Air BP names fifth Sterling Pilot Scholar as it celebrates five years of scholarship programme

Air BP pilot scheme scholarship members at BP Sunbury. Photograph by Graham Trott. 07836 227278.

Air BP has named its fifth Sterling Pilot Scholar
Celebrated five years of Air BP’s Sterling Pilot Scholarship programme at a special event attended by all five scholars

Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and service supplier, has named its fifth Sterling Pilot Scholar as 18-year old Kristoff Ahlner from Shenfield in Essex.

The scholarship is valued at around £10,000 and aims to assist aspiring UK pilots like Kristoff achieve their Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL). As the industry faces a global pilot shortage with 790,000 new civil aviation pilots needed to fly the world’s fleet over the next 20 years, Air BP’s programme is all the more important.

Kristoff joined The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (Hutton Squadron) aged 13 and simultaneously began gliding at Essex and Suffolk Gliding Club. He has been captivated by flight and keen to become a pilot ever since. He has just completed his flight training at Stapleford Aerodrome in Essex following A Levels and intends to study Aeronautical Engineering at university prior to pursuing a career as a pilot.

Kristoff said: “I am incredibly excited but also very grateful to Air BP for their generosity, without which I simply could not have pursued my dream career to be a pilot.”

Speaking at the event, Jon Platt, CEO Air BP added: “We are delighted to welcome all five scholars and many congratulations to our latest scholar, Kristoff. We look forward to hearing about your future progress. We are proud of all our scholars and their achievements to date. BP is committed to encouraging young people to gain a better understanding of the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education for their futures and the wider aviation industry of which the Sterling Pilot Scholarship programme is a great example.”

Kristoff joined his fellow past scholars at a special event to mark five years of the programme which was held at Air BP’s global headquarters in Sunbury-Upon-Thames, UK.

Past scholar, Zoё Burnett who is currently a First Officer at Flybe, said: “The Air BP scholarship has meant that I am able to achieve my dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot. I am reminded of this each time I see the Air BP truck refuel an aircraft. During the course of my work, I have also learnt about Air BP’s commitment to safe operations and I am impressed by the company’s efforts as well as its contribution to ensuring safe refuelling.”

Air BP works with the Honourable Company of Air Pilots (HCAP), formerly known as The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN), to organise the Air BP Sterling Pilot Scholarship because of its excellence in promoting the availability of scholarships to a wide public audience and its history of conducting a rigorous and fair selection process.

Platt added: “We will continue to invest in this programme in support of aspiring pilots and in support of our industry.”

Air BP has named the Scholarship, after its globally recognised fuel payment card, the Sterling card. The Sterling card provides easy access to fuel for thousands of clients and makes life simpler for private pilots, aircraft management companies and corporate flight departments at any of Air BP’s 800 locations globally.

Photo caption: All five Sterling Pilot Scholars gather at BP headquarters in Sunbury to celebrate five years of the Sterling Pilot Scholarship programme. Jon Platt, CEO Air BP (centre), Sonya Adams, MD Northern, Central and Western Europe, Air BP (left) and Olivia Stone, Global Operations Standards Manager, Air BP and current JIG Chair (right) with scholars, left to right: Kristoff Ahlner, Zoё Burnett, Stephen Daly, Robert Norris and Alex May.

About Air BP

As the aviation division of BP, Air BP is one of the world’s leading suppliers of aviation fuel products and services. We have been investing in the aviation industry for over 90 years to keep people flying safely around the world. We supply around 6.6 billion gallons of aviation fuel a year; fuelling over 6,000 flights a day at over 800 locations in more than 55 countries – that’s more than four planes a minute.

Our customers include commercial airlines, the military, business and private aircraft owners, airports and airfield operators. We have a wide range of services to support our fuel offer including the design, build and operation of fuelling facilities, technical consultancy and training, low carbon solutions, the Sterling Card for efficient general aviation refuelling and innovative digital platforms to increase efficiency and reduce risk.

For more information, go to www.airbp.com

Further enquiries:

Emerald Media, +44 1420 560094, liz.danner@emeraldmedia.co.uk

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Paul Cremer

My name is Paul Cremer, and this marks my 42nd year working within the business and general aviation industry. Over this time, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing a diverse array of sector activities, ranging from aircraft charter and management to air ambulance services, ground operations, air traffic control, airport management, technology implementation, and the outsourcing services I currently manage.

In my role focused on delivering advisory, technology, and outsourcing services to aviation customers, I handle a wide spectrum of responsibilities. This includes overseeing International Trip Support, Operations Control Centre Services (OCC), Continuing Airworthiness Management Service (CAMO), Airworthiness Reviews, ARC Services, Aircraft Delivery and Re-delivery Support Services, Maintenance Coordination Services including AOG, Tech Ops (Maintenance Control Centre), and managing myairops software products. As the Head of Aviation Delivery, I lead the customer-facing delivery of Technology & Outsourcing products and services for the market, drawing upon a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and industry connections within Gama Aviation’s Technology and Outsourcing Strategic Business Unit.

My journey into Business and General Aviation began during my teenage years while still in school. I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the industry, starting at a flying club, and later working at the Air Traffic Services Unit at Blackbushe Airport. There, I maintained the ATC Movement Logs in the Control Tower during weekends, solidifying my passion for aviation. Upon completing my schooling, I seized opportunities at Fairoaks Airport, where I began as Ground Crew while pursuing my Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer’s license. Advancements in my career led me to the role of Air Traffic Services Manager.

Since joining Gama Aviation in 1996, I’ve held various positions, including Operations Manager (Post Holder), Operations & Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager, Operations Delivery Manager, Head of Business Aviation Delivery, and currently, Head of Aviation Delivery. This role encompasses Gama Aviation Group’s Gama Aviation, myairops, and FlyerTech companies.

In 2023, I was honoured to be invited to serve as the Chair of the Operations Working Group for the British Business & General Aviation Association. This opportunity allows me to contribute to industry initiatives within BBGA’s membership of nearly 200 industry companies, focusing on challenges such as regulatory compliance, Air Services Agreements, technological advancements, workforce development, operational matters, and sustainability.

Marc Bailey

Marc Bailey has spent his entire career in aviation and has worked in most areas of Aviation Services with scheduled airlines, MRO’s, military contract support and latterly with associations, government, and its agencies.

Marc represents your position in Europe (even post Brexit) – as President of ECOGAS (European Council of General Aviation Support) which maintains a voice with EASA. All the major member states are represented on the ECOGAS board. With EASA restructuring its meetings with industry, ECOGAS is now well positioned to represent our position in all areas following industry partnerships with the European Independent Maintenance Group and with ARPAS the new drone and autonomous association.

Marc is chair of the UKASF (United Kingdom Airworthiness Strategic Forum) as part of an initiative to develop Aviation Services across all aviation activities. The UKASF pulls together airlines, MROs, Rotary, Drones, and commercial GA bodies to work with CAA and DfT. The objective is for industry to take the lead to drive strategic issues to benefit all parties. We are well positioned after four years to continue our good work and with the re-established role of Chief Surveyor in the CAA we have a good focal point to do this.

Marc chairs the CAA Finance and Services Forum which allows industry in the UK to discuss in the financial plans for the CAA and the value for money delivered by those funds paid by industry. This is a new and valuable new platform for all parties.

Under recent developments Marc has formed an alliance with, ARPAS, AOPA, BHA and BBGA so that we can strengthen our voice under a joint ‘GA 4 Biz’ banner. This alliance is working to do everything possible to represent the industry’s business interests with UK government and to help realise the Government’s desire to make UK General Aviation a Global Leader in a post Brexit environment. GA4Biz – GA4Biz

The next Generation initiatives with industry and government have continued to develop with the retention platform now evolving into the “Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform”. The platform now not only offers a vehicle for those offering and seeking posts in aviation, it also provides pathways with its TalentView portion seeking to provide pathways for new entrants into our sector. The recruitment platform is being further developed to include training opportunities across a wide range of providers, from government agencies through academic bodies. Getting our next generation activities right in the UK over the next couple of years is our single most important issue which we in aviation must grab with both hands. Marc is playing a central role to help develop many of these channels.

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