MIKE WILDEMAN - Team Leader

Below knee amputee Mike leads the team. Mike’s
background is that of a tactical C130 pilot with the
RAF & the Belgian Air Force. He saw active service
in the First Gulf War, Bosnia, Somalia and Rwanda.

For the last twenty five years Mike has been an
airline pilot serving as an Airbus A330/A340  Aircraft
Commander with Virgin Atlantic Airways.
He is hoping to become the worlds first amputee
Captain flying the Airbus A350.

Mike is also a part time A320 Type Rating instructor
Examiner with Wizz Air…Europe’s new low cost
carrier & the L3 Harris Airline Training Academy in
London.

Mike lead “Bader’s Bus Company“ the UKs first
disabled air display team which flew a successful
UK air show season in 2019.

ALAN ROBINSON - Wingman

Alan is currently an engineer with the Royal Air
Force  serving on the Sentry AWAC squadron
at RAF Waddington. Alan is an above knee
amputee & learnt to fly as part of the Douglas
Bader Foundation sponsorship scheme. 

Alan originally flew flex wing microlights with
the Flying For Freedom programme.

He was selected to be the first amputee pilot
to solo a Spitfire during a training programme
with Boultbee Academy in Goodwood in 2016.

Alan was the number two pilot with “Bader’s
Bus Company” in 2019.

His ambition is to be the worlds first disabled
Spitfire display pilot. 

SHERRILL SEMPLE - Trainee Pilot

Sherrill Semple has a keen interest in Aviation
and learnt to fly as a result of a Scholarship with
Flying scholarships for disabled people (FSDP)
in 2014 and has since gone on to become part
of the team with the charity as Fundraising
Co- ordinator. 

Sherrill has HSP. (Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia)
Lower limb spasticity diagnosed at 26 causing
weakness in legs and hips. In spite of her disability
Sherrill has achieved so much and Aviation truly
saved her.

Sherrill is a member of the Air Pilots Guild and a
member of the British Women’s Pilot association
(BWPA) a keen advocate of Women in Aviation as
well as Patron of Liverpool University Air Squadron. 

Sherrill joined Team Phoenix in the spring of 2021
and is currently undergoing aerobatic flight training.