Staff Spotlight – Mike Hoft
Role – Deputy Chief Flight Instructor
With an impressive track record of training pilots across the UK, Mike Hoft recently joined Skyborne as Deputy Chief Flight Instructor in Gloucester. Bringing extensive instructional experience and a commitment to helping aspiring pilots succeed, Mike is already making an impact on our training team. We caught up with him to discuss his aviation journey and what drew him to Skyborne.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your aviation background and what brought you to Skyborne?
“I’ve spent most of my career in flight training, working with a number of training organisations over the years. Most recently I was Chief Flight Instructor at another flight school here at Gloucestershire Airport, which gave me a good grounding in running the training side of an organisation as well as the flying itself. I’m a current Multi-Engine Instrument Rating instructor and also hold a CAA examiner authorisation. I joined Skyborne in August 2026 as Deputy Chief Flight Instructor because I wanted to be part of an academy focused on producing airline pilots to a really high standard, and it was a chance to bring that experience to a team with real ambition. Career progression, fair rostering and a company who listens and genuinely cares about their employees were also huge factors for me in joining Skyborne.”
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
“There isn’t really a typical day, which is a huge part of the appeal. I’m instructing most days, either in the Diamond DA 42 aircraft or in our simulators. Around that there’s standards work, meetings with various people both within and outside the business, supporting my instructors and supporting trainees.”
Q: What made you choose instructing as your career?
“Like most trainees, I started down the airline route but quickly realised that this wasn’t something which was appealing for me personally. I saw how my instructor took such pride in and enjoyed his work, and he suggested that I consider a career in Flight Instruction. So, I finished my training, booked onto the next instructor course I could find, and haven’t looked back since!
There’s endless progression too, more qualifications, examiner ratings, which make the career so varied and enjoyable.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with trainee pilots?
“Seeing the penny drop. Instrument flying, in particular, can feel overwhelming at first, and there’s a point where a trainee stops chasing the aircraft and starts flying ahead of it. When a trainee finally says things like “I get that pushing the head and pulling the tail thing now!”, it really does make it all worth it. Watching that happen and then seeing them go on to pass their tests and get their first airline job, never gets old.”
Q: What are the key qualities you believe make a successful airline pilot?
“Discipline, honest self-assessment and good communication stand out, and so does being a thinking pilot: someone who understands why they’re doing something, not just how, and can work through a situation that doesn’t match the checklist. Personality matters too. You might spend four hours on a flight deck with someone you’ve never met, so being easy to work with and good company counts for a lot.
Being consistently well-prepared matters far more than natural talent, and those are exactly the habits airlines look for.”
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring pilots who are looking to join Skyborne?
“Firstly, come and see us! We hold regular open days for prospective trainees to give an insight into Skyborne and how we operate. Once you’re through the doors, treat the course as your job from the start. Arrive prepared, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to say when something isn’t clicking, because that’s what your instructors are here for. Look after yourself too: sleep, fitness and a bit of fun outside training all make a real difference to how you perform.”
Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of aviation?
“I love the outdoors, walking in the Cotswolds with my fiancée and our dog. I also like to sail and that was actually my first instructing job as a teenager – teaching sailing! I recently got engaged so I suppose I’ve got to make Wedding Planning my hobby now!”
Interested in shaping the future of aviation and inspiring tomorrow’s flight crew?
Explore our current Flight Instructor opportunities and discover what a career at Skyborne could look like for you. https://skyborne.com/uk/training-careers/
