Advertising feature Airport Dedicated Jonathan is a real high flyer
If you believe, you can achieve - that’s the view of Ryanair pilot Jonathan McCoy.
Jonathan, who lives in Troon, originally worked at Glasgow Prestwick in handling.
But now he’s in command of aircraft departing from and arriving at Ayrshire’s airport.
A former pupil of Marr College, he said: “The airport has always been a part of my life.
“When I was younger, you’d often see Concorde flying around, and I suppose that may have been what started off my interest in flying.
“When I left school, I got a job at Hunterston Power Station, although I’d always fancied being a pilot. My dad was determined to get me out the house!
“I was struggling to get the funding to train to become a pilot, as there wasn’t much sponsorship around when I started out.
“I ended up applying for a job here at the airport and ended up in flight operations and dispatch - it was fantastic, getting me closer to the aircraft.
“It was good in the flight operations department, as you become aware of the different aspects that a lot of new pilots possibly aren’t aware of - I’ve seen it from different sides now.
“I did work with cargo aircraft and the military.
“I loved it, but I didn’t let on that I wanted to do this and become a pilot.”
It was during his time working at Glasgow Prestwick that Jonathan met someone who would change his life.
He grins: “I actually met my wife Pauline here. She works for the cabin crew at Ryanair.
“She helped me to become a pilot. I was working with the full- time job, and when I wasn’t I was either studying or flying. She supported me all the way. I really didn’t have a life for a year- and- a- half to two years. I did all my flying with Prestwick Flying Club and the Prestwick Flying Centre, starting with single engine craft and working my way up to twin engines.
“All the training I got was excellent, and I was able to build up my hours.
“I think I spent about £ 45,000 to do it, and in the end, got my qualification.”
Jonathan was determined to join Ryanair and fly from his local airport, which he ultimately achieved.
He said: “I started off as a first officer. I was based in Charleroi in Belgium for my first few months, and the training was first class from exSabena pilots.
“After you’ve spent two or three years as first officer, you can then be put forward to become a captain. That was at Stanstead, and once I had passed that, after two or three weeks, I got a phone call to tell me I was going to be based at Prestwick, which was ideal, especially as it’s so close to home!”
Jonathan and his colleagues are given their schedules each month, with five days on then four days off.
He said: “There’s so many factors that you have to take into consideration when you’re captain.
“You know when you’re flying out to Spain that 99 times out of 100, the weather is going to be good, but when you fly back into Prestwick, you can be coming into the wind and rain, although in the summer, it’s generally pretty nice.
“But when you go to places like the Canaries, there’s things like the wind to take into consideration - that’s just one of the factors.”
However, he’s not just flying with passengers, as Jonathan regularly takes up aircraft which have been in for maintenance at Ryanair’s fiveberth hangar at Glasgow Prestwick.
He explained: “That’s really interesting, as you take a plane up for its first flight after everything has been stripped out, and then put back in again.
“I’ve been told by engineers who work elsewhere that Ryanair’s maintenance is one of the best, if not the best, in the industry.”
Jonathan added: “Every day is different.
“But there’s lot of things you get in this job that you just couldn’t buy. Sometimes you get to see meteors exploding in the atmosphere. When you’re flying over Birmingham, you can sometimes see Glasgow and Edinburgh. You get to see the Northern Lights. It’s a great job. I love it.”
Jonathan’s a prime example of someone who has achieved by putting in the sheer hard work required.
Fancy a career with your local airport ? Please visit Glasgowprestwick. com/ vacancies