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Operations
Airfield Manager
Bruce Buglass
Bruce has been running Sleap for 6 years, and may still be the youngest accountable airfield manager at 25! He is very proud of Sleap and how it's grown and developed over the years into a busy and fun aero club. With a keen interest for young people to be involved in the fun side of aviation. Other than organsing SleapKosh or looking stressed, his favourite job is mowing the grass apron.
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In his spare time, Bruce is a display & aerobatic pilot flying and involved around the UK airshow circuit. He is a keen skier and motorcyclist on the rare occionsion he's not at the airfield flying!
Head of Finance
Nick English
Starting out in the cafe 5 years ago, Nick is now fully involved with the running of the aero club, in charge of finance related aspects of Shropshire Aero Club. His chosen work outfits consists always of a shirt, gilet and brown loafers with patterned socks.
Graduating from Oxford (Brookes obvs) uni with a degree in accounting and finance, he has recently got his PPL and now enjoying the freedom and adventure it brings.​
Aerodrome Operations
Scott Park
Scott plays a pivotal role in keeping our airfield servicable. Out on his beloved mower (OPS 3), maintaining grass runways and aprons, as well as fixing and adding improvements to all areas of our aerodrome.
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Alternativley, when not organising the fire trucks and refuelling aeroplanes he is a keen motorbiker and monster energy's biggest customer. He has also recently got his PPL and loves a summer evening flight in our C172.
Airfield Ops/Design & Marketing
Ellen Pyrah
No longer the oldest member of our team but not far off. Ellen does all the design and marketing for the club, looks after the website & social platforms as well as managing the office. You may know her design work well, having designed all our SleapKosh merch and posters since 2022 (Before she even worked here).
Her daily lunches consist of an unfathomable amount of crisps and orange lucozade.​ Ellen is also a certified horse girl spending all her extra time (and money) on her horse, Indie.​
Airfield Operations
Ted Lawrence
Tractor Ted, a part time farmer, part time pilot he is currently starting his APTLs while working with us part time. He started lessons with us aged 10 and had the course finished by his solo 16th birthday flight! He exclusively wears shorts, regardless of the weather and has a deep affection for our C172 G-SHSP.
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When he is not driving the OPS tractor, keeping the airfield operational and looking smart he is flying, farming or driving his Passat at leisurely speed.
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Airfield Operations
Melissa Hills
Melissa has been a familiar face for so many, working in the office for over a year being the smiley welcome to you all.
She has very recently left us for greener pastures AKA to move to Gloucester for her APTLs. We wish her all the best and will welcome her back for the holidays, so you'll defo see her face again.
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Outside of flying, Melissa is a piano player extraordinaire and goes on holiday 10 times a year. It's alright for some.
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Aerodrome Operations
Jesus (Harry Carnahan)
Born in Bethlehem, Jesus is our holiest recruit. His name is not actually Jesus, but the reeky leather sandals worn year round (with socks!) and the long shaggy hair he used to have, immediately gave him the gospel name straight out of the old testament.
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Working airside keeping the place looking tidy, operational and reciting holy scripture while eating a home made bacon sandwich.
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Outside of work, Jesus channels the inner powers to keep his heap of junk Volvo turning up to work every day as well as doing some gardening on the side.
Airfield Operations
Fae Corbett
Fae started with us a week before SleapKosh, poor girl.
She has been apart of the club for awhile and has just passed her skills test.
Her long term plan is to become a commercial pilot, with her dream being to work in the corporate jet industry. In her spare time she dog-sits two frenchies called Sophie and Maggie.
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Airfield Operations
Peter Whiting
Peter is another pilot (shock) who weirdly used to own a chocolate factory.
He is currently doing his ATPL's and working at Sleap part time. He has been a valuable asset to the club helping with all IT technical things within the tower, office and really just anywhere we need him.
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He learnt to fly with us and has been hiring our PA28s to take himself and family flying.
Aerodrome Operations
Rob Plimmer
Now the oldest member of our team (Sorry Rob) but in no means feeble.
The 'plimminator' has been a member of the club for years, regularly visiting on the weekends with his mates to hang out on the balcony and watch the comings and goings of the airfield.
He started as a volunteer mowing, fixing, strimming and a whole host of other things and eventually started as a part time member of the team this past summer.
Aerodrome Operations
Jack Park
Another of the Park clan, Jack has been a friend of the club for many years. Gaining his PPL with us a few years ago and part owning an aircraft here for awhile.
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Trading in his sea legs for solid ground, Jack used to work on yachts for years and decided for a career change. He now works for us part time helping with all outdoor aerodrome tasks as well some excellent carpentry such as building both our SleapKosh bars, all alongside completing his ATPLs.
Aerodrome Operations
Finley Benson
The baby of the team, Finely has been a part of the club for years learning to fly and very recently passing his driving test!
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He has been an avid and valuable volunteer for the club for a long time, helping us with events, day to day jobs and anything he wished to put his hand to.
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Instructors
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Head of Training
Owen Rees
Owen started his instructing career in Shoreham in 2008. Becoming a captain on piston twins before joining Eastern Airways on the British Aerospace Jetstream 41.
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Later, moving onto Jet 2 on the Boeing 757, he did this for nine years and left under the title of Captian. He now works for DHL flying the Boeing 767. ​ Alongside this he works as the head of training for our flight school and CFI of Contrail Aviation also based here at Sleap.
Chief Flight Instructor
Keith Walker
Keith has been an instructor at Sleap for almost 2 decades and is part of the furniture. 'Kilo Whiskey' is our CFI and a flight examiner - and has flown with countless students on skills test for the PPL, IR(R).
He has been flying for over 30 years both as a flying instructor, examiner and commercially.
He is also a commercial flying instructor for Contrail Aviation and flies multiple GA types based at Sleap, recently completing a flight across the atlantic.
Flight Instructor
Dave Martin
Dave got his PPL at 17 and after graduating from Oxford Air Training he went on on to fly Cessna Citaions, King Air 200s, Cessna 404s and Cessna 421s at Luton. Then moving onto Britiannia Airways, flying B737, B757s, and B767s, gaining comand at 31 and later rertiring on the B787s.
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He gained his instructor rating 15yrs ago and currently has around 25,000 hours to his name. Dave owns and keeps his A/C at Sleap and taught both his son and daughter to fly.
Flight Instructor
Terry Spandley
Terry flew for the RAF from 1979 flying Chinooks and Gazelles. He then moved on to fly commercial aircraft such as the 757, 767 and A321 with Thomas Cook and TUI, until he retired in May 2024.
Terry has been flying at Sleap for over 10years in his Bulldog and loves aerobatics. He teaches students doing PPL and IR(R) here at Sleap.
Flight Instructor
Florin Mosneanu
Florin started flying aged 17, in his hometown of Brasov, Romania getting his PPL in 1991 and his CPL in 2010 following a change of career back to flying.
He has been a member of SAC since 2012, and became an instructor in May 2017. He has flown a variety of aircraft, such as the Zlin 526/726, Zlin142, IAR 46, Cessna 152/172/182, Piper28, Tecnam P2002 and Robin 2160. He's amassed a total of 2000 flying hours and 8000 landings.
Flight Instructor
Mike Abbott
Mike has been with Shropshire Aero Club since 2023, and currently has 30,000 hrs across 300 types of glider and aeroplane. He learnt to fly in 1965 on a taildragger light aircraft.
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From the age of 23, he flew as a four-engined Heron captain, prop-jet viscount airliners as co-pilot and then Boeing 737s tranisitioning to captain at 29. As well as other acheievments, such as flying twin-engine turboprops, a glider instructor rating, a glider gold qualification and he is a type ratings examiner ​​
Flight Instructor
Paul Stanley
Paul learned to fly in the 1990’s, gaining his PPL at the East Midlands Flying School, and his gliding certificates and instructor ratings at the Midland Gliding Club, eventually becoming the Chief Flying Instructor.
In the early 2000’s he completed his FAA Commercial, Multi, and Instrument Ratings in the USA, then his UK CPL, Multi, FI, IRI, and Aerobatic Instructor qualifications. He was also a tug pilot at Sleap on the Chipmunk.
Focused for a number of years on instructing in his Pitts S2A, Paul has joined the SAC team, teaching for PPL.
Check Flight Instructor
Peter Gaskell
Peter learned to fly at Lancashire Aero Club. He then joined the Shropshire Soaring group as a tug pilot becoming a member of Shropshire Aero Club.
Having had a love for vintage aircraft all his life he purchased a Bucker Jungmann and started the Old Buckers Formation Team with friend and fellow club member Andy Cummings. Today he flies the Jungmann and Husky A1-B.
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He is a CRI (Class Rating Instructor) doing check flights in our club aircrafts and tailwheel training.
Flying Instructor
Ronnie Garrod
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Flying Instructor
Adrian Jackson
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Flight Examiner
Bob Pooler
Bob learnt to fly at Shropshire Aero Club back in 1974, before moving to USA. During this time he completed his Commercial License, Instrument, Instructor and Mulit-engine ratings. ​Returning five years later, he flew anything, anywhere, anytime. He also added a Cessna Citation type rating to his license.
​Currently he has Flying Instructor, Flight Examiner, Single Engine and Multi Engine ratings under his belt, as well as a DA (Display Authorisation) for aerobatics with around 10,000 flying hours in his logbook to date. He also offers aerobatics experience flights here at Sleap in his Slingsby Firefly.
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DTO Operations/Flying School Manager
Kate Rees
Kate gained her PPL in 2007 while living in the southeast and working for airlines as cabin crew. She now holds her Commercial Pilots License, Instrument Rating and Ground Examiners License. She is also working towards her instructor rating.
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Kate helps to run the flying school ops alongside assisting with Contrail Aviation based at Sleap.
Operations
Wish to join our instructor team?
Want to be part of a fantastic, friendly team teaching the wonder of flight?
Sleap is a relaxed, fun and exciting place to learn and teach, and we are always on the look-out for passionate, professional & enthustatic instructors. With excellent rates of pay, and fun working enviroment contact us today, regardless of experince.
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Please email Owen.Rees@shropshireaeroclub.co.uk.