The Instructors

Steve Maric (Chief Flying Instructor)

Steve started flying as an air cadet at sixteen. Starting on gliders, he progressed onto powered aircraft and gained his PPL at twenty-one. He continued to pursue his enthusiasm for flying whilst studying engineering and running the family business, becoming a flying instructor in 1988. He has flown commercially with Loganair on Jetstreams and the Shorts 360, as a training captain with British Regional Air Lines on the BAe ATP, and is currently a captain at British Airways City Express on the Avro RJ. He spends most of his spare time instructing, flying aerobatics, and collecting books.

Stuart Hill (Instructor / Examiner)

Stuart was an ATC cadet and completed his PPL when he left school. He became a flying instructor at the age of twenty-one, and taught at both Glasgow and Edinburgh flying clubs. With a CPL and instrument rating under his belt, he began work as an air taxi pilot in 1982, joining an airline a year later. By 1986, he was a training captain able to instruct for instrument and type ratings. Stuart joined the BAe Flying College at Prestwick in 1989, spending two years instructing and three years on the standards line, prior to joining the Civil Aviation Authority as an examiner. More recently, he has worked with BA City Express as a training captain on the BAe ATP, but has now returned to the CAA as a flight ops inspector.

Colin Wilcock (Instructor)

Colin grew up in East Africa and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen. He flew operational tours on the Lightning, Jaguar and Phantom before progressing to the Empire Test Pilot School at Boscome Down. He spent three years with the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, becoming a test pilot instructor, and test-flying most types in RAF service at the time. After leaving the RAF, he joined British Aerospace and was involved in test flying the Jetstream 31 and 41, ATP, HS 125, Nimrod and BAe 146.

John Beacom (Instructor)

John found his taste for flying in gliders, making his first solo flight in 1987.  He gained his PPL six years later and went on to gain further pilot qualifications. An instructor since 2000, John combines his instructing role at the club with his occupation as a commercial pilot with Air Charter Scotland.

Nick Sibley (Instructor)

Nick learned to fly at Denham, getting his PPL in 1977. He has since added multi, IMC, CPL, Float and FI(R) ratings. By profession Nick is an aircraft designer, and has worked on several aircraft designs including the little ARV1, and larger aircraft including the Jetstream 41 and ATP turboprops and 146 Regional Jet.  Work, family, church, flying and cycling don’t leave him any time for hobbies!

John Whittaker (Instructor)

After serving a 5 year engineering apprenticeship at the De-Havilland Aircraft Co, John became a flight test observer on the Buccaneer naval strike aircraft followed by similar jobs on the Canadair  CL215 waterbomber aircraft,Northrop F5,Airship and Concorde, ending up at British Aerospace on the Jetstreams 31,41 and ATP.  John obtained his CPL/IR whilst at British Aerospace and became full aircrew in 1991,obtaining the ATPL/IR and Flying Instructor rating in 1998.

Stewart Houston (Instructor)

Stewart started a lifelong passion for all things aeronautical when he built his first Airfix Hawker Hurricane at the age of 4. His flying started with pleasure flights as a teenager, and air experience with the Air Cadet organisation where he was introduced to the de Havilland Chipmunk, before moving on some years later to test flying at the Royal Aircraft Establishment as a helicopter flight observer on a range of experimental projects. After spending nearly 20 years as a PPL he then found time to complete his ATPL study and obtain a Flying Instructor rating, adding a CPL with multi-engine IR into the bargain. Stewart currently lectures in aeronautics at a prestigious local university where he keeps his engineering expertise alive with research for the industry on a range of flight problems. When not immersing himself in aeronautics Stewart relaxes - building Airfix kits.

Instructor Rates (Updated on 16/01/11)

Rates are paid from Take off to Full Stop Landing + 5 minutes to cover taxiing.