Stuart Peters has been appointed first officer with Gloucestershire airport-based The Little Jet Company.

Peters, aged 35, has wanted to be a pilot ever since he was at school. He saved for almost a decade, working in sales, so that he could do his commercial training.

"My father and I shared a love of aviation," he says. "I lost him when I was at university, but I always had his voice at the back of my mind, and it kept me driven. He wanted this for me too, and so did my mum. For a while I didn’t think it was going to happen. I’m the first pilot in my family."

He eventually gained a commercial pilot licence and is now enjoying his first job as a pilot, working for The Little Jet Company, which provides a personal and comprehensive executive jet service for business and leisure.

"It’s absolutely brilliant," he adds. "When they called me to say I had the job I couldn’t quite believe it. I got very emotional. I’m still pinching myself now. The job is so rewarding, and no two days are ever the same. One day I might be taking someone on a leisure trip with their family and the next I might be taking someone to a business meeting. One day I might be going into a big international airport and then the next I might be going into a smaller airfield. I like the variety.

"The Little Jet Company is amazing. Its customer care is superb. It goes above and beyond. I like meeting the customers. They can pull straight up to the aircraft with their vehicle, we load the bags and they get on and start enjoying the facilities on board."

Peters is based at Brighton City airport.