GBR.ATO.0569
Brian Mellor
Compliance Manager
Brian, our Compliance Manager, began his working life as an IBM engineer, qualifying for a PPL in his late 20’s. He soon realised that a career in aviation was what he wanted and began training for his commercial licences, while still earning a living in computers.
A 3 year assignment to the USA added to his experience and he holds an American ATPL, with single/multi-engine ratings (land and sea), and instructor ratings. Later he worked for many years in Spain as a flying instructor.
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Brian’s UK licence covers examining and instructing both private (PPL) and commercial pilots (CPL) and Instrument Ratings (IR) on single and multi-engine aircraft. Of his 10,000+ total flying hours, 8000+ are instructional hours, with experience including air taxi and ferry flying and parachute dropping.
Theo Amer
Flight Instructor
Theo had a passion for aviation from as early as he can remember. He first flew solo in an RAF glider aged 16, before learning to fly powered aeroplanes on an RAF flying scholarship while at university. Theo gained his CPL/ME-IR and Instructor Rating in 2008 and has been instructing ever since. Now with over 2000 hours of instructing, Theo still loves to share his passion with his students and see them become competent pilots in their own right. Away from aviation Theo enjoys cycling, running, skiing and the challenge of running a church.
Kevin Miller
Flight Instructor
Frank Thompson
Safety Manager
Frank is our Security Manager. After a long career in the Royal Navy and then as a training manager in the defence industries, he now has considerable experience as a private pilot. As one of the founders of our partner company Phoenix Aviation, he and his fellow directors have expanded the business from one leased aeroplane, to the seven they now operate and which are flown by PAFT.
Bill Spencer
Head of Training / CFI
John Rooney
Flight Instructor
Born in Sheffield. Joined the Royal Navy in 1982 and qualified as a Westland Lynx helicopter pilot serving onboard RN Frigates and Destroyers. After leaving the RN initially worked as a helicopter
pilot in the North Sea oil and gas support industry before becoming a Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter pilot for the Coastguard. A Coastguard SAR Line Training Captain responsible for flying
safety, standards and training. After retiring gained a fixed wing flying instructor’s qualification and has been instructing at Phoenix Aviation since 2021. A qualified glider pilot, helicopter pilot and fixed wing pilot.
Richard Thomas
Accountable Manager
Our CFI had a career in the Royal Navy and then left to pursue a long-held ambition to become a commercial pilot. He worked initially as a flying instructor, then obtained a Commercial Pilot’s licence and Instrument Rating at schools much like PAFT.
Richard’s first job was part-time, flying a King Air B200 engaged in air ambulance work all over Europe. Moving to airline flying, he flew Jetstream 31, Dash 8 300 and 400 turboprops, Embraer 145/170 and 195 jets for European Airways/Brymon Airways/BA Connect/BA Citiexpress and Flybe.
Rob Chapman
Flight Instructor
Rob started his career with Phoenix!
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Originally with an IT background, Rob knew his passion and ambition ultimately lay in aviation. After completing his route to a modular CPL & Multi-Engine Instrument Rating on the Diamond DA42 around work and other commitments, Rob went on to gain his flight instructor rating with PAFT.
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When Rob is not instructing, he works as a First Officer on the Embraer 190 with BA CityFlyer, based out of London City Airport.
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A dedicated and enthusiastic member of our team, Rob is driven to help other aspiring pilots achieve their own dream and to share his stories to both prospective pilots and the many of whom that are just starting their own journey.
Kevin was working as an industrial chemist when he earned his PPL aged 28. He soon realised that he wanted to make flying a career, so studied and trained part-time for his Commercial Pilot’s Licence and flying instructor rating.
After 2 1/2 years working full time as a flying instructor, he added an Instrument Rating to his licence and was then qualified to work as a commercial pilot.
At age 36, Kevin got his first commercial job flying F27 cargo aircraft for Channel Express and then transferred to Air Contractors, re-training on ATR 42/72 aircraft, flying freight operations throughout Europe. Kevin then worked for Flybe on Dash 8 aircraft based at Southampton until joining PAFT as an instructor.