Meet The Team

Jill Develin – Jill is a highly experienced and skilled Flight Instructor/Examiner and a commercial Airline Pilot with over 29,000 flying hours.Specialising in Flight Instructor training and CPL/IR (Commercial and Instrument Rating Training), Jill is Senior Flight Examiner and is always ready to give advice and help you through your training. She is also the Compliance Manager for Redhill Aviation Flight Centre.

Zahurul Islam – Head of Training. “Islam” (as he is known) and his wife Jill Develin originally set up the flying school back in 1984. Although under new ownership since 2014, Islam is still involved with Redhill Aviation Flight Centre as Head of Training, giving advice and guidance and performing the odd flight renewal or exam when required.

John Petersen – Flying Instructor. John used to be Chief flying instructor at Shoreham for Islam before leaving in 2005 to fly business jets. After retiring from the Royal Oman Police Aviation Wing he has come back to pass on his knowledge to our students. John is able to teach PPL, CPL, IR and Multi-Engine as well as being an examiner.

Finian Salter – Part time Flying Instructor. Fin studied at Kingston University for a degree in Aviation & was fortunate to win the Air Pilot scholarship which sponsored his Flying Instructor training. This was carried out here at Redhill Aviation with Jill Develin. When he is not flying, Fin works on flight ops for a charter company out of Biggin Hill. Fin says: “I am absolutely loving teaching students the joy of flight, flying from picturesque Redhill and being part of the delightful Redhill Aviation family.”

Mark Jeffries – Weekend Flying Instructor. After getting a taste for aviation in the Air Training Corps at the age of 14, Mark decided that being a pilot was for him. He achieved his PPL in 2006, and wanted to progress his flying career further. With no interest in looking for an airline career, Mark chose to become an instructor. After completing his CPL, he obtained his instructor rating in 2014. Mark also holds a helicopter CPL and instructor rating, as well as fixed wing aerobatic and when not flying something else enjoying some tail wheel flying in the Cessna 120 group Mark has a share in.

Simon Canacott – Flying Instructor. Simon is our resident artist and you will find some of his work on our photos page. Simon holds a CPL and has helped many students on their way to gaining their PPL. Simon instructs on a part-time basis and enjoys flying aerobatics too!

Geoff Pyke – Flying Instructor. Geoff started his career as an instructor, has flown all the classic jets including the 747 and has now returned to instructing. He offers his vast knowledge on a part-time basis.

Ken Harpur – Ken first got the flying bug aged 16 in the Air Cadets. He initially became an instructor on a Volunteer Gliding School, then followed the civil instruction route into the airlines. After a break from teaching (due to a young family) Ken returned in 2016 to join the Redhill Aviation team as an instructor.

Simon Collins – Part Time Instructor. Had his first flying lesson at 14 and never looked back! Normally found riding the jet streams high above the Atlantic, Simon enjoys sharing his love for flying with our student pilots offering heaps of top tips he’s picked up along the way. An avid enthusiast of historic aircraft, Simon also volunteers and flies for a WWII restoration organisation in the US. Carrying over his knowledge from this, Simon is the go-to for any foreign license conversions.

Dan Martin – Part Time Instructor, Part time Easyjet First Officer. Dan started flying at Redhill to complete his flight instructors rating with Jill in August 2020 and has subsequently stayed on a part time contract at Easyjet in order to keep instructing with us as well. Dan along with Harry Grassom helps run the ground school at Redhill.

Randy Harricharan – Full time instructor. Randy started flying in the PA-28 and in 2019 completed his FI course with us. One of our resident photographers he is responsible for many of the pictures on this website (including this page!). Randy instructs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and weekends.

Harry Grassom – Full time instructor. Harry is one of our full time weekday instructors, working Monday-Friday. Alongside Dan, he runs our groundschool courses for the PPL.

Our Mascot, Eadie – Eadie is a “Sproodle” and was born in November 2017. She is owned by our flying instructor Mark Jeffries. She is looking forward to her first flight, but in the meantime enjoys sleeping on the sofa and eating the odd Rich Tea biscuit when she’s been very, very good.

“30 Minute Aerobatic Experience – I was bought a gift aerobatic flight experience and wow. It was only half an hour of flying but what a great time, Simon my pilot was great, not only very skilled as a pilot but very humble, and a great sense of humour that made the whole experience even better. I would 100% recommend this company and their skilled pilots . Thank you.“
Jason A, 3 August 2018