Edinburgh Flying Club

High quality instruction is vital and one the club's great strengths is its instructional team. We have five very experienced and mature instructors who are long standing members of the club. They can take you through your PPL and later help you add an IMC Rating and a Night Qualification if you wish. They are here because they enjoy flying and teaching and are not "building time" in order to seek an airline career. All have the appropriate professional licences. Now meet them.

Bob Graham: Bob, who is our Chief Flying Instructor, learned to fly in his native New Zealand. After years of working in the oil industry in a number of countries he finally ended up in Scotland. He joined the club in 1979, began instructing in 1988, and has been our CFI since 1991. Having in excess of 6500 hours total time and more than 6000 hours as an instructor, there is little he has not seen or done. In addition he is a Ground Examiner and is authorised to conduct all the PPL ground examinations (except Radio Telephony Practical) and to revalidate licences.

Jack Simpson: Jack joined the club as a student in 1985 and completed his PPL, IMC, and Night Ratings with the club. After retiring from his full time job as a Chartered Surveyor he obtained a CPL and Instructor's Rating and began instructing in 1998. His total time of some 2000 hours includes over 1450 hours as an instructor.

Tom Ward: Tom learned to fly at Glenrothes and completed his professional licences at Perth. He knows Edinburgh Airport well as prior to his retirement he was an engineer with NATS looking after, among other things, the navigation aids at the airport. He joined us as an instructor in 2001. His total time is 1600 hours with some 1100 as an instructor.

Alastair Kennedy: Alastair is a former police officer who learned to fly at White Waltham and joined the club in 1978. For a time he flew a locally based corporate jet. His total time on light aircraft is 2500 hours and he has 800 hours as an instructor.

Malcolm Spaven: Malcolm first learned to fly as a member of East Lowlands Universities Air Squadron at Edinburgh Airport. After completing his PPL in South Africa he joined the club in 1999, obtained a commercial licence and instructor's rating at Perth in 2001, and has been instructing at the club since then. He has a full time job as an aviation consultant and is available most weekends plus weekdays as required. He has a total time of 1300 hours with 850 hours as an instructor.