Thunder has built a specialist cadre of pilots, focussing its selection on military pilots from the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force who have achieved the highest standards of training and testing during their extensive careers.
With uncompromising safety standards, and outstanding ability in the air, all Thunder Captains have a minimum of 4000 Flight hours during which they have provided VVIP support to members of the Royal Family, Prime Ministers and Senior Government leaders.
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Our Captains have led spear-head, front-line operations in the most challenging environments on earth.
CPL(H) IR TRI AW109/AW119Kx.
Tom, the CEO of Thunder and has 18 years of flying experience with 5000 hours of flying time. He served for 10 years on Number 7 Squadron RAF flying the Chinook and for 3 years on Number 32 'The Royal Squadron' RAF, flying the Agusta 109 in the VVIP role. He has over 1000 combined instructional hours on Chinook and AW109. Learn more...
CPL(H) IR AW109/AW119Kx.
25 years flying experience. 4000 flying hours. 3 years served on number 18(B) Squadron, Royal Air Force flying the Chinook; with extensive operational experience including 32 Casualty Extraction Missions in Helmand province, Afghanistan. 10 years served on Number 7 Squadron, Royal Air Force flying the Chinook in a variety of specialist roles. Including command as the Squadron Head of Flight Training and Executive Officer. Learn more...
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CPL(H) IR AW109/AW119Kx.
During a military career spanning 22 years, Luke has flown over 5000 hours, conducting military operations and humanitarian missions all over the world including 8 operational deployments to Afghanistan as well as numerous exercises supporting British troops in challenging environments, from the Artic circle in Norway to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. In 2018, Luke joined Number 32 (The Royal) Squadron, where he was responsible for flying the Prime Minister and other senior United Kingdom officials, military officers and members of the Royal Family. Luke joined the Thunder Aviation team in 2024, bringing a wealth of VVIP and commercial helicopter experience, where he continues to provide an exemplary service for Thunder’s clients.
Head of Sales
Andrew has amassed over 5 years of experience in Business Aviation, building invaluable relationships with clients and industry experts through various roles. Primarily focussed on rotary, Andrew has managed the day-to-day operations of various helicopter types as well as bespoke, high usage client itineraries. Alongside a specialism for helicopters, Andrew has broadened his skills in the Private Jet sector - previous roles have encompassed the selling of private jet charters nationally and internationally. More recently, he has expanded his knowledge of jet brokering with a leading brokerage and has brought this skillset to Thunder Aviation to broaden the aviation portfolio on offer to our clients.
Thunder’s clients benefit from his unrivalled eye for detail, ensuring a seamless experience from initial enquiry to charter completion.
Head of Operations
After completing a Master’s Degree in Criminology, Natalie wanted to pursue her real passion and dive into the world of aviation. Nearly a decade on, she has experience in various facets of the industry, having started her career marshalling aircraft, Natalie built her way up to becoming a 'Post-Holder' for a fixed-wing charter operator. This included being accountable to the Civil Aviation Authority and managing the intricate operations of international flying with aircraft ranging from a Citation Mustang to a Gulfstream G550. Additionally, Natalie has been instrumental in helping aircraft owners maximise usage with bespoke management agreements, and has been a key part in the assisting with the operation of varied aircraft types. In joining Thunder, we benefit from Natalie's unwavering ability to uphold the compliance and safety standards in accordance with the CAA and in turn, putting the safety of Thunder clients at the forefront of everyday operations.
Operations and Sales Executive
From a strong aviation lineage, Ben has grown up surrounded by fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. He was taught the fundamentals of flying by his grandfather, landing his light aircraft for the first time at the age of thirteen and a few years later, attained his Private Pilots Licence.In a professional capacity, Ben has hands-on engineering experience, previously working to maintain the Thunder Helicopter fleet – liaising with pilots and management to ensure prompt and thorough serviceability of the aircraft. In this role, Ben gained exposure to the charter industry, working alongside aircraft owners and frequently interacting with clients, whilst developing a well-rounded understanding of the integral parts of a charter.
Now, Ben works in the close-knit Thunder sales and operations team, selling charters plus managing flight details and logistics, whilst ensuring that Thunder’s clientele receive the best possible service.
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