Maintenance Test Pilot Mike Thornton Retiring after 10 years at Vector Aerospace

Maintenance Test Pilot Mike Thornton Retiring after 10 years at Vector Aerospace

19-Aug-2014 Source: Vector

Vector Aerospace UK (Vector – www.vectoraerospace.com), a leading provider of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services shall be saying goodbye to its Head of Flying and one of the most experienced maintenance test pilots in the UK. Mike Thornton retires on 31 August aged 65, after 10 years working at Vector Aerospace.  Mike has worked as a Maintenance Test Pilot (MTP) for some 17 years in total and holds the accolade of the longest serving MTP in the UK military flying community.

Mike Thornton joined the Royal Navy in 1972 when he was just 23 and fulfilled his dream of flying with the Navy when he got his Wings in 1974. His career has covered many aircraft types including the Lynx, Sea King and Chinook and he has used his valuable experience and skills gleaned over 40 years in his role as Head of Flying at Vector Aerospace’s site in Fleetlands, Gosport.

Mike juggled an incredible variety of flying tasks throughout his time at Vector Aerospace. During his entire career, he amassed over 7000 flying hours on 9 different types and 22 marks of aircraft as well as totalling up 3743 deck landings, 674 of which were at night. He is and always will be extremely passionate about flying and is an exceptionally skilled pilot. Mike has been a key part of the team at Fleetlands and a well-liked and respected personality in the UK military flying community.

Michael Tyrrell, Managing Director, Vector Aerospace UK said, “The test pilot role forms an extremely important element of the service that Vector Aerospace offers its customers and Mike has done a wonderful job since he started here some 10 years ago. He has been an integral part of the team providing invaluable experience, flying skill, passion for flying, and consistently high standards that his colleagues will now carry on. Mike will be sorely missed but his achievements will always be remembered, he is without doubt an exceptional test pilot and a great person to be around.”

About Vector Aerospace   

Vector Aerospace is a global provider of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. Through facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, South Africa, and Kenya Vector Aerospace provides services to commercial and military customers for gas turbine engines, components and helicopter airframes. Vector’s customer-focused team includes over 2,700 motivated employees.

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