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Steve Boxall started flying career in his teenage years when he helped out local hot-air balloon pilots near his home in Bristol, eventually getting his pilots licence at the age of 19.  After many years as a balloon pilot and instructor, flying everything from special shapes to ride balloons, he thought that the gyros were far too good to leave to James Bond so built a single-seat gyro in his garage. 

 

A few years later he became the first person in the UK to own one of the new generation factory-built gyroplanes, and the first flying instructor to operate one.  His involvement with Magni Gyro started with a trip to the factory to fly the then-new M24.  "I knew the M24 was the future" he said, "so I went to try one out.  While I was there Luca and Pietro Magni badgered me in to flying the M16.  I was instantly hooked, and ordered one as soon as I got home.  The rest, as they say, is history."

 

Steve is a UK Gyroplane Instructor, Examiner and FIC (an instructor of instructors), is an LAA inspector and is one of only three people to hold a UK Gyroplane Commercial Pilots Licence.  He also holds FAA and EASA CPL, Instrument and Multi Engine ratings for aeroplanes.  He is most at home strapped in to the back seat of his M16 in the skies around his base at Popham Airfield in Hampshire.  

Andy Jones started his association with aircraft in the RAF, where he was one of the famous "Halton Apprentices" receiving world-class engineering training.  He worked on multiple aircraft types including the Phantom and Typhoon fast jets and the Puma helicopter.  Whilst in the RAF Andy first learned how to fly microlights and made many epic flights through Europe in basic rag-and-tube aircraft.  During this time he met Steve Boxall at Wickenby airfield and the rest is history! He learned how to fly gyroplanes and trained as an instructor, going full-time when he left the RAF.

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Since becoming involved with gyros he has taken part in a documentary with the late great Ken Wallis and is now a trustee of the Wallis Trust. He also recently appeared in an episode of Grace's Amazing Machines on CBeebies.  In a previous life he raced motorcycles, including a noteworthy performance in the Isle of Man TT.  His Moto Guzzi has an easier life now that he spends most of his time flying the M16 and M24 from his school at Chiltern Park in Oxfordshire.

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Andy is one of the UK's busiest gyroplane flying instructors, is a UK CAA appointed Gyroplane Examiner and is a CAA A3-7 Gyroplane Engineer.  He loves to tour in his gyros and is frequently to be found at Le Touquet and other parts foreign in his M16.

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