Helping Dreams Take Flight: In Conversation with David Burns
Helping Dreams Take Flight: In Conversation with David Burns
Aviation changed David Burns's life, and now he is helping others take their first steps into the industry. An airline pilot and the founder of both The Flyer Watch Company and the charity Helping Dreams Take Flight, David is using aviation as a force for good. Pooleys is proud to support the charity, and we sat down with him to hear how the first scholarship year went and what comes next.
For those who may not know, who are you and what is your background in aviation?
My name is David Burns and I'm an airline pilot currently flying the Boeing 737. I've worked in aviation for over 15 years, starting off bush flying on the Cessna Caravan in Indonesia. Flying has always been a huge passion of mine from a young age. Alongside aviation, I also founded The Flyer Watch Company, a British family-owned aviation watch brand built around the idea of giving something back to the industry that inspired me.
What inspired you to create Helping Dreams Take Flight?
Helping Dreams Take Flight was born from seeing just how difficult aviation can be to access for so many people. Flying is an incredible industry, but financial barriers, life circumstances, disability, or simply a lack of opportunity can stop talented people from ever getting started.
I wanted to create something that genuinely changed lives, not just talked about doing it. The aim was simple: use aviation as a force for good and help people take their first real steps into flying.
How is Helping Dreams Take Flight different from other aviation charities or scholarship programmes?
One of the biggest differences is that we are focused on accessibility and inclusion for everyone, not just one specific pathway or age group. Our scholarships are open to people from different backgrounds, ages and experiences. Some are young aspiring airline pilots, others may have had life or finances get in the way, and we are also hoping to expand into disabled flying scholarships.
Another important difference is transparency. Every penny that comes into the charity goes towards scholarships and opportunities. None of our trustees are paid, and we keep overheads incredibly small because the focus is always on helping more people fly.
This year was your first scholarship year. How did it go?
Honestly, it exceeded anything we imagined. Since the start of the year, we received over 250 applications for our powered flying and gliding scholarships. The standard was unbelievably high.
From those applications, we interviewed 21 candidates and awarded 7 scholarships. Narrowing it down was incredibly difficult because every single interviewee had passion and potential. It genuinely gives you hope for the future of aviation.
What does it feel like seeing scholars receive the news?
It's incredibly emotional, especially when you hear their stories and understand what this opportunity means to them. For some, it's the first real moment where aviation feels achievable.
One of the most rewarding things is knowing that something as simple as somebody buying a watch from The Flyer Watch Company has directly helped somebody else get into flying. That connection is why "Helping Dreams Take Flight" is engraved onto the back of our watches. It's a reminder that there's a real impact behind every purchase.
Who has supported the charity along the way?
We genuinely couldn't do it without the support of organisations and people who believed in the vision from the beginning. Huge thanks go to SkyDemon, Pooleys Flight Equipment, and the rest of the team at The Flyer Watch Company for helping turn this dream into a reality.
I also want to thank our trustees, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Interviewing candidates, reviewing applications, organising partnerships: there's a huge amount of work involved, and they've all volunteered their time because they genuinely care.
What are your hopes for the future?
This is only the beginning. We want to grow the number of scholarships available, expand opportunities for disabled aviators, and continue building partnerships across the aviation industry.
The long-term dream is to create opportunities that genuinely change lives and help make aviation more accessible for future generations. Aviation changed my life, and if we can help even a handful of people achieve their dreams each year, then everything we're doing is worthwhile.
Finally, what would you say to somebody who dreams of flying but feels it's out of reach?
Don't give up on it. Aviation can feel impossible at times, but there are people in this industry who want to help. Keep showing your passion, keep learning, keep meeting people, and keep pushing forward.
The people who succeed are often the ones who simply refused to let go of the dream.
Pooleys is proud to support Helping Dreams Take Flight. You can find out more about the charity, including how to apply for a scholarship or support its work, on the Pooleys website.
