Charlie McIlroy
Charlie has over 10,000 hours flying experience including over 4,000 hours of military fast jet flying. He joined the RAF in 1975 on the same course as Bill Perrins and went on to fly the Lightning followed by a tour as a fast jet instructor on the Hawk.
He was the Hawk display pilot for 2 seasons and joined the Red Arrows in 1984. He flew as Red 8 and then joined the syncro pair for 2 years. This was followed by 5 years of flying Harriers, both the GR3 & GR7, mostly in Germany where he served as a flight commander on 4 Squadron.
Charlie is Chief Pilot for Ultimate High.
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Mark Greenfield
Founder and CEO of Ultimate High, Mark is a former RAF fast jet pilot, and ran the world famous Empire Test Pilot School for QinetiQ. He has been coaching aerobatics for 20 years, and established the Ultimate High Flight Safety Academy in 2001 to specifically deliver advanced flying training to private and commercial pilots.
Mark has been instrumental in developing the company’s Team and Leadership development programmes, particularly around the translation of the Fighter Pilot Mission Cycle into direct commercial relevance to facilitate the development of high performance teams and continuous improvement through effective debriefing, particularly in high risk environments.
He is an experienced manager of air-to-air photo, video and TV shoots, both as subject and as photographer, and is an aviation and motoring journalist. He holds an Unlimited Display Authorisation and flies an Extra 300L in singleton and formation displays at airshows around Europe.
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Mags Cunningham
Mags flew the Falcon 20 with FR Aviation, providing electronic warfare training for RAF pilots and taking part in NATO exercises throughout the European theatre. Mags also worked for Flight Precision in Teesside calibrating navigational aids on the King Air.
Day job is as a Captain on Airbus 320 and 321 for BMI, but first love has always been aerobatic aircraft. Mags has flown and instructed on the Chipmunk, Condor, Cap 10, Tiger Moth, Stampe, Super Cub, Pitts S2 & Christen Eagle, and of course the Bulldog and Extra300.
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Rich Esau
Rich joined the RAF in 1983 whilst on Southampton UAS flying the Bulldog and, after basic training on the Jet Provost, became a first tour 'creamie' QFI on the Hawk at RAF Valley. After this he was posted to the front-line to fly the Jaguar on 41(F) Squadron in the reconnaissance and attack roles. He then completed a further Hawk tour and 2 more front-line Jaguar tours at RAF Coltishall flying on operations over Bosnia and Northern Iraq.
He has over 4000 hours flying fast jets and was a QFI on the Jaguar as well as the Hawk and left the Jaguar force as a flight commander on 54(F) Squadron. Outside the RAF he has enjoyed flying and instructing in the YAK52 for many years but has now seen the light and is instructing on western aircraft. In his spare time Rebel occasionally drives airliners.
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Mark Grigg
Griggsy joined the RAF in 1989 and, after basic training on the Jet Provost and Jetstream, was posted to the front-line to fly the Hercules on 30 Squadron in the air transport and air to air refuelling roles, supporting operations in the Gulf region and on detachment in the Falkland Islands. After a tour as a co-pilot Mark attended CFS and was posted to Bristol University Air Squadron as a QFI on Bulldogs. After gaining his A2 Mark then became a staff instructor at CFS teaching new QFIs.
On return to the Hercules, Mark joined LXX Squadron as a captain in the tactical air transport role. Mark then completed a staff tour, where amongst other things he organized flypasts including the Jubilee Flypast in 2002. He then completed a further Hercules tour at RAF Lyneham flying on operations in the Congo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
He has over 7000 hours and was a QFI on the Hercules as well as the Bulldog and left the Hercules as a flight commander on LXX Squadron. Away from his normal job in the RAF he has enjoyed flying as an Air Experience pilot on the Chipmunk, Bulldog and Tutor. Mark now flies the 777 for British Airways.
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Chris Hadlow
Hadders has held executive positions within two Air Forces! He was an RAF Jaguar squadron Executive Officer and Flight Commander, and was also an Alphajet Flight Commander with the French Air Force, where his mastery of the language ensured that all of his students flew brilliantly.
He was previously a Qualified Flying, Tactics and Weapons Instructor on the Hawk, whicih followed a Jaguar tour which included Operational flying over the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. He has additionally been a Jaguar Air Test Pilot and Electronic Warfare Instructor.
Hadders is one of a number of UH Instructors who is looking forward to this season's BAeA aerobatic competitions!
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Steve Hicks
Hicko learnt to fly with Cambridge University Air Squadron and joined the RAF in 1980. After training Steve was posted to No 41 Sqn, flying Jaguars in the reconnaissance role at RAF Coltishall near Norwich. He graduated first place in every RAF Flying Course attended. In 1985 he learnt to fly the Harrier, and whilst flying with No 4 Sqn at RAF Gutersloh in Germany became a qualified weapons instructor (QWI).
He left the RAF in 1989, joining British Airways to fly the 747-400 on long haul routes, changing in 2000 to short haul, flying the 737-400 around Europe. He is now a Senior Captain flying the Airbus A320. During the early 90s Steve built a small light aircraft in his garden shed which went on to win the best in class award at the PFA Rally and has enjoyed many years of flying it.
Steve is our Extra300 standards Instructor Pilot.
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Andy Hill
Like many on the Ultimate High staff, Andy started his career flying Bulldogs on a University Air Squadron, and after excelling on fast jet training was 'creamed off' and went straight into instructing on the Jet Provost.
He then operated the Harrier GR5/7 in Germany. After flying the A340 and B757/767 his day job is captaining an Airbus.
He is a very experienced formation instructor and also organises formation sessions on various RV aircraft.
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Dave Jones
An early starter, DJ started flying at 15 via the ATC, gaining his licence at 17. His background includes being CFI at Bristol Flying Centre for nine years and flying Corporate jets and Turboprops as a Training Captain with Air Hanson.
A yearning for some "fun" flying found DJ with the Police Aviation Services as Training Captain. During this period he flew in the Caribbean, working with the DEA and various Police agencies in anti-drugs and illegal immigration. On his return he attended the International Test Pilot School (ITPS) test flying course at Woodford, flying the Jet Provost, BAe 146 and the Slingsby Firefly. With over 13000hrs, he is an FI / FIC/ FIE /TRE /IRE.
Day job is as a Captain on Corporate jets and Turboprops, and the rest of the time he fills his boots flying for Ultimate High as well as the odd Yak trip.
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Robert Miller
Nitro flew Strike Canberras out of Cyprus and then instructed on Jet Provosts in Linton and SF260s and Strikemasters in Singapore. For two years Nitro was No2 to ex-Yellowjack Brian Nice in a 4 Strikemaster formation aerobatics team.
He has massive instructional experience including the JP, Canberra, Strikemaster, Chipmunk and most recently the T67 Firefly with JEFTS, where he was qualified as FI, FIE, FIC, TRE and CREIR. Nitro has over 5000 hours on tailwheel types alone and aircraft flown include the Tiger Moth, Hornet Moth, Auster, Taylorcraft, Condor, Jodel, CAP10, CAP20, Chipmunk, Pawnee, Provost, Miles Gemini, Stearman, Cub and the Pitts Special.
Nitro is an experienced air racer and was crowned British Air Racing Champion in 2003.
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Phill O'Dell
Pod is Chief Test Pilot and Head of Flying at Rolls-Royce PLC (Aero Engines), and also displays the Rolls Royce MkXIX Spitfire. Until November 2001 he was Officer Commanding the Research & Development Flight of the Fast Jet Test Squadron at DERA Boscombe Down. He flew Buccaneers and then taught as a Tactical Weapons Instructor and Flying Instructor on Hawks at Brawdy.
He then moved to the Jaguar and flew operationally over Bosnia and Iraq.
He was selected by the RAF to attend the French Test Pilot School at Istres in Provence and flew over 25 aircraft from the F-14 Tomcat to the Airbus A320.
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Bill Perrins
Billy P has nearly 15,000 hours of flying experience, having flown tours on Tornado F3 fighters, Vulcan bombers, Jet Provost and Hawk aircraft. Bill is currently flying as a Training Captain on B747-400 aircraft and displays the Rolls Royce Spitfire Mk XIX and the mighty Vulcan. He also flies various smaller aircraft including the Yak 50, Yak 52, and instructs on the T6 Harvard.
He has a long association with vintage aircraft having over 500 hours flying Air Cadets in Chipmunk aircraft within the RAF Air Experience Scheme and previously owned a Bucker Jungmann biplane.
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