Bristol & Wessex are pleased to announce a new instructor has joined our team, Nigel Scholey joins us as a PPL and IR(R)/IMC instructor following a long commercial flying career with many years of experience and knowledge to offer our students and members.
Nigel originally became an instructor in 1982 before deciding to fly commercially for airlines such as Brymon Airways and Thomas Cook Airlines amassing a total of 24,500 flying hours during his career. During his commercial flying career Nigel flew aircraft types such as the Airbus A320/A321, Boeing 757, Lockheed Tristar and Dash 7/8 turboprop aircraft. He then renewed his instructor rating in 2020.
We asked Nigel some questions on his flying background and history:
What got you into flying? – “My parents worked in the Middle East and I had to fly back and forth to boarding school on the VC10. Looked a cool lifestyle and I’m delighted to say I made it. A teacher once said “boy if you keep looking out the window you’ll get nowhere in life. I’d like to meet that teacher and tell him I’ve spent my career looking out of a window and been paid handsomely!!”
What was the reason to become an instructor? – “Well, I had a lapsed rating and after the demise of Thomas Cook, I had a little time out and decided the airlines were no longer for me. Having said that I loved my career, however I believe I had just got bored with Turkey and the Canaries. So, I renewed my SEP at B&W with Jonathan and Troy as my instructors and then decided that I wanted to get back in to instructing.”
What are your hopes and ambition in working at B&W? – I believe I can give back to this industry a considerable knowledge base and skills set that I have been fortunate to accumulate during my commercial career especially with regard to instrument flying.
Tell us a bit about your flying history? – “I started flying commercially in 1983 (!) air charter. I moved to Brymon Airways based at Plymouth, London City and then Bristol. Then to Caledonian Airways who morphed in to JMC, Thomas Cook and then insolvency September 2019. As for various aircraft types I have flown, these include the Partenavia PN68, Cessna 404, PA 31, Twin Otter, Dash 7, Dash 8, Tristar L1011, Boeing 757, Airbus320/321. I loved the Airbus, however my favourite route was the Twin Otter to the Isles of Scilly. My one regret is not having landed a Twin Otter on the beach on the island of Barra! Having said that the Airbus 321 on a visual approach in to the Greek island of Skiathos was a joy!
We give Nigel a warm welcome to the team of instructors and look forward to sharing some of his student successes over the course of the year.
