Meet our instructors

Our experienced, qualified, patient instructors are standing by to turn your dream of flight into reality.

Eric

Chief Flying Instructor, tailwheel, GR (Ground and Revalidation) Examiner.

I started flying in South Africa years ago, initially training on the Grumman AA1 Yankee and later converting to various light single engine aeroplanes. I gained a total of 225 hours over 6 years when the arrival of my first son put an end to flying.

 

Fast forward 18 years and we decided to relocate to the UK. I wanted to start flying again, but very quickly realised that flying in England was considerably more expensive than in SA! But one evening on the TV I saw someone learning to fly hang gliders and fancied giving it a go. I gained my hang glider pilot rating and did 120 hours of fun but hard work flying hang gliders. During this time I was offered occasional flights in microlights, both flexwing and three axis, which led to doing the NPPL (A) with a microlight rating. I then purchased a three axis Rans S6 microlight, in which I amassed 300 hours before deciding to do the instructor course. 

 

I have now done more than 5,000 hours, mostly teaching on Airbourne’s main training aircraft – the C42. I also have more than 400 hours on various tailwheel microlights, so for me the addition of a tailwheel Eurofox to the fleet was a very welcome development and I urge any qualified pilot to do a tailwheel conversion – it really enhances your ground handling skills. 

 

When not teaching at Airbourne I fly my own aircraft – currently a Renegade Spirit microlight biplane and a Laser Z200 aerobatic plane. I absolutely love teaching people to fly and hope to see many more students embarking on this journey, leading to a fantastic hobby and, who knows, maybe even a career in the skies! 

Graham

Flying Instructor and Examiner (NPPL, PPL & IMC, including Electric Aircraft).

I first joined Airbourne in 2017, initially as Head of Training for the Katana aircraft that Airbourne had at the time. I am now the in-house Flight Examiner for Microlight Skills Tests and I also oversee operations on the Velis Electro, our electric aircraft, which is instrumental in our efforts to help reduce the carbon footprint of flight experiences in the UK.
 
It’s difficult to specify a favourite aircraft or favourite type of flying – my many thousands of flying hours range from simple single seat open cockpit aircraft to globe-trotting corporate jets. Different aircraft are better suited to different purposes, and it’s about identifying the right aircraft for the purpose. I equally enjoy day/VFR flying from small grass airfields like Popham, to bouncing around the tropopause in a swept wing glass cockpit jet.
 
Common to both environments, my strong passion in aviation is being a people person, always eager to learn myself, and always eager to try and pass on the benefits of my skills and experiences to others less experienced in aviation.

Mike

Flying Instructor, tailwheel, GR (Ground and Revalidation) Examiner.

Jeremy

I learnt to fly at Compton Abbas and gained my UKPPL in 1982. I have a lapsed IMC rating, tail wheel qualification, and the AOPA basic aerobatic certificate.

I joined Airbourne in July 2022 with 1,800 hours of flying experience, equally split between microlights and SEP, including C150/152/172, PA28 140/160/180, PA18 150, PA38, AA5A/B, TB9, T67B, Beagle Pup, Chipmunk, C42, SportCruiser, and most recently the Eurofox.

My favourite aircraft to fly is the Chipmunk, with the Spitfire being my favourite aircraft to have flown in. My favourite flight was when we re-enacted the Dambusters raid at 250ft over the Mohne Dam in a PA28. It was difficult enough at 95kts in daylight with nobody shooting at me – how it was managed at night under fire in a Lancaster at 180kts I don’t know!

David

I am now in my second year working for Airborne Aviation and I am thoroughly enjoying being part of a legacy school that’s got big plans for the future.

My passion for flying all started when I flew solo at 16 (before I could drive a car). I went on to become an instructor on the Vigilant Mk1 for the Air Training Corps.

I hold a PPL(A), NPPL(A) and am an FI(R) instructor. I completed my instructor course in the French Alps and combined learning to teach future pilots with mountain ops and mountain strip landings!

Some of my flying highlights have been landing on a beach in Oz, a desert strip in Africa and on a glacier in New Zealand. I’ve also been lucky enough to have hitched a ride in various military aircraft (fixed wing and rotary) and even the police helicopter!

Jeremy

I started flying at 16 with the Air Cadets on Chipmunks’s and gliders, going solo in a glider at 16. Life then got in the way before doing my PPL (Microlight) at the age of 29 in a Pegasus Q 462 flexwing microlight at Clench Common.

Since then I have mostly flown flexwings from Chilbolton, with the highlight being a flight from Lands End to John O’Groats in just one day as part of the Dawn to Dusk challenge. I converted to fixed wing microlights about 5 years ago and am now part of a C42 syndicate based at Popham.

My day job is based around training, so two years ago I combined my hobby and my job to get my Flying Instructor (R) rating and you’ll see me working at Airbourne on Sundays.

Mac

Business Founder

Cliff

Business Owner

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