Meet The Team
Ollie Desforges
Health and Safety Manager
Ollie has worked in aviation for over 15 years and currently works for an international airline flying long-haul on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He completed his first solo on the Vigilant motor glider while on a gliding scholarship with the air cadets. After which, he then stayed on with the gliding school and became a gliding instructor. He then went on to get his professional licence at FTE Jerez before joining a UK regional airline flying the Dash-8 Q400 Turbo Prop. After being stationed at various locations around the UK, he eventually ended up in Glasgow as a Line Training Captain and working for the Flight Safety Department before moving on to flying the 787. His favourite destination is Japan.
David Boyle
Director & Owner
David has been involved in aviation for over 12 years and works for an international European airline flying short to medium haul on the Boeing 737-800. He completed his first solo on the Cessna 152 during his PPL(A) at Barton airfield. He then went on to get his professional licence via the modular route studying at CAE Oxford Aviation, Bartolini Air and Simtech before joining an Irish airline flying to destinations all over Europe. He established Ascent Aviation Ltd in 2018 to create a community that promotes, helps and inspires aviation enthusiasts, young and old from all backgrounds.
Lisa Callaghan
Operations Manager
From checking-in for your flight until the final landing, Lisa strives to make sure each and every one of our customers receive a first class experience with us at Ascent Aviation. Lisa graduated from the University of Stirling with a bachelor’s degree in Geography and decided to join Flybe, in 2015, as Cabin Crew. Like many, Lisa caught the flying bug and fell in love with working in the skies. She was based in Edinburgh, flying on the Dash 8 Q400, for over 4 years before she pursued her travelling dream by joining Virgin Atlantic where she was trained to fly on the B787, A350, A340 and A330 from London Heathrow. The Covid-19 pandemic clipped Lisa’s wings and she joined Ascent Aviation as our full-time Bookings & Events Manager where she still loves to deliver a first class service to our customers in the (virtual) skies!
Tony Clark
Instructor (B737 & A320)
Tony currently flies the Airbus A320 aircraft for an international airline flying both short and medium haul routes. After leaving school he obtained his private pilots license and went on to study aeronautical engineering. Shortly after graduating he moved to New Zealand to complete his professional license through CTC Aviation. On returning to the UK he was offered a flying job and subsequently spent a number of years at various locations around the UK, before finally getting the opportunity to return back to Glasgow, where he is currently based. Tony still has fond memories of his first solo, which was here at Glasgow and despite having flown throughout Europe and the USA and providing the Scottish weather allows, he is still biased towards Scotland when it comes to his favourite views whilst flying.
Matthew McCaw
Instructor (B737 & A320)
Matthew has wanted to be a pilot as long as he can remember, following in his great grandfather’s footsteps who was a Training Captain for BOAC. His mother and grandmother both had spells as cabin crew too so he likes to think it runs in his blood. He had his first flight for his 16th birthday and then moved to Dundee to get his PPL(A) at 18. His first solo was in a Piper PA-28. He then moved to Perthshire to complete his commercial license training and then went out to Dublin to finish the final training course at Simtech. Qualifying in 2021, COVID has meant that Matthew is still waiting for his first airline job but that doesn’t stop him wanting to welcome customers to our B737 and A320 simulators and ensuring each person leaves with a smile on their face.
Sean Gunn
Instructor (B737 & A320)
Sean started his flying career when he was 23 years old. Having left school with an Engineering eduction, he then pursued his path towards becoming an airline pilot by gaining his Private Pilots Licence at ACS Aviation in Perth. Sean then went on to expand his flying skills by flying all over Poland on the Katana DA20. After returning home to Scotland, he then completed his Multi Engine Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilots Licence at ACS Aviation in Perth. Throughout the difficult times that have came with COVID-19, Sean has continued to show his passion for aviation by delivering a first class flight experience to all customers as one of our full-time instructors who is dual trained on both the B737NG and A320 simulators.
Steve Slater
Instructor (B737)
Steve has been an aviation enthusiast since he was 5 years old which led on to him joining the Air Cadets in 2006. After gaining his PPL from Sherburn, Yorkshire, he then continued his Commercial training and Instrument Rating abroad in Sweden at Diamond Flight Academy during the Winter of 2019. He is currently employed by a UK based airline in Glasgow on the Boeing 737 and works part time instructing at Ascent Aviation.
Maarten van Leeuwen
Instructor (B737)
Maarten has been active in the Aviation Industry since 2015 after graduating from the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in Amsterdam. In 2015 he moved to Scotland to start his career with Flybe on the Dash 8 Q400. At the end of 2017, Maarten moved back to his home country to fly the B737NG for Transavia based at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport flying all over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. In 2020, Maarten joined British Airways on the Queen of the Skies, the B747, but unfortunately, he was not able to finish his training due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, Maarten has returned to the skies operating cargo flights on the B737NG and Classic. When Maarten is not flying from his base airport in Belgium, he works part-time at Ascent Aviation sharing his experience on the B737 with all our customers.
Eunan McColgan
Instructor (B737)
Eunan has been in commercial aviation for 8 years and is currently a First Officer on the Boeing 737 for a large holiday airline. During school he was a member of the Air Cadets before studying Aeronautical Engineering and joining the Universities of Glasgow & Strathclyde Air Squadron. He then gained a place on a part-sponsored ATPL course, going on to fly as a First Officer and then Captain on the Dash 8-Q400 based in Glasgow before joining his current airline. So far, his career highlight has been spending the winter based in Montreal, Canada, flying the B737 to destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico.