Philip Ranger

I was born in Harrow Weald in North West London. and brought up in Stanmore, an RAF billeting location. After school in Harrow and Somerset l went to Guy’s Hospital qualifying in 1972. A number of family are doctors and there are also links to the RAF via my brother and father. Initially, after a number of hospital jobs, l entered general practice in Whetstone N.20 , a small 2 person practice which l did for around eight years.

At that time my late wife was working in South East Asia as a professional dance choreographer and living in Hong Kong. I moved out to Hong Kong in 1985 and worked there until 1997 (six months after the ‘handover’) as a G.P. During my time there l was fortunate in securing a contract to look after all the Cathay Pacific pilots living on Hong Kong island. It was at this time that l became aware of a rapidly increasing interest in aviation through my contact with pilots, their problems relating to health and work and the demands of their jobs. I was also fortunate in spending many hours on the flight deck in and out of H.K. including the famous Kai Tak ‘chequerboard’.

On returning to U.K. the CMO’s of Cathay recommended that l might approach Dr Peter Chapman for locum work which l did. We worked at Gatwick together and then, for two years, at Heathrow. The plan was that take over the practice then as Dr Chapman was of an age where the CAA were requiring retirement. The rules changed however and, as many of you will know, Dr Chapman continued working until 2014. At that time he very kindly handed over his flourishing practice which l was proud to continue while building up my own new clientele. Unfortunately we were forced to move from our original location near Lingfield after a year but have very happily transferred to Redhill aerodrome.

Outside of work, when not attending airshows, l have a number of interests. I grow Bonsai trees, ‘Singing for Fun’ and try and do some Calligraphy. My partner Jane was an accomplished actor in amateur dramatics and, together we started film extra work in 2012, though have only been together on four productions. Films l have particularly enjoyed are ‘Les Miserables’. ‘Woolfe Hall’, ‘Theory of Everything‘ ’24’ ‘The Foreigner (out Autumn 2017′ , ‘Cuffs’ and ‘The Muppets Untamed’among others!

In 2008 l did 6 1/2 hours formal flying instruction at TG aviation at Manston but then developed an illness which forced me to stop for a while. While recovering l was very kindly let loose on the controls of a large number of SEP’s and on R22, R44 and ‘Jet Ranger’ helicopters. Also courtesy of some extremely generous instructors l have been on the flight decks of 737, 757, 747 (-200 and 400) and A320 simulators. Now at Redhill l am planning to restart formal training. l have a very great love of anything and everything relating to aviation making my job as an AME both stimulating and totally enjoyable.

My philosophy is simple; “If safe, let’s keep you or get you flying”.

Philip Ranger
AME 10337