Strat Aero plc (LON:AERO), an international aerospace company focused on the rapidly emerging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (“UAV”) sector, announced the appointment of Mark Wharry to the Company as Director of Commercial UAS Training & Education. Mr Wharry joins Strat Aero after nearly 15 years in the Royal Air Force, during which time he became the UK Armed Forces’ most highly-qualified unmanned aircraft instructor.
Mr Wharry is an extremely experienced flying instructor, having originally graduated from the RAF’s Central Flying School in 2005 and specialised in instructional roles throughout his career. While in the RAF, he flew Tornado GR4 fast jets in numerous locations around the world, including on combat missions in Afghanistan. For his last tours in the RAF, he volunteered to fly Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, and converted to the MQ-9 Reaper RPAS alongside the USAF in New Mexico, USA. After his time in the US he was posted to the UK as the RAF’s Officer Commanding Standards and Evaluation for the UK Reaper Force and latterly as the RAF’s Officer commanding UK Reaper Training.
Mr Wharry was the Central Flying School’s first ever “A” grade Qualified Pilot Instructor on an unmanned aircraft, and designed and managed the training for new RAF pilots converting to RPAS. As the Force’s most senior instructor, he had responsibility for checking and assessing all pilot instructors on the Force, as well as standardising each front-line squadron on an annual basis.
Mr Wharry ‘s appointment reflects the Company’s commitment to rolling out its commercial UAV pilot training programmes both in the UK and globally in partnership with leading educational establishments such as the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (‘LKW’), a leading international technology university.
Ian McLure, CEO of Strat Aero plc, said “Mark’s experience and expertise in the field will prove vital to the Company as he heads up our training division, manages the Company’s UK National Qualified Entity activities, and delivers Strat Aero’s ongoing and expanding training activities in Asia. Mark has extensive experience in training design, syllabus management, instructing and examining in the aviation world. In the UAV sector, his instructional expertise is unparalleled, and he has worked with numerous aviation training companies and governments in syllabus planning, instructor training and course design. In our view being able to attract an individual with the relevant expertise and pedigree of Mark is testament to the strength of our UAV training offering, and we are focused on capitalising on this to establish Strat as the premium provider of commercial UAV pilot education and qualification globally.”
