Chris has been flying since 1985 and first flew a Tiger Moth, at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, in 1986.  After qualifying as a flying instructor in 1988, the RAF decided it was time he learned to drive! Chris’ RAF career included engineering, Flight Safety and International Relations, after which he worked briefly as a freelance pilot on a variety of historic and aerobatic aeroplanes, including the Harvard, Twin Pioneer,  Antonov An2 and CAP10.  A year flying freight in darkest West Africa was followed by 4 years with a European regional airline and over 5 years with a major middle eastern airline.  Chris has been flying the public in vintage and aerobatic aeroplanes since 2000 and has enjoyed the privilege of flying many World War Two veterans, including former fighter pilots, bomber crews and engineers.  He also displays all aircraft in the Finest Hour fleet.  Despite his breadth of experience, Chris claims that nothing puts a smile on a customer’s face quite like a ride in the iconic Tiger Moth.

‘Shents’ RAF service included 3 tours as a pilot and instructor on the Tornado F3, during which he displayed the Spitfire and Hurricane with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.  Currently a training captain with a major UK airline, on 28 August 2010, Paul led the Airbus / Spitfire / Hurricane formation to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain; he remains current on a locally based Hurricane.

'Creamed Off' for his first RAF flying tour as an instructor on the Tucano, Potey's RAF flying career has been split between the Tucano and the Tornado GR4.  Currently flying a 'mahogany bomber', Chris built his own Eurofox light aeroplane and flew it from the UK to New Zealand as part of the RAF 100th Anniversary celebrations during Autumn 2018.  Fresh from his antipodean adventure, Chris joins Finest Hour to fly the Tiger Moth for 2019.

Paul has been flying since 1976.  He joined the RAF through a University Cadetship, at which time he was bitten by the aerobatic bug!  Paul’s RAF career, though mainly involving transport aircraft, included flying instruction for both ab-initio students and new instructors and he spent a season displaying the Bulldog primary trainer at airshows in the UK and on the near continent.  He spent nearly 20 years in the RAF and has just retired from a similar spell flying Boeings various for a major UK airline.  Paul has been flying light aircraft throughout this time, including the CAP10B since 2003.

Adam's RAF service included 2 tours as a Tornado GR4 Weapons Systems Officer,  completing operational tours in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq. After leaving the RAF, 'Ads' joined a major airline, where he flies the Airbus A320.  Subsequently qualifying as a flying instructor, Adam joined Finest Hour to fly the Tiger Moth during 2021.

'Stretch' was born into the family light aeroplane business in Weston-Super-Mare.  His RAF career was spent flying the C130 Hercules in the tactical transport role, including operational missions during the Gulf War and Bosnia conflicts.  Stretch's post-RAF career started with a brief stint flying the Boeing 747 for a Far Eastern airline before joining a major UK airline to fly both Airbus and Boeing types.  His broad experience of vintage light aviation includes instructing on the Stearman and Harvard and the joy of flying his own Isaacs Fury biplane. 'Stretch' joined Finest Hour to fly the Tiger Moth during 2022.

Jamie joined the RAF in 1997 and started his first tour on the VC10 in the air-to-air refuelling role.  His subsequent flying tours were on the L1011 Tristar and the A330 Voyager, again in the air-to-air refuelling role.  His ground tours included being the Commander of fixed wing operations in Basra, the Chief of the Strategy Division for the coalition air operation against Daesh and the personal staff officer to the RAF's Assistant Chief of Air Staff.  Currently enjoying teaching the next generation of pilots as a reservist flying instructor at Oxford University Air Squadron, Jamie joins Finest Hour to fly the Tiger Moth for the 2023 season.

JD's fast jet pilot training provided a lead-in to a one-tour flirtation with the C130 Hercules transport aeroplane.  Escaping 'Albert' to instruct on the Tucano and Hawk, JD then flew tours flying and instructing on the Jaguar before completing a tour on the Typhoon.  Following his RAF service, he flew the Boeing 787 for a major airline, a position from which he has recently retired.  With an MA in World War One, JD is our resident 'Trenchie' so it was about time he qualified to fly an ancient biplane; he joins Finest Hour for the 2024 'season'.