Get to know the incredible team of highly skilled Jet Paramotor and Acro pilots, who bring the spectacular shows to life!
From part-time pilots with a passion for exhibition flying to full-time industry professionals serving as coaches and instructors in paragliding and paramotoring, our team is second to none in their experience and expertise and highly qualified. All our pilots are CAA & BHPA qualified for flying displays.
The collective knowledge of our team is truly enormous, allowing us to consistently deliver awe-inspiring performances that leave audiences breathless.
Gordie Oliver – Team leader
Flying since 1990, Gordie has accumulated an impressive 5,000+ hours of flying time on a paraglider and over 200 hours of flight time on a Paramotor.
Gordie is a CAA authorised display organiser and qualified display pilot, as well as being a Chief Flying Instructor with a wealth of experience.
Gordie is probably the most enthusiastic pilot we have on the team, who loves to fly the Jet Paramotors. His full time job is running his paragliding school in the Lake District.
Gordie also runs the Buttermere Bash event which donates thousands of pounds to charities every year.
Allan Hewitt - Team Manager
Allan is the designer, engineer and developer of the Jet Para Hawks, but his main job is as a Skydiving Coordinator for the TV & Film Industry.
He’s been skydiving since 1977, but has also flown Powered Parachutes and Paragliding wings.
All has completed over 8,000 skydives and over 600 hours of flying time on a powered parachute.
He’s a British Skydiving Examiner with many qualifications in both instructing and rigging.
Allan’s goal is to get the Jet Para Hawks into a major film.
Mike Hunter
Mike Sunter is a firefighter the for North Yorkshire fire and rescue service, with over 20 years of service.
Mike has been a Paragliding & Paramotor pilot since 1998 with over 600 hrs of flying time, including SIV training.
Mike is also a 3 axis and flexwing microlight pilot CAA NPPL(M) since 2003.
Mike is also the Jet Para Hawks most committed TEST pilot!!!
It’s clear that Mike’s passion for adventure and pushing the limits extends beyond his career as a firefighter.
Alex Colbeck
Alex has been flying since 2004 and has over 1,000 hours on a a Paramotor and over 1,500 hours on a Paraglider.
Alex is also an Acro pilot who has mastered the art of flying, and can perform a variety of aerial tricks that leave spectators in awe.
His flying skills are truly impressive, acting as a testament to his dedication and hard work.
Above all, Alec’s love for flying is infectious, and he never hesitates to share his knowledge and experience with others.
Danny Taylor
Danny has participated in various flying competitions across Europe, including the Paragliding World Cup and the Red Bull X-Alps race. He’s fly with some amazing people over the years, including world-renowned acro pilots and professional aerial photographers.
He trains in Turkey Oludeniz for my acrobatics, and fly local in the UK where ever possible
Danny is also involved in teaching others to fly and often volunteer at local schools to teach kids about the joys of free flight.
Dave Manning
Dave has over 1,300 hours of paragliding and 650 hours of paramotoring experience. In addition, he holds a Private Pilot License (PPL) and has logged approximately 105 flight hours across various types of aircraft.
Dave’s flight experience doesn’t end there. He is also a Commercial Tandem Pilot, responsible for helping others experience the joys of flight in a safe and controlled manner as well as being the Chief Flying Instructor at his own paragliding and paramotoring school.
Dave’s skills and experience has taken him all around the world, where he’s had the pleasure of working with some of Europe’s largest flying schools. Now running his own school, he continues to fly and teach, constantly pushing himself to improve and help others achieve their dreams of flight.
Paul Martin
Paul has been flying since 2010 and has accrued over 650 hours of paragliding and 150 hours of Tandem Paramotoring.
He is a skilled pilot who took Olga on her first Paramotor flight using the Twin Jet Paramotor.
Outside of flying, Paul loves to go mountain biking and can often be found exploring trails and taking in the beautiful scenery.
But Paul’s true calling lies in helping others experience the joy of flight. using his skills to ensure a smooth and exhilarating experience for his tandem passengers while he does all the work.
Dave Roberts
Dave has been flying since 2013 with over 2,000 hours paragliding, 2,400 tandem flights as well as 200 hours of Paramotor flying experience.
Dave is one of the first ever UK Paragliders to get official accreditation.
He is part of the British Acrobatic Paragliding Academy and is among the first paragliders in the UK to receive official recognition to perform acrobatic displays.
Following the test, they received recognition as the first acrobatic paragliders in the UK authorised to perform aerial stunts and demonstrations during air shows and other public events.
Blaise Brogan
Blaise was born with adventure in his blood, coming from a family where his Dad was in the SAS and his Mum a flying doctor. As a family adventure is something they strive for.
He spent 7 summers teaching windsurfing, surfing and sailing all around the world, an accomplished tree surgeon for over 20 years whilst competing in Paramotor competitions such as the British Open and finishing 2nd in the IcarusX.
Flying since 2009 and involved in guiding not long after that, Blaise’s vast experience in flying, instructing and risk management makes him the perfect man for the job. His ability to put you at ease, assess conditions and give you crucial tips on your flying is why he is a vital part of our team.
Whether it is cracking jokes on takeoff or taking you for a tandem flight to show you the finer details of SIV, Blaise will look after you!
Bruce Daniels
Bruce is the youngest on the team and he’s been flying since 2020. He has 200 hours paragliding and 400 hours paramotoring.
Bruce competed in the British Open championships where he came 2nd both in the Open and the National competitions and also got Best Newcomer.
Bruce is looking forward to competing in more events and also improving his acrobatic paragliding skills.
However, he will be studying for his degree in aerospace engineering, so sadly will not have the same flying opportunities with SkySchool as in previous years!
Despite being sidetracked by his studies, Bruce remains committed to his passion for paramotoring and is determined to continue pursuing it in any way possible.
Olga Skomorokhova
Olga is a qualified skydiver and is interested in learning to become a paragliding pilot. However, her contribution to the team cannot be understated. While she may not be a Paramotor pilot, her role as an assistant to Allan in the team management role is crucial to keeping things running smoothly.
On top of that, when we’re out flying, Olga truly shines in her role as assistant to both the team leader and team manager, ensuring that everything is taken care of.
It’s hard to overstate just how important a good administrator is to any team. Olga is the backbone that keeps us on schedule, manages the accounts, and ensures that everyone is available when they’re needed.
Naveen Ravi
Naveen, an experienced pilot, joined our team for the Qatar and Philippine air shows with a strong determination of becoming a full member of the team.
Naveen is currently waiting to be examined by the CAA & BHPA to qualify for his display license.
Not only does Naveen have exceptional flying skills, but he also has a keen interest in the servicing and maintenance of the jets. He was instrumental in this role while we conducted our shows in both Qatar and the Philippines.
We are thrilled to have Naveen on board with our team, and are looking forward to his promising contribution as a skilled pilot and technician.
