Neil Parkinson

How did you get into flying?

After a childhood of flying radio-controlled aircraft, when I was 13 I got a job as a gopher at Cranfield airfield. For every four days of answering phones and washing aircraft, they’d give me a flying lesson for one hour. On my 17th birthday, with about 100 hours, I first soloed.

Tell us about your job?

I’m a billionaire’s personal pilot. Based in London, I fly the Falcon 7X as well as his other aircraft. My schedule is flexible, but normally I know the destination a few weeks in advance. Flights vary from a 12-hour stretch across the South Atlantic to a hop to Paris in 30 minutes. Generally, we aren’t that busy, which means I have plenty of time for my other aviation hobbies.

 “If you REALLY want to fly for a living, you’ll find a way” 

The flying itself is fantastic! The Falcon is equally at home being hand-flown into a mountain airport as it is at 45,000ft going intercontinental. It’s my first fly-by-wire aircraft, but if you forget about all those computers, it’s very easy to fly.  Dassault make great handling machines, showing its fighter heritage.

Since I’m always working with the same people, it’s important to get along as a crew. My job isn’t just turning up and flying, I also deal with insurance, maintenance, flight planning, entry requirements and visas.

What training did you have?

In 1992 I was at university, bored with aeronautical engineering, when a friend with a helicopter school offered me a job if I’d pay for my training. I borrowed a tie, went to NatWest and got a £40,000 loan. Paying it back took me 11 years, but I was an R-22 instructor at the age of 20.

Air Ambulance flying had always been my dream job as it’s so rewarding. At the time, nearly all pilots were ex-military, but I nagged until they gave me a trial. I ended up working for Thames Valley Air Ambulance in the BO-105 and being chief pilot for Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance on the Agusta A109.

After eight years, I got lured away by a property company with a Citation Jet and a helicopter. When the 2008 crisis happened, I joined a UK corporate jet charter company. I initially flew the Citation, then the HS-125, which is lovely – like a Chipmunk with jet engines. Finally the Global Express, which is heavy and boring.

What’s been your favourite flight?

My first Spitfire solo. Last year I joined Boultbee Flight Academy as one of their pilots and that flight was the pinnacle of my career. Since I was four, I’ve been building model Spitfires and every year my mum would give me a Spitfire birthday card, writing: ‘One day you’ll fly one’. That solo was my dream, my ambition and my life’s goal. The Spitfire is amazing. An emotional Great British icon, yet a high-powered, beautifully flying machine.

And your favourite airfield?

I can’t choose. Cranfield will always have a place in my heart as I learned to fly there. The UK has beautiful grass strips with great people and amazing atmospheres, like White Waltham and Compton Abbas. But I’ve also had lots of fun landing private jets at airfields in Nigeria and Russia. The ‘airfields’ during my Air Ambulance time were memorable as well, including market squares, town centres and T-junctions.

Do you get to fly much outside of work?

Yes, I normally fly something every other day. My life revolves around aviation, I love the flying as well as the engineering. Eight years ago I built a Pitts Special biplane in my garage for aerobatic flying, displays and competitions. The Pitts is fantastic, a hooligan machine on wings. When it comes to getting bang for your buck, you can’t beat it.

I’m currently building an RV-8 kitplane as well as restoring a WWII Harvard, which means I’m spending lots of time painting things green.

What’s the most valuable career advice you’ve had?

Love what you do. Because if you do, it never seems like a job. I’ve been lucky enough to fly some fantastic machines throughout my career and for me this never felt like work.

Also, if you really, and I mean REALLY, want to fly for a living, you’ll find a way. Many people want to be a pilot because they like the look of it, but some really want to fly. I always look out for candidates who’ve begged, borrowed and stolen flying hours. Those are the pilots you give a chance.