Storm hero captain becomes Ilkeston funeral director

An airline pilot who was filmed battling to bring a plane down in a storm three years ago has quit the industry to become a funeral director.

William Barron won praise in 2017 for calmly keeping control of a flight when it bounced off the runway at Birmingham Airport.

But he lost his job earlier this year when the pandemic halted global travel.

Rather than find another role, the 39-year-old instead opened a funeral home in Derbyshire.

"I was always interested in the ceremonial side of funerals, the uniforms, the dignity and the respect that's present," he said.

"But I never imagined I would be switching from flight decks to funerals after 14 years of being a pilot."

Footage three years ago showed Mr Barron attempting to land the Monarch flight from Malaga during Storm Doris.

After severe winds sent his plane back into the air - known as a rejected landing - the captain kept his cool to keep the aircraft under control before bringing it down safely.

However, since then he has found himself out of work three times - when Monarch and Wow Air went out of business then when Virgin Atlantic ran into trouble this year.

Rather than seek out a new airline, Mr Barron decided the organisational and people skills required as a pilot would align with the funeral industry.

He and his business partner refurbished a unit in Ilkeston and opened earlier this month.

No formal training was required but they have to complete a minimum number of funerals before they can apply to join the National Association of Funeral Directors.

"It's quite a shock but within... the new normal in the UK, I think there are quite a few people in my position," he said.

"We've had to readjust and re-skill as the economy and society change."

He said his husband and parents had been supportive of his career change but his parents would like to see him back in the cockpit one day.

"If commercial aviation returns to pre-Covid levels, they'd definitely like to see me return to flying," he said.

"But I don't see that happening before at least the end of 2022 so I'm very much committed to this."

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