The Blades - Support Team


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Support Team

The Blades rely on both our pilots and our support team to help run our world-class displays and corporate events. Getting the aircraft to every display involves complicated route planning and accurate timings. Careful organisation is also required to get sufficient Ondina (our eco-friendly smoke), a commentator and sometimes even a change of clothes for the pilots to our display venues!

During a typical week, The Blades will create approximately two bespoke corporate flying events. With our conference facilities able to host from 4-1000 people, our corporate events team are kept busy, whether devising challenging activities, putting finishing touches to the exquisite cuisine or checking accommodation requirements. On top of this, we might have organised Tiger Moths, Harrier flypasts, Air Combat Simulators, Wing-Walkers, Helicopters or even a private jet as part of the event at our client's airfield of choice.

We are a small, flexible and extremely successful team. As well as the pilots, there are others who play a vital role…

James Cliff – Public Relations Executive
Maryke Cooper - Administration Support
Louise Mackintosh – Head of Ground Support
John Marshall - Chef

The Pilots

Find out about the heritage of the pilots

The Blades Zone

Download the latest video

Being an Airline

How it all works

James Cliff

Born into an RAF Family, James has always had a passion for aviation. James was educated at Stamford School and then went on to study at The University of Leeds where he obtained a BSc in Environmental Science. An enthusiastic flyer himself, James obtained his PPL at the age of 19 and has now amassed some 75 hours on the Cessna 152. He also built up 35 hours flying the Grob Tutor whilst he was a member of the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron. James joined The Blades as their Public Relations Executive in March 2010 and has thoroughly enjoyed his 2 seasons with The Team. James is already looking ahead and planning events for the 2012 calendar.

Maryke Cooper - Administration Support

Maryke was born and educated in Bloemfontein, South Africa, where she matriculated at Greenhill Girls School. After her marriage to Simon they moved to Pretoria where she worked in the retail industry as a Branch Administrator for a national stationery company. In 2002 the family emigrated to the UK and settled in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire before moving to Rushden, Northamptonshire. Before working for 2Excel Aviation she worked in the Trade Mark Department for Unilever in Colworth.

Louise Mackintosh – Head of Ground Support

Louise grew up in Dublin and attained a HND in Travel, Tourism and Linguistics (German and French). After College she went to live in Vienna for two years working part time as an au-pair and also as a travel adviser in a busy city centre travel agency. She then moved back to Dublin where she worked briefly doing business travel for a top Irish travel agency before joining British Airways in 1988. Her career with BA has included both promotional work and also extensive customer service training. Louise heads up the ground support team and looks after the team of hostesses.

John Marshall – Chef

John always knew he wanted to be a chef - rather like the pilots always knew they wanted to fly. He trained straight after leaving school at the Royal Naval home of Lord Mountbatten before spending nearly six years cooking on submarines. He then went on to work for a leading hotel chain as Catering Manager before working freelance for some of London's best catering companies. In 1998 he set up The Caterers and now caters for as many as 8000 people a week including corporate events and private functions for the stars. Find out more information on The Caterers.