Dave Ritchie

Dave Ritchie is a highly experienced aviation professional with a career spanning over three decades. Currently serving as a Qualified Flying Instructor at Ascent Flight Training since February 2018, Ritchie delivers Basic Flying Training and oversees the Fast Jet pipeline for the United Kingdom's Military Flying Training System. In parallel, Ritchie acts as an Aviation Consultant for the UK F-35B Lightning II Project Team, focusing on aircrew support and technical evaluation. Previous roles include technical consultation and business development with Tex ATC Division, as well as extensive contributions to the QEC Aircraft Carrier Project as an Engineering Project Manager at Thales. Ritchie's military background includes serving as a Royal Navy Reserve Hawk pilot and Senior Pilot of 801 Naval Air Squadron, along with experience as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy. Ritchie’s education includes credentials from Dartmouth and the RAF Central Flying School.