity means building cultures where people from all backgrounds can contribute their best work.

Would you consider using a pilotless, autonomous eVTOL aircraft for short trips?

Gursonia Clair: Honestly, yes – and I think my answer might surprise people. Working in data and technology, I have a fairly deep appreciation for how rigorous the validation and testing processes are before any new aviation technology reaches passengers. The word “pilotless” triggers instinctive concern for most people, but autonomous systems in aviation are built on layers of redundancy and data that, in many cases, reduce the margin for human error rather than increase risk.

That said, I think the honest answer is that trust will be the real barrier – not the technology itself. The industry will need to bring the public along on that journey carefully and transparently. As someone who works at the intersection of data and aviation operations, I find eVTOL genuinely exciting – particularly for urban air mobility around a city like New York, where short-hop routes between the boroughs or out to the airports could be transformative. I’d be first in line, I think!

Does your company offer internships or other programs to attract young employees?

Gursonia Clair: Kubrick Group is actually built around exactly this idea – it’s core to what we do. The model is specifically designed to take talented people, often early in their careers or transitioning between industries, and develop them into highly skilled data and technology consultants through intensive training before placing them with clients. In many ways, my own journey is a version of that story – I came in with strong analytical foundations and was developed, placed, and grown into a specialist.

What I find particularly meaningful about this model in the context of aviation is that it opens the industry up to people who might never have considered it a career path. I certainly didn’t picture myself becoming an aviation expert. But that’s exactly the point – aviation needs people who can bring data literacy, fresh thinking, and cross-industry experience into a sector that is modernizing rapidly. Initiatives like Kubrick’s are one of the most effective ways to build that pipeline of talent, and I’m proud to be part of a company that takes that seriously.