What Spitfires.com does

Spitfires.com, legally Boultbee Flight Academy Ltd, is a UK-based private company that operates the country's only nationwide network of paid Spitfire flight experiences. Founded in 2010 by Martin Phillips and headquartered at Goodwood Aerodrome in Chichester, West Sussex, the company runs a fleet of five WWII-era Supermarine Spitfires (three two-seat TR9s and two single-seat Mk IXs) from ten historic airfields across England, Scotland, Wales, and the Channel Islands. It was the first company in the world to obtain CAA approval to carry paying passengers in two-seat Spitfires and to operate an accredited Spitfire pilot training academy, creating the regulatory pathway it now leads.

The company's product portfolio centers on passenger flights (£3,250–£11,500 per experience), accompanied by the world's only Mk IX simulator built from original wartime cockpit parts, Spitfire display pilot training courses (£37,500–£75,000), Fly Alongside formation flights in a GA-8 Airvan, private Spitfire displays at events, and CAA-approved engineering and maintenance services. Underlying technology includes a 220-degree dome simulator with motion feedback, 360° cockpit video recording delivered via YouTube, and a fleet of combat-veteran aircraft with documented WWII histories that double as authentic experiences and content assets. The company also broker Spitfire sales (e.g., a Mk IX restoration project listed at £3M) and provides engineering for third-party warbird operators.

Revenue is generated on a direct-to-consumer basis through the company's website, phone, and email, with vouchers sold as gifts (valid 12 months). Pricing is uniform-unit across the network, with optional add-ons (360° video at £200, chase plane at £550–£950). Marketing rests heavily on TripAdvisor and Google reviews (1,800+ five-star reviews, Travellers' Choice status), a content blog on Spitfire history, and personal referrals. The customer base is predominantly affluent individual experience-seekers and gift purchasers, with secondary segments comprising licensed pilots seeking type ratings, corporate event clients, and simulator customers who cannot meet flight physical requirements.

Name

Spitfires.com

Legal name

Boultbee Flight Academy Ltd

Website

https://spitfires.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spitfires.com operates the UK's only nationwide network of paid WWII Spitfire flight experiences, running five authentic aircraft from ten historic airfields and offering passenger flights, simulator sessions, pilot training, displays, and engineering services to affluent experience-seekers and licensed pilots.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Experience Services

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Aviation Experiences (Charters, Scenic Flights, Helicopter Tours) (THAJALAF)

Keywords

• Spitfire flight experiences
• Warbird pilot training
• Aviation heritage tours
• Flight simulator sessions
• Private aircraft displays

Headquarters

HQ city

Chichester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Spitfire Flight Experiences: Passenger flights in two-seat Spitfire TR9 aircraft from 10 UK locations. Pricing ranges from £3,250 (30-min English Channel) to £11,500 (55-min Beachy Head formation). Flights include the opportunity to take control of the aircraft and perform aerobatics.
2. Spitfire Pilot Training: CAA-approved pilot conversion courses to qualify as a Spitfire pilot. Full conversion course to solo standard is £75,000, with an abridged course at £37,500 and additional hourly training at £7,000 per hour.
3. Spitfire Simulator Sessions: Flight simulator experiences in the world's only authentic Mk IX Spitfire simulator. 30-minute sessions at £275 and 60-minute sessions at £500. Simulator training courses also available from £2,250 to £4,500.
4. Fly Alongside Experiences: Formation flights in GA8 Airvan alongside single-seat Spitfires. Per seat at £550 (25 min) or whole aircraft at £2,750. Includes 10 minutes in formation with the Spitfire.
5. Private Spitfire Displays: Private Spitfire flypasts and displays for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate events. Priced at £2,500 + VAT per hour using the Mk IX RR232 Spitfire.
6. 360° Video Add-ons: 360° cockpit video recordings of flights available as an add-on for £200. Videos are recorded on every flight and can be purchased within 7 days of the flight.
7. Chase Plane Experiences: Family and friends can fly in formation with the Spitfire in a GA8 Airvan. 20-minute flight at £550 (5 min formation) or 40-minute flight at £950 (10 min formation). Maximum 6 passengers.
8. Spitfire Sales: Sale of Spitfire aircraft and restoration projects. Currently listing Mk9 Project EN179 at £3,000,000 (restored). The company also has a growing inventory of aircraft and restoration projects.
9. Engineering and Maintenance Services: CAA-approved engineering services under Boultbee Flight Academy Engineering (A8-24 and A8-25) for Spitfire maintenance, repairs and preventative maintenance for their own and managed aircraft.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spitfires.com sells authentic WWII Supermarine Spitfire passenger flight experiences, simulator sessions, CAA-approved pilot training, fly-alongside formation flights, and private displays from 10 airfields across the UK and Channel Islands. The company also brokers Spitfire aircraft sales and provides CAA-approved airframe and engine maintenance through Boultbee Flight Academy Engineering.

Product overview

Spitfires.com operates as a provider of Spitfire flight experiences from 10 locations across the UK and Channel Islands. The company offers a portfolio of experiences including passenger flights in two-seat Spitfire TR9 aircraft (Spitfire Flights), aerial observation experiences (Fly Alongside), private Spitfire displays for events (Spitfire Displays), flight simulation (Spitfire Simulator), and pilot training programs (Spitfire Pilot Training and Simulator Training). Add-on services include Chase Plane experiences for family accompaniment and 360° Video recordings of flights. The fleet consists of three two-seat TR9 Spitfires (SM520 G-ILDA, BS410 G-TCHI, ML295 G-CLXB), two single-seat Mk IX Spitfires (MJ271 G-IRTY known as The Silver Spitfire, and RR232 G-BRSF City of Exeter), and the world's only authentic cockpit Mk IX simulator. Additional services include Spitfire sales and maintenance through Boultbee Flight Academy Engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spitfire Flights Passenger flight experiences in two-seat Spitfire TR9 aircraft with routes across the UK including the English Channel, Coastal Patrol, The Needles, Beachy Head, White Cliffs of Dover, and formation flights. Duration ranges from 25 to 75 minutes, with prices from £3,250 to £11,500. Passengers may take control of the aircraft and perform aerobatics.
• Spitfire Simulator Flight simulator experiences in the world's only authentic cockpit Mk IX Spitfire simulator, built from original wartime parts (50% wartime, 40% substandard parts, 10% purpose-built). Features a 220-degree fibreglass dome with seven seamless projectors, pitch-axis motion, and force feedback. 30-minute sessions at £275 and 60-minute sessions at £500.
• Fly Alongside Formation flight experience in a GA8 Airvan to watch a single-seat Spitfire Mk IX (RR232) perform from metres away. Includes formation flying, break manoeuvres, and fast passes. 25-minute flight at £550 per seat or £2,750 for the whole aircraft.
• Spitfire Displays Private Spitfire fly-pasts and displays for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and corporate events. Uses Spitfire Mk IX RR232 at £2,500 per hour plus VAT.
• Spitfire Pilot Training CAA-approved solo-standard conversion courses for pilots with fixed-wing pilot licenses to qualify as Spitfire pilots. Includes TR9 Conversion Full Course at £75,000, Abridged Course at £37,500, and Additional Training at £7,000 per hour.
• Simulator Training CAA-approved pilot training courses at Goodwood Aerodrome using the Spitfire Mk IX simulator. Includes Initial Training Course at £4,500, Annual Recurrent Training at £2,250, and Additional Training at £1,000 per hour.
• Spitfire Sales Sale of Spitfire aircraft and restoration projects. Currently listing Spitfire Mk9 Project EN179 (G-TCHO) at £3,000,000 restored. Brokerage of additional aircraft and restoration projects on request.
• Spitfire Maintenance Boultbee Flight Academy Engineering provides CAA-approved maintenance under A8-24 and A8-25 for Spitfire aircraft, including airframe and Rolls-Royce Merlin Engine maintenance, planning, repair, and preventative maintenance, based at Goodwood Aerodrome.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,800+ five-star reviews on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Tim Peake (Astronaut)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2025Former ESA astronaut and RAF pilot who piloted G-ILDA during the Battle of Britain 85th anniversary commemoration display, helping raise awareness of WWII aviation heritage.
• RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpitfires.com participates in Battle of Britain commemorations alongside the RAF's official Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flying formation with Spitfire P7350 and other BBMF aircraft.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Collings Foundation: US-based non-profit operating WWII aircraft including restored Spitfires and offering heritage flight experiences. Comparable warbird passenger experience operator in the broader market, though operating in North America rather than the UK.
• RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF): Government-operated heritage flight organization maintaining WWII aircraft including Spitfires. Conducts commemorative display flights rather than paid experiences, but shapes public perception and demand for warbird experiences that Spitfires.com monetizes.

Emerging players

• Flying Heritage Collection: US warbird collection operating restored WWII combat aircraft for display and paid experience flights. Comparable warbird experience operator, though based in the Pacific Northwest rather than the UK market.
• Bicester Heritage: UK heritage aviation and motoring site hosting warbird operators, restoration businesses, and aviation experiences. Provides a competing platform and tenancy for vintage aircraft experiences adjacent to Spitfires.com's Goodwood/Duxford operations.

Others

• Goodwood Aviation:

Direct peers

• The Fighter Collection: Warbird operator at Duxford with a fleet of WWII fighter aircraft including Spitfires and Hurricanes. Operates passenger flight experiences and airshow displays, directly comparable to Spitfires.com's experience and display offerings.
• Ultimate Aerobatics: UK-based aerobatic experience provider offering formation flight and aerobatic packages. Comparable business model delivering premium per-seat aerial experiences to consumers, overlapping with Spitfires.com's fly-alongside and formation offerings.
• The Old Flying Machine Company: UK warbird operator based at Duxford offering Spitfire and Hurricane flight experiences. Direct competitor operating in the same vintage military aircraft passenger experience market as Spitfires.com.
• Aero Legends: UK-based warbird and Spitfire flight experience operator offering passenger flights and aerobatic experiences. Closest direct competitor to Spitfires.com, competing for the same affluent aviation enthusiast customer base with overlapping flight experiences.

Regional players

• The Helicopter Group: UK-based helicopter charter and tour operator offering scenic flights and bespoke aviation experiences. Comparable premium experience business model targeting HNW consumers, but using rotorcraft rather than fixed-wing historic aircraft.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spitfiresdotcom

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spitfires.com