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Folland Gnat

Folland Gnat T1 Display Pilot - Red Gnat 2

Kev ‘Jester’ Whyman

Kev, aged 33, was educated at The King’s School, Chester, where he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force (RAF). He was sponsored by the Royal Navy (RN) through the Sixth Form and completed his Flying Scholarship at the RAF, aged 18. He studied at Cambridge University, where he joined the University Air Squadron (UAS) and commenced Elementary Flying Training (EFT) on the Bulldog aircraft. Kev joined the RAF in 1998 and upon completion of Initial Officer Training at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, he returned to CUAS to complete EFT. He was further selected for Fast Jet Training which he undertook on the Tucano (2 Squadron) and Hawk aircraft (208 Squadron).  Kev left the RAF in 2001 and took a trading job with a US investment bank in the City of London where he currently works. Upon leaving the military Kev completed his civilian flying licenses and continued with his passion, flying Jet Provost aircraft from North Weald and progressing to his first solo display season a year later. He started flying the Folland Gnat in 2005 and founded the Gnat Display Team with his colleagues in 2007.

 

Folland Gnat T1 Display Pilot - Red Gnat 1

Mark “Reaper” Grimshaw

Mark was born in Kuala Lumpur and attended boarding school in Lincolnshire where he experienced his first taste of flying through the Air Experience Programme in the Chipmunk.  A job in IT sales later provided the perfect opportunity to learn to fly and Mark gained his PPL in 1990 with a grand total of 40 hrs and 30 minutes in his logbook. Mark quickly progressed to flight Instruction on both single and multi-engined piston aircraft and amassed 700 hours in 15 different types from Cubs to Yaks. After many hours of intense training in an Mk3a Jet Provost, a display authority soon followed culminating in the opportunity to progress to fast jets and the Folland Gnat T1 in 2005. Mark flies “Red Gnat 1” the lead aircraft in the Gnat Display Team that he formed with his colleagues in 2007. With over 1500 hours, a CPL(IR) and more than 450 hours in ex-military jets, Mark holds a DA for Solo and Formation Aerobatics in the Bell UH1-H “Huey,” Jet Provost, Strikemaster, Venom, Vampire and Folland Gnat aircraft.

 

Gnat Display Team Ground Operations

Oli ‘The Chief’ Wheeldon

Born in 1972, Oliver was educated at Nottingham High School, where he was a member of the RAF section of the CCF. He gained both an RAF Sixth Form Scholarship and an RAF Flying Scholarship. Despite this, he instead opted to study Mechanical Engineering at Coventry University where he was an active member of the University of Birmingham Air Squadron, where he flew the Bulldog. After graduating, Oliver worked as a Design Engineer on military and civil gas turbine engine test beds for Rolls Royce. He later moved into the IT industry, developing Internet solutions. In 1999 Oliver moved to London where he currently resides, to start a new career in Product Management for a US-based telecoms company. He now works for a blue-chip global communications company based in the city. Oliver completed his Private Pilots License in the mid-90s and flew ex-RAF Bulldog aircraft for many years. In 2001 he joined a syndicate at North Weald airfield operating two ex-RAF Jet Provost aircraft.  Having amassed a wealth of experience in the JP, Oliver is now training for a Display Authorisation to demonstrate the JP3. In 2008 Oliver joined the Gnat Display Team as Manager of Ground Operations (aka “The Chief”), supporting the display pilots and aircraft at all of the events the team displays at. The role has also afforded him the unique opportunity of a fast jet conversion course and to become a qualified pilot on the Gnat.

 

Folland Gnat T1 Display Pilot

Red Gnat 2
Mark “Garfield” Fitzgerald

Mark, aged 33, completed his initial RAF Pilot Training during the late 1990’s. Since then, he has continued to fly in numerous ex-military types, both fixed wing and rotary. He holds a CAA Display Authority for the Jet Provost, Folland Gnat and the Bell UH1-H "Huey" helicopter – all of which he has displayed on the European Airshow circuit over the last 4 years. Mark is also a Qualified Flying Instructor, but spends most of his time working for a London based technology company. Mark started flying the Folland Gnat in 2005 and was one of the founding members of the Gnat Display Team - the only Gnat formation display team in the World.

 

Folland Gnat T1 Pilot

Red Gnat 2
Stephen “Maverick” Partridge-Hicks

Stephen was born in London and decided to learn to fly aged 10 after being introduced to model gliders at prep school and first soloed a glider when 16 at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.  At school he joined the RAF CCF section and flew Chipmunks and Jet Provosts. As a University student he started hang gliding and progressed from club flying to the competition where he joined the national team for the 1995 World Championships in Ager in the Pyrenees, coming 5th and was a member of the team in 2002 that won in Chelan, Washington State. He became a microlight pilot in 1992 and bought his first tug in 1998. He flew Shadow 3 axis Microlights between 1996 and 2005 and bought his first Jet Provost in 1998.The CAA took a dim view of him converting directly from microlights onto the RAFs staple jet trainer so he bought an RV4 and learned to fly tail-dragger at the same time as Jet, flying between them in the microlight. The Jet Provost was upgraded to a BAC Strikemaster and the Folland Gnat came along in 2006. Stephen holds an aerobatic Display Authorisation for the Yak 50, flies with the Vipers, a 4 ship Strikemaster display team and plans to be their solo display pilot for the 2010 season. In addition, he is also a helicopter pilot and holds a US FAA PPL.

 

Folland Gnat T1 Display Pilot

Red Gnat 1 or 2
Peter “Willy” Hackett
Willy was born in Birmingham and after graduating from the RAF College Cranwell, began his flying training on the Jet Provost. RAF fast jet training followed and he was posted to the Tornado F3 on 43(F) squadron, the “Fighting Cocks,” at RAF Leuchars and flew on operations in Gulf War 1.

Two further squadron tours followed with operations in the Gulf and the Balkans, finishing as the RAF Tornado F3 display pilot for the 1997/98 seasons. Willy then spent several years flying Sea Harriers as an exchange pilot with the Royal Navy. This included a return to the Gulf, but this time on board HMS Illustrious.

On his return, Willy was selected to attend the Empire Test Pilot School in Wiltshire, learning to test fly everything from passenger jets to jet fighters. Following on from that he became the test pilot working on the Eurofighter Typhoon and helping shepherd that aircraft into service.

When Willy later moved to Texas, he became the test pilot on the F35 (Lightning II) aircraft that will replace the Sea Harrier. Although currently based in Bristol, Willy continues to work on this project and also spends his time as a gliding instructor, display flying Yak aircraft with the Yakovlevs team and as a pilot of the Shuttleworth Collection. With over 6000 hours, and an ATPL, Willy holds a DA for quite a few aircraft really – ranging from gliders to the Folland Gnat.