Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do?
I’m Lucy, a business jet captain having worked for Centreline for nearly 2 years. I’ve been flying commercially since 2016 and have always flown in Corporate Aviation (by luck more than judgment!), but I feel extremely fortunate that life has taken me down this road. I’ve previously operated a Citation Jet 2+ and 3 and a Nextant 400XT before moving on to the Legacy 500 and Praetor 600s in 2018. Along the road, whilst studying for exams and building flying hours, I’ve always worked in and around aviation. From maintenance admin to manning the desk at flying schools and, more lately, working in busy operations departments in both aeromedical and corporate sectors, every role has enriched me with both the knowledge and confidence to get me where I am today.
How did you get into aviation? And why did you choose to become a pilot?
As a child, I had always perceived pilots to be male and I had no idea at all that it was a role that any woman could undertake. I was fortunate enough to be very well-travelled from a very young age, but I was always more excited about going to the airport and the flight to and from my holiday destination as opposed to enjoying the location itself! It was only when we had tutor reviews about our progress at school and where we were aiming for in life that the seed was first planted. I was fortunate enough to have my headteacher for my review, and I eagerly told him I wanted to be in the cabin crew, a role that had been very much feminised for many years. His reply to me was, “What about becoming a pilot?”…. So many questions then consumed my head at the age of 15: was I good enough? could pilots really be female?! Could I handle the responsibility?… but ultimately, I didn’t know where to start! I must have been wittering on about it at home because, on a dull December 16th Birthday, I was blindfolded and driven to the surprise destination of Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green airport, where I had my first flight in a Piper PA28 and the bug bit!
What aircraft do you enjoy flying the most and why?
First and foremost, I always wanted to teach. As a little girl, I would happily pretend to have my class sat in front of me, so when becoming a pilot became the clear aim, my mind was set on becoming a Flying Instructor. Therefore, I tailored my training route to gain this as soon as practically possible and have never let my Instructor rating go. I still manage to instruct and am now an examiner for PPL or SEP in a Cessna 152 or Piper PA28 a few days a month at a lovely GA airfield, Wellesbourne Mountford, near Stratford Upon Avon. There’s something so rewarding about the age and yet strength and durability of these well-built light aircraft and yet being able to fly them with just a few fingertips. No feeling will ever replace hopping out and watching a student of yours fly their first solo. Teaching anyone to fly in an environment where the views stretch from the Malverns to Birmingham City skyline and from the Cotswolds to Northamptonshire is just unrivalled.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
As corporate pilots, we are much more hands-on in the operation, developing life-long relationships with FBO staff, refuelers and engineers, just to name a few. I’m a people person, so it’s our smaller team of staff and the close interaction and relationships we develop with our colleagues and passengers that make this much more than a job.
The performance and range of the Embraer product of Legacy 500, particularly the Praetor 600, enable a huge variety of worldwide destinations. From Uzbekistan to the Falklands and from Vancouver to Gloucester, this aircraft has enabled me to visit many different places and refine my flying skills in an array of challenging airports. No day or week is ever the same; this aircraft definitely keeps you on your toes!
What is a flying day like for you?
As pilots, our day starts the “night before” as we browse the weather and “notices to airmen” to decide on a fuel figure and flag up any potential airport or weather restrictions, which may mean a change of routing, flight level or a different choice of “alternate airport”. We may contact Operations or our Flight planning team to discuss any changes or factors that need to be considered. There’s really no such thing as being too prepared, and we always schedule some quality team briefing time about an hour before the flight, setting the tone for the day and discussing potential threats and errors and how we would manage them together. We would all agree that we have the best view out of our office window but even then, the work doesn’t stop for any of us. At the front, we are considering contingencies and “what if” scenarios as well as planning and briefing our descent and arrival to destination with a consistently high level of Situational awareness, including terrain, other aircraft and our performance for landing given the weather conditions. Once at our destination, the teamwork continues. I am very happy with the polish or vacuum in my hand, which helps to prepare the cabin for the next adventure. At the end of a long, busy day, wherever we end up, we do all enjoy a delicious local meal together, putting the world to rights, and it’s very much a bonus if we can do this in our shorts and flip-flops!
What advice do you give to women wanting to get into the aviation industry?
Outside of flying, I’ve been volunteering for the Girlguiding movement for many years. Girls take what they do in Guiding with them as they grow up. Everything from working in a team to taking the lead, to speaking out on issues they care about. It helps them develop the skills and confidence to become the young women they want to be and make a difference in the world around them. I would empower any woman to hold onto the goal of Girlguiding, which is to “Help all girls to know they can do anything”. It may be simple advice, but pure determination and belief in yourself go further than you can ever imagine. It doesn’t all fall into place when you want it to, for those for whom it does they are extremely lucky. Get working in any aspect of aviation, you can soak up all the knowledge and experiences you can and, above all, enjoy meeting like-minded people. Believe in YOU because no one else can do that for you… When you do, you’ll be amazed at what doors begin to open.
Lucy has been selected to lead an international Warwickshire County trip to Japan in 2026, guiding a group of 10 girls and 2 additional team leaders on this incredible journey. To make this experience possible, she is actively fundraising for the trip. PASL and Centreline are proud to support her efforts with a donation. If you’d like to learn more about how you can support or possible sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lucy – LucyGirlGuiding@hotmail.com
