Bill Ramsey

Bill Ramsey is one of the most revered pilots in the world, the man in charge of the last Vulcan flight ever, Ramsey is not only a household name without aviation but also a renowned after-dinner speaker. A former Wing Commander that accrued in excess of 6,500 hours of flying throughout his career in the Royal Air Force which spanned across four decades, Bill has flown a unique collection of aircraft: from the World War Two Lancaster operated by the famed Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to Cold War V-bombers and fast jets including the Harrier, Tornado and Hawk.

Serving as a Wing Commander Red Arrows for four years, during this time the RAF Aerobatic Team made its first appearance behind the former Iron Curtain, an experience that is often spoken of by Ramsey during his work as a speaker. Donating his spare time as Director of Operations for The Peoples Mosquito, a UK charity working towards returning the famed Mossie or Wooden Wonder to UK skies. His career is one characterised by perseverance and tenacious pursuit of personal goals – to first become a fast jet pilot and then a display pilot. An inspiring motivational speaker that has been somewhat of a visionary and revolutionary throughout his aviation career, the highly impressive Bill Ramsey is certain to be a fantastic speaker for any occasion when hired through the Champions Speakers Agency.

Having commenced his operational flying with the iconic Vulcan bomber in the mid-1970s, Bill Ramsey returned to the aircraft in 2011 when he joined the Vulcan to the Sky Trusts display team, entertaining hundreds of thousands of spectators every year before flying XH558 on her final farewell UK tour in 2015. A marvellous spectacle enjoyed by large audiences, Ramsey has been often been the man behind those artistic, acrobatic and brilliant displays.

As well as serving in the UK, Bill Ramsey also served overseas in Germany and Saudi Arabia, visiting more countries than he can count in various appointments allowing him to provide tales and anecdotes from across the globe making for fascinating content for guests in attendance. Ramsey’s final flying tour was as the senior supervisor to the Red Arrows, accompanying the Team on many memorable occasions – particularly tours to Canada, the Middle and the Far East. He rounded off a long RAF career as a Full-Time Reservist Qualified Flying Instructor on the Grob Tutor at Cranwell, where he was the RAF Solo Aerobatic Pilot for the Tutor in 2009-10. At the start of the 2011 season, he returned to Vulcan flying with the crew of XH558 and was the last aircraft captain for the final flight in October 2015.

Bringing his outstanding experience, operational knowledge and a pilot’s perspective to events, it is no surprise that Bill Ramey brings tremendous value to both the Mosquito Group and functions where he is often hired as a speaker. A phenomenal speaker that is able to bring flight to life having been a master of his craft and flying in excess of 35 aircraft variations, the inspiring and engaging Bill Ramsey, the final pilot to fly the celebrated Vulcan is available to hire as a speaker through the Champions Speakers agency.