Meet the team

News

Meet the team We say hello to two new members of The Log Board FirsTt Officer Jordan Webb he tabloid newsroom is a frightening and unforgiving place, but it was where I cut my teeth as a young journalist. A thick skin was the most valuable asset you could possess. I was nicknamed ‘the child’ of the office, and mocked for my lack of showbiz know-how and understanding of politics. These days, I prefer to go by the name of Jordan, and it’s a pleasure to join The Log. Now based in Manchester as a first officer on the Boeing 737-800, my route to the right-hand seat has been far from dull. The two professions are surprisingly similar: deadlines for content submission; scrambling to make a CTOT, endless research into new stories, hours spent in the books during a type- rating. And the gossip! Graduating from university, I freelanced for a number of inflight magazines before settling as a print and digital sub-editor at a national tabloid, where the bright city lights and absurd newsroom culture took just five years to sap the drive and passion from my eye-opening career as a hack. To bridge the gap between media and aviation, I flew as cabin crew for 12 months, testing my suitability for a life of 3am alarms and sporadic shift patterns, before committing to the challenge of flight training (and the hefty price tag that usually accompanies it). Qualifying from FTA in Brighton, I found my first flying job as a pilot assistant for the Isle of Man air ambulance, before landing the job I’m so very fortunate to hold. To merge my two careers into one is a fantastic opportunity, especially now the role of our union and its support networks are more important than ever. FirsMt Officer Tori Bottomley y background lies in publishing but, like many of you, I got the flying bug at university. A few years later, I found myself with my head – quite literally – in the clouds. A Surrey girl born and bred, I studied English and worked in the editorial team for Penguin Random House in London until my flying journey began. I had fun working with crime fiction and action thrillers, meeting and corresponding with some brilliant authors, but I still craved an adventure of my own. My route into the air began with the mighty Grob Tutor in the University Air Squadron, which I’m sure many readers will be well familiar with. After that, I studied in Coventry and New Zealand with L3 CTS to get my MPL, before finally settling in Cheshire to fly from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. I’ve been in the aviation game for nearly two years now, and am currently flying around the skies of Europe as a first officer with Easyjet (although not as much as I would like these days!). I’m a lover of all things vintage and am an absolute fangirl of the 1940s Amy Johnson clan, the Air Transport Auxiliary. When I’m not battling with Bose headsets and victory rolls, I spend a lot of my time writing, and currently contribute to www.aircraftcompare.com. The Log has always been a household name for me and, after years of pinching it out of my father’s flight bag, it now rests in my own – or at least on my iPad at the moment. It is an absolute pleasure to be contributing to this issue, and I’m very excited to be part of The Log’s wonderful team. THE LOG BOARD