Neil Parkinson

Following a childhood involving model aeroplanes and Star Wars, Neil got a job at his local airfield when he was 13 years old. He received flying lessons in exchange for odd jobs and washing aeroplanes. He gained his Private Pilot’s licence within a week of his 17th birthday, taking a day off school to achieve this important milestone. A large bank loan then paid for a conversion to helicopters and at 19, Neil became the country’s youngest qualified Helicopter Instructor.

In 2001, Neil joined the Thames Valley Air Ambulance Service flying the Bolkow 105 and two years later, he became the Chief Pilot of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Service flying the Agusta 109. “Amazing and challenging flying paired with lifesaving medicine... it’s one of the best flying jobs around”. 

Private jets came next. Initially, the Cessna Citation, the HS125 and then the Global Express. He currently flies and manages a Dassault Falcon 7x for a private owner. He is a qualified examiner on both jets and helicopters but his true love has always been aerobatics and historic flying. 

Tiger Moths, Piper Cubs, wing walking Boeing Stearmans, Pitts Specials, Harvards and more than 14,000 flying hours led Neil to joining Spitfires.com in 2019 to fly the Spitfire. It’s a dream come true.

Neil is Spitfires.com’s Chief Pilot. He also arranges and flies displays in our Spitfire Mk IX and flies passengers in our TR9 Spitfires