Richard Grace

Richard started flying young, his first flight was at just two weeks old in the family Stampe SV4C. He first held the controls of the same aircraft at 7 and was taking off and landing by 15. He achieved his flying licence at 19 and flew his first air display in his Cassutt Racer at the Red Bull air race at Longleat. Richard's father Nick had rebuilt the family Spitfire TIX, ML407 and finished it before he was a year old and he has grown up in the warbird industry. Richard first flew the Spitfire at 23 and has gone on to fly a number of other warbird types as well as being the leader of the Trig Aerobatic Team who successfully flew their Pitts Special biplanes at air displays throughout the UK and Europe. He operates all aircraft under the organisation Ulimate Warbird Flights and flies the Buchon as part of the Ultimate Fighters Display Team. Richard is the director, and chief engineer, of Air Leasing LTD based at Sywell which specialises in all aspects WWII fighters. Over the past 10 years Richard has travelled the world carrying out pre-purchase inspections and shipping aircraft, both in containers and as oversize open shipments. Richard brokered his first vintage aircraft at 19 and has continued to broker, and also source, vintage aircraft for various clients worldwide.