About

My life in aviation

I have been fascinated by aviation from a very young age, with my father telling me “war stories” from his time in the RAF at the end of WW2.

Apart from air shows, my first real interaction with aviation was via the school’s Combined Cadet Force (similar to the Air Training Corps), in fact it was the only thing I enjoyed at school! We thrived on the weekly training sessions, including exams, annual camps at active RAF stations, regular flying, Chipmunks were the order of the day and then real hands-on flying with gliding. I was allowed at 16 to take my first solo flight, in a wooden Slingsby T31 Cadet- I can still remember that day. I continued to fly sailplanes at the Long Mynd and Parham.

Not meeting the stringent RAF pilot medical (hay fever!), I found my way into Air Traffic Control, attending the CAA college at Bournemouth, training included postings to Belfast in 1983, the height of the “troubles” then followed by Manchester.
 
I subsequently worked at Bournemouth, Edinburgh and since 1996, Gatwick, the worlds busiest single runway international airport, I think the record is about 960 movements in a day. I remain there part time.
 

Alongside my career at Gatwick, I completed my PPL with no thought of progressing further. 

One of my instructors told me to get an FI rating, so I duly progressed through ATPL exams, hours building, CPL/MEP IR and instructor ratings. Much of my flying has been instructing and now I concentrate on more advanced courses including CPR, IR & IR(R) but still teach PPL. I am also an examiner.

As well as instructing, I run a syndicate operating a Piper Warrior based at Redhill and “look after” several other aircraft. My fiancée – also a commercial pilot – insists we fly together (no arguments there!) and between us we have flown to over 220 different airfields, both in the UK and Europe.

Laurance Harley

Flying Instructor and Examiner