FLYING START ENGLISH TEACHERS
Helping Students Grow
At Flying Start English, students are lucky to learn from top industry professionals who are thoroughly invested in their entire learning process. Take a look below to learn more about our dedicated team.
STEPHANIE WHITBREAD
Director & Founder
Stephanie is the founder and owner of Flying start English. She was born and educated in the United Kingdom, but now lives in France close to Toulouse.
She now works as an Air Traffic Control Supervisor at London Gatwick Airport having spent 5 years as an ATC Instructor and 25 years as an Operational ATCO at London Heathrow Airport.
She first started teaching English in 2011 when she obtained her English Teaching Diploma and has taught Aviation English both face to face and online on a part time basis since then. She has a strong cultural awareness as she has spent time teaching in China, the Middle East and Europe.
Her experience as both an operational ATCO and an ATC Instructor is invaluable when teaching Aviation English
TIM HALL
Teacher
Tim enjoyed a flying career as Cabin Crew for 36 years before retiring in 2015 to teach Aviation English. His work experience includes both scheduled and charter operations with several airlines, wet lease, training (safety & cabin), pilot liaison, recruitment, and management roles.
He retired from flying in 2015 and has been teaching Aviation English ever since. One of his varied aviation responsibilities was the writing of standard announcements (PAs) for the airline, and he has been helping pilots and cabin crew make better PAs ever since. Tim says:“Few things make me feel better than helping a pilot pass their Aviation English recurrent exam… with an improved grade”.
Tim lives in Bedfordshire with his wife Tina and a delinquent dog named Bailey, and from time to time with their two adult sons who have theoretically now left home.
GRAHAM HEDGER
Teacher
Born near London, Grahame is a keen PPL pilot and dedicated Aviation English instructor. His career has included electro-mechanical engineering with Lucas (UK) Ltd and working as a diving instructor in Tenerife.
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He has successfully conducted English training for pilots, air traffic controllers, cabin crew and ground services staff in Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East.
His engineering background qualifies him to conduct English courses for aircraft engineers and also ground training - including aviation English - for ab-initio cadets. Aircraft flown include PA-28, C-152, Robin DR400 and Yak-52.
Qualifications: ICAO Rater/examiner; CELTA - Degree in English language and literature.
RICHARD GARDNER
Teacher
Fascinated with aircraft from an early age, Richard joined the Royal Air Force as an aircraft technician. Working on 1940s ‘old timers’, gas turbine reconnaissance aircraft, and heavy lift helicopters, he has experience of ground handling, maintenance, repair, and air test duties.
He later commissioned as an officer and then took specialist training in electronics, radio, radar, and technical training design before working as an air defence missile technical training officer.
On leaving the air force, Richard took a Master of Arts in technical writing and wrote manuals for telecommunications equipment, designed technical training for explosives engineering, and managed a retail a website.
Richard started teaching English in 2012, taking the Cambridge University Certificate in Teaching English to Adults (CELTA). He quickly moved into specialist language coaching of Aviation and Technical English, working with major airlines and automotive manufacturers. He lives in the UK, is married with 4 children, renovates old VWs, and speaks German.
PAUL DROSNES
Teacher
Paul Drosnes has been teaching English for Specific Purposes since 2012 in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Paul has taught in and administered English language programs at North Carolina State University, Jazan University, Skema Business School, Immerse Learning, the American University of Central Asia, Latitude Aviation English Services, and Wake Technical Community College.
Throughout his career, he has worked with learners of every cultural and educational background. He has taught aviation-specific English courses to European and Asian pilots for the past five years, and he is working on this program because he is excited to work with pilots and controllers as they perfect their professional use of English for aviation.
His hobbies include flying light aircraft (BE33, C177, C172, C150, PA-28, PA-20), cycling, and exercising.
RUSS PEARCE
Teacher
Qualifications: Degree (First class honours in tourism management), CELTA
Russ left home at 16 to join the Royal Air Force and embark on a career in air traffic control. 9 years later he became a civil controller ending up in the tower at Cardiff International Airport before moving on to teaching English in 2006.
Since then he has lived in many countries before finding his forever home near Alicante, Spain.
A keen photographer, travel is his passion, so current restrictions are killing him!