After an incredible 48-year career with British Airways, Gosforth based Gary Day has taken his passion for aviation and engineering into a brand-new venture: the creation of the AeroCup, a stainless-steel, twin-walled travel cup designed specifically to tackle one of the airline industry’s most familiar in-flight challenges.
Gary began his career at just 16 years old as an apprentice aircraft engineer. He progressed to become a fully-qualified engineer, then a flight engineer, and finally spent the last 30 years as a pilot and Captain on the iconic Boeing 777. His work took him all over the world – and with it came a recurring problem:
“When you hit patches of turbulence while drinking tea or coffee, the liquid can spill up through the lid and burn your mouth, soil your white uniform shirt or even damage the flight deck electrics with spilt liquid,” Gary explained. “It’s a small thing, but when you fly long-haul for decades, you realise the solution just doesn’t exist. So, I decided to design one.”
After years of research and multiple prototypes, Gary created the AeroCup – a premium, insulated stainless-steel cup that keeps drinks hot for hours, paired with an innovative Aroma Lid. This unique lid features a series of radial slots that can be opened and closed with a simple twist, allowing drinkers to enjoy the full aroma and flavour of their beverage without the safety hazards associated with open cups or traditional sip lids.
“With the AromaLid, it feels like drinking from an open cup, but with complete safety,” Gary said. “Aroma is a huge part of taste, and most travel lids block it. This solves that problem while preventing spills, even in turbulence.”
Although originally designed for pilots, the AeroCup has quickly gained popularity with customers worldwide. Recent orders have shipped to the Philippines, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Canada, and the USA.
“It’s amazing to see the word spreading,” Gary added. “I’ve advertised in a few aviation magazines, but honestly, most of it is pilots recommending the cup to other pilots. Word of mouth has been incredible.”
The AeroCup is also increasingly popular outside aviation – with drivers, commuters, office workers, and travellers choosing it as their go-to everyday cup. The cup can also be laser engraved with logos or names to add a personal touch.
“I’ve flown thousands of hours in my career, and I’ve spent hundreds of hours designing the cup. It’s now literally taking off and is now on course to climb to new heights” added Gary.
Customers can order the AeroCup directly from Gary’s website:
www.aero-cup.co.uk