I have always been interested in aeroplanes and wanted to fly but, not knowing how to become a pilot, I turned my attention towards ATC. Inappropriate career guidance at school put me on a business studies course at college, however, that had the advantage of periods of work experience that I spent in the administration offices at Luton Airport and that led to me getting a job there before finishing the course.

In the end I only spent three months in the Airport Operations Office before getting an internal transfer to ATC as an Air Traffic Control Assistant. After two years I was on the first of a number of courses to get qualified as an Air Traffic Control Officer with Aerodrome, Approach and Approach Radar ratings. In all I spent 12 years at Luton ATC, ten as an ATCO, and in that time was the first person to clear Concorde to land at Luton.

As soon as I became an ATCO and had some money in my pocket I got my PPL in 1981. Earning a good wage in ATC I didn’t think I would be able to give that up so flew for fun, including instructing, until 1989 when I decided to get my CPL. With my new licence I got my first flying job in 1990 with Air Europe Express flying the Shorts SD-3-60 based at Gatwick.

Finding myself out of work when the company folded in 1991 wasn’t part of the plan but fortunately a new company was started at Gatwick called Euroworld and they took on a number of the ex-Air Europe Shorts pilots, including me.

1992 saw me getting a command on the Shorts, the company changed its name to CityFlyer Express and I got a new type rating on the ATR-42. I qualified as a TRE/IRE in 1995 and when the order for two AvroRJ aircraft was announced in 1996, I was appointed as the Chief Training Captain for the new jet fleet that finally numbered 16 aircraft by 2001. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in CityFlyer and was grateful for the chances it gave me; First Officer on the Shorts to Chief Training Captain RJ in five years isn’t bad.

I now fly Boeing 737's, still based at Gatwick, on European short/medium haul routes and have relinquished all training and managerial roles. I am enjoying just going to work, flying aeroplanes and then going home afterwards.

I joined the IPA in 1995 and was the unofficial company rep for CityFlyer. I became a director in January 2003 and Vice Chairman in January 2005. In general terms I have responsibility within the IPA for Technical and ATC matters and am currently heading the Air Contamination awareness program.