Pablo Mason believes his combined public relations and flying skills could lead to seeing out his career in private charter. "I believe that people should enjoy the experience of flying in addition to receiving an efficient service," says Mason.

Mason, whose wife runs a hotel business in Leamington Spa, England, also hopes in 2008 to "right the wrong" of his dismissal as a senior pilot with MyTravel Airways after allowing footballer Robbie Savage on the flight deck.

Mason was piloting a MyTravel Airbus A320 on a private charter from Finland to Manchester with the football team and directors of Blackburn Rovers, who were returning from their 1-0 UEFA Cup victory over Finland's MyPa-47. Savage requested the flight deck visit because he thought it would help ease his fear of flying and the footballer made a personal plea to MyTravel to reconsider its decision. Mason says everyone on board knew each other and he did not put the flight at risk. But MyTravel accused Mason, 57, of breaching security regulations and Mason says the case will now go before an industrial tribunal.

"There needs to be a satisfactory closure of this matter but my priority is to resume the work I love which is to fly passengers to their business or holiday destinations," says Mason. "The private charter market currently has a high demand for experienced pilots and would be a great sector in which to see out my career."

Mason initially trained and qualified on helicopters before making the transition to fighter aircraft. He was one of 24 RAF Tornado crews detached to Saudi Arabia during the build-up to Operation Desert Storm, with the specific brief to knock out Iraqi bases by bombing runways.

Mason later wrote a book titled Pablo's War and flew as a senior pilot for MyTravel Airways, the charter airline division of the holiday company, until his dismissal. Mason joined the Royal Air Force after going into the Air Training Corps as a teenager. He also trained and qualified on helicopters and has run courses designed to help people with a fear of flying.