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Instructors

 

We would like to introduce to you the instructors you will be meeting at AREA51.

Picture to Come

Tony Haig-Thomas
Chief Instructor

 

Tony joined the RAF in 1956 and was trained on Jet Provosts and Vampires. He then flew Hunters, Venoms and Meteors on operational fighter squadrons in the UK and the Middle East. At other times he has flown Javelin, Canberra, Sea Hawk and Lightening aircraft. After leaving the RAF in 1963 he flew in the World aerobatic championships in Moscow with the late Neil Williams.

In 1976 he became a Shuttlework Trust pilot and today is the Aviation Trustee in charge of the collection. He has reached 6000 hours on 120 types; 2500 hours are on military jets with 900 of them on Jet Provost aircraft.
Picture to Come
Mark Grimshaw
Chief Pilot

  Mark is a civilian single and multi-engined instructor with over 1500 hours on fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Types of Aircraft flown are: Folland Gnat, Vampire, Venom, Hunter and Jet Provost.

He holds a display authority for the Gnat and Jet Provost and instructs part time for the syndicate.
Brian Skillicorn
Instructor

  Brian joined the RAF as an apprentice in 1959 before becoming a Sergeant pilot getting his wings in 1963 and heading for the far east to fly helicopters with 225 and 103 Squadrons. Brian was commissioned and won the AFC in 1967. Brian went to Boscombe Down and became an Empire Test Pilot on helicopters and fixed wing before going to Bedford to fly the Hunter F6 and F9 before returning to test flying. Brian became a QFI before tours on the HS125 and the Hercules at Lyneham. Brian left the RAF in 1998 after nearly 40 years to test fly and instruct on ex-military jets in civil aviation.
Telephone: +44 (1992) 522594    Fax: +44 (1992) 522595