About > Our Instructors
Our instructors have thousands of hours of military, commercial and private flying and instruction between them. We also benefit from having PPL/LAPL and IMC examiners on staff.
MATT LANE
Head of Training
Matt works in RAF Air Safety and is an RAF A2* QGI and current RAF Grob Tutor staff pilot. He is a CPL, FI, Flight Examiner and Flight Instructor Course Instructor with SEP/MEP/IR/Aerobatic privileges and can instruct and examine for all courses. Matt also does a lot of work with AOPA UK and other regulatory bodies on training and licensing policy and can help advise on licensing issues and military accreditation applications.
MARK BLATCH "BLATCHY"
Instructor
Recently retired from the RAF, where he spent most of his 37 years on the C130 Hercules as a Flight Engineer, he gained his PPL in 1990, progressing to CPL, twin and some years later added an Aerobatic rating. He enjoys spending the winter months Bush flying in South Africa. Holding an EASA Flight Instructor rating, he teaches PPL and Night Ratings.
NIGEL PITCHFORTH
Chief Flying Instructor
After a long career in the RAF, flying Vulcans, Nimrods and Tristars, he flew with an airline for 8 years. He held CFS A2 qualifications on Bulldog primary trainer, and the Kingair twin turboprop training. Holding a EASA Flight Instructor rating, he teaches the PPL, IR(R) and Night Ratings.
DAVID CHAMBERS
Instructor
David gained his PPL in 2010 which he has enjoyed making full use of, initially exploring the UK as a member of Lyneham Flying Club.
Gaining a full Instrument Rating in 2013 and buying into a shared aircraft enabled more adventures abroad into Europe and the USA.
Instructing now provides him the opportunity to share and enthuse others with the same passion.
David instructs for EASA PPL, Night and Instrument Ratings and also hosts popular ground school classes about Flying Abroad.
STEVE WHYATT
Instructor
Steve gained his PPL at Birmingham in 1978 and joined BZNFC in 1985 while flying around the world as British Airways cabin crew, where he reached the position of Cabin Service Director.
He has CPL , ME, IR and instructor ratings, gained during his BA days, and has flown GA aircraft in most countries of the world with Kenya and Alaska as favourites. His links with the military flying world continued as a flying instructor for 612 Sqn VGS trained by CFS, Cranwell. He was DCFI of BZNFC for three years followed by three years as CFI and then serving as DCFI once again after that. Upon retiring from BA in 2016, Steve was made CFI Emeritus of the club, a title he retains. He can teach EASA PPL, LAPL, Night, IR(R), Aerobatics, and U.K. Licence TMG, IMC & Tail Wheel.