S2E22. Allister Bridger: A New Dimension

Inspire-Ability Series 2 Episode 22

The first part of our interview with our next guest, Allister Bridger. From a typical childhood in Tunbridge Wells, to a career in the Royal Air Force, and subsequently rising to such positions as Director of Flight Operations at British Airways, flying has been a huge part of Al’s life. But initially, living under the glide path for Gatwick Airport was only “peripheral”, and it wasn’t until a family holiday at the age of 12 on a Monarch airliner that he caught the flying bug! From that initial spark, Al describes to Harriett how the goal of being a pilot informed his choices of subjects in school, and how the RAF Air Cadets were an invaluable factor in achieving his PPL and ultimately his flying dreams. Despite the aid of the ATC however, it would not be a simple path to becoming an airline pilot: what was needed first was a “bucket of determination” in the face of adversity. Indeed, despite the success he has since achieved with the airline, as a teenage applicant British Airways rejected Al’s application, and thus he spent nearly a decade as a fast jet pilot in the RAF. Al is extremely humble in describing this chapter of his life, and reflects on the positives that these initial hurdles have since brought him, and he is especially keen to share how it has informed his approach to mentoring and instruction.

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