The On-Track Aviation Team
 

 

 
Alan Newton - Born in Cheshire and after leaving College joined the Royal Air Force in 1979. During his 18 years in the Royal Air Force Alan saw operational tours on the Victor during the Falklands Conflict and the VC10 during the Gulf War. He also spent many years as a flying instructor on the Tucano and Jet Provost teaching both ab-initio and qualified pilots gaining an A2 Instructor Category. After leaving the Royal Air Force Alan joined Cathay Pacific Airways where he has flown the Boeing 747 classic and now flies the Boeing 747-400. He is an RTF Examiner and Flight Instructor Examiner on both land and seaplanes and is a regular contributor to FTN magazine. Alan is a co-founder of On-Track Aviation Limited and is the Head of Training.

 
Mark Young - Born in London and was educated in South Devon before joining the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Engineer in 1977. During his 17 years service he worked on several aircraft types and complexity. He gained his PPL in 1984 and progressed onto becoming a flying instructor at several locations around the UK. After leaving the Royal Air Force Mark joined CSE Aviation Limited as an engineer and eventually joining Oxford Air Training School (OATS) as a Commercial Pilot Instructor. Mark subsequently became the Flight Training Manager Modular Flying Courses at OATS. Mark has flown the Fokker F27 for Channel Express, Shorts Skyvan for Babcock Defence Services and the Dash 8 for Airsouthwest. Mark now splits his time between instructing for Flight Training Europe and On-Track Aviation Limited. As well as his flying and engineering background he also has a degree in Professional Studies in education which he gained from Oxford Brookes University. Mark is a co-founder of On-Track Aviation Limited and is the CPL CFI. He is also a Flight Instructor Examiner and CPL 170A Examiner. 

 

Mike Grierson - Trained as a radio engineer before joining the Royal Air Force where he served as a navigator on the Victor, Hercules, VC10, Devon and DC3. In addition, Mike graduated from the Staff Navigation Course, instructed at the Royal Air Force Officer Cadet Training Unit and was the Operations Support Manager for the Tristar. After a long career in the Royal Air Force Mike joined the CAA as a Training Standards Inspector in 1995, retiring in May 2008. He obtained his PPL in 1989, BCPL with AFI rating in 1992 and went onto gain an ATPL 4 years later. As a flying instructor Mike has taught students on RAF Flying Scholarships, PPL and Flying Instructor Courses. Mike was awarded the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Master Air Navigator Certificate in 2000. He is an RTF Examiner and a Flight Instructor Examiner.

 
Patrick Plunkett - Pat was born in 1945 and while studying Physics at University, joined the University Air Squadron. He started full time Royal Air Force service in 1967. All his operational flying was on large jets and included 4 tours of duty on the Victor and one on the E3-D AWACS. Patrick was also a flying instructor on Chipmunks and Bulldogs. After leaving the Royal Air Force, Pat joined Oxford Aviation Training (OAT) in 1999 instructing CPL/IR courses on both single and multi-engine aircraft. Pat retired from Oxford Aviation Training (OAT) in the summer of 2005. He is a Flight Instructor Examiner and CPL 170A Examiner.

 Nick Heard
Nick Heard - Nick was born in Stoke-on-Trent and learned to fly in 1977 at Teesside Airport with an RAF Flying Scholarship. He completed his education at University, where he flew Bulldogs with the University Air Squadron. He joined the RAF in 1981 and, after completing flying training, became a Jet Provost QFI. In 1987 Nick moved onto the Tornado GR1 which he flew for ten years, flying in the 1991 Gulf War and completing instructional and standardisation tours afterwards in the UK and Germany. He gained A2 instructor qualifications on both the Jet Provost and Tornado. After leaving the RAF in 1997, Nick flew the Fokker F50 for KLMuk before joining Cathay Pacific Airways in 2000 flying the Boeing 747-400. Nick is a Flight Instructor and is a correspondent for the LOOP magazine.

Alec Trevett - Born in Wiltshire and started gliding as a 'mere lad' with the Air Training Corps at South Cerney . Commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1973 as a fighter controller and over a 30 year career served in a wide range of operational, training, examining, command and staff appointments in the UK and overseas including Germany, Belgium and the Falkland Islands. Took up recreational powered flying in 1985 and completed his PPL at RAF Halton where subsequently he became a part-time FI. Alec was trained as an FI by On-Track Aviation and has since been teaching PPL students and conducting both tail wheel and AOPA Aerobatic Certificate training on the Chipmunk. He served as the Aviation Safety Member for the RAF Flying Clubs Association (RAFFCA) from 2003 to 2005 and represented the Association at meetings of the General Aviation Safety Council (GASCo). Since leaving the RAF in early 2003 Alec has worked for Lockheed Martin STASYS and, more recently taken up a position within the CAA Safety Regulation Group. Alec is an FIC instructor, RTF Examiner and PPL Flight Examiner.


Nick Heard
Aiden Brown - Aiden is an FIC instructor at On Track Aviation and a First Officer for a UK based airline. He taught the twin IR and CPL integrated and modular courses at Oxford Air Training School for six years including several months teaching at Oxford's fair weather base in Phoenix, Arizona . Before joining Oxford he taught at a variety of different flying schools teaching on a diverse range of aircraft from motor-gliders to tail wheel vintage aeroplanes having followed the 'Self-Improver' route to gaining his license and experience. He studied aeronautical engineering at Farnborough and before joining his current company he was a Captain with Flybe flying the Dash 8-Q400. He lives in Staffordshire with his partner Louise and his 'behaviourally challenged' dogs.

Mike McKinley - Mike joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1959 and trained on Jet Provosts and Vampires. His main operational flying was in helicopters: Whirlwinds in Borneo in the mid sixties during the small war euphemistically called Confrontation, and then in Northern Ireland during the troubled early seventies. Between and after those times he did a lot of fixed wing basic instruction, including time on the staff of the RAF Central Flying School , both as a staff instructor and an examiner. He left the RAF in 1979 and did many things unconnected with flying. But he kept his flying going by instructing, mostly on the Cessna range of 150s, 152s and 172s. He had a finale of full time flying teaching Army pilots on the Slingsby Firefly for five years. He now flies just for fun in a variety of aircraft types including Chipmunks and Tiger Moths. Mike is a Flight Instructor.

Peter Thompson - Peter joined the Royal Air Force as an electronics apprentice in 1958, and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Officer in 1964. Following 4 years on Shackleton aircraft he retrained as a pilot, completing advanced flying training on the Gnat in 1969. He attended the CFS instructors course in 1970, following which he served as a QFI on the Jet Provost, gaining A2 QFI standard and qualifying as an IRE. In 1973 he was seconded to British Aerospace in Saudi Arabia , instructing on the BAC 167 Strikemaster, leaving in 1977 to join Laker Airways as a DC-10 pilot. With the demise of Laker Airways he returned to the world of military aviation as a civilian instructor on the Strikemaster in Ecuador, teaching at all levels from basic to weapons and tactics. In 1984 he returned to Saudi Arabia to instruct on the Strikemaster, becoming the OC Standards and then CFI. In 1993 he returned to the UK to take up a position instructing with the Joint Elementary Flying Training School on the T67 Firefly, initially as a Flight Commander and latterly as Head of Training. This was followed in 1995 by a move to Oxford to manage the Skyvan military parachuting contract which ended in 2006. In addition to being an FIC instructor, he is a Class Rating Examiner and Instrument Rating Revalidation Examiner.


Jon Cooke - Born in the midlands, Jon was awarded a flying scholarship whilst in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at school. This sparked a desire to pursue a career in aviation, and after leaving school he went on to instruct at Clacton Aero Club, Halfpenny Green and Wellesbourne. He also flew the De Havilland Tiger Moth and Dragon Rapide for Classic Wings at Duxford. His airline career has taken him worldwide flying the Handley Page Herald, Boeing 737-3/4/500, Boeing 777-200 and currently the Boeing 747-400 for for a major UK airline. Jon has flown and instructed on a wide variety of vintage and modern aircraft, and retains his passion for flying and instructing. He owns an Auster J1/N and a Vans RV6 and is currently Chairman of the Pilot Coaching Scheme for the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) and was recently presented with an award for Advancement in Flight Safety as a part of his work with the LAA. Jon is an FIC Instructor and PPL Flight Examiner.


Simon Mitchell - Simon, who lives in Warwickshire, was born in Birmingham into a Royal Air Force (RAF) family where his father was a Fighter Controller and his uncle a Pilot. As soon as he was 13 years old, he joined the Air Training Corps (ATC) getting his first taste of flying in RAF Chipmunks. Later he served in the Royal Auxilary Air Force (RAuxAF) for 8 years, which included many operational detachments around the world. Simon has been flying for over 20 years and holds an CPL(A) with Instrument Rating. Before joining On-Track Aviation Limited, Simon was with Wellesbourne Aviation where he was the Head of Training. Simon is an FIC instructor, GR Examiner and a FISO.


Faith Young - Born in Northampton, Faith started flying aged 17. She then became a part time motor glider instructor teaching the Air Cadets and Combined Cadet Forces which she did for 7 years. More recently she has been working part-time as a FISO at Sywell Aerodrome. Faith is our full-time Operations and Administration Support Manager whose duties include co-ordinating the training programme as well as dealing with general enquiries and other administrative roles. She may be the first person you speak to when you contact us.

Stephanie Wall - Born in Birmingham, Stephanie worked initially in the jewellery trade for 20 years.  She learnt to fly in 1987 on flexwing microlights after a spur of the moment trial flight, and has been hooked on flying ever since. She qualified for her PPL(A) in 1994 and PPL(H) in 2001, training for both at Wellesbourne Aerodrome. Stephanie is hoping to qualify as a flying instructor in the not too distant future. She has worked previously in aviation, initially for the Atlantique Group at Coventry and latterly, running Wellesbourne Aviation for 5 years. Stephanie is one of our part time Operations / Administrators and will probably be your first point of contact.

Ian Alexander - Ian who was born in Kilmarnock in Scotland now lives with his family in Solihull. He learnt to fly at Wellesbourne eventually gaining his PPL (A) and night qualification. Ian runs his own Engineering Company and works part time as an Operations / Administrator covering staff holidays and sickness as well as helping out at our Instructor Seminars.

Jim Stuart - Jim was born in East Lothian in Scotland and joined the Royal Air Foce in 1948. He trained as a pilot and flew the Vampire and Meteor eventually becoming a flying instructor at RAF Valley. After leaving the Royal Air Force in 1953 Jim became a civilian Air Traffic Control Officer finally retiring in 1989. Jim is a member of our sales team working part-time in the Pilot Shop during the week.

Janet Smith - Janet was born in Chester and then moved to the Channel Islands where she has lived for the last 22 years before moving to Warwickshire so her husband could complete his CPL. Janet is a member of our sales team working part-time in the Pilot Shop at weekends.