London Flying Club held an event on 23 April 2025, featuring Matt Dearden as a guest speaker.
Matt took us on a wild ride through his aviation journey — from bush flying in the rugged jungles of Indonesia in the Pilatus Porter, to corporate flying across Europe, and display flying the legendary PBY-5A Catalina.
His stories were as bold as they were honest, bringing both laughter and thoughtful reflection to the room. But beyond the thrill of the skies, Matt also spoke candidly about mental health challenges and the importance of speaking up.
Starting in IT – what he thought would be a dream career path, he found himself stuck in a boring office job, feeling like life was going nowhere — a difficult and debilitating place for anyone. Struggling with severe anxiety, it became clear that something had to change.
That change came in the form of a flying lesson — and with it, a completely new direction. It wasn’t predictable. It wasn’t safe. But it was his. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t perfect: it was 2002, and the aviation industry was in turmoil. Jobs were scarce. Dreams were delayed.
But flying, Matt shared, wasn’t the source of his anxiety — it became his mental release. His moment of mindfulness.
There were more challenges ahead, but with determination and a thirst for adventure, he eventually found his path — one that led him to fly with SusiAir in Indonesia. From there, everything changed… but you’ll have to read his book Flying From Shangri-La to hear the rest!
Matt’s openness was both powerful and deeply relatable. It reminded us that no matter how high we fly, we’re all human — and that community and conversation are essential, both on the ground and in the sky.
Of course, no London Flying Club meet up is complete without some food, drinks, and fantastic company — and The Albany Pub provided the perfect relaxed setting for it all.
The night was full of friendly faces, new connections, and meaningful conversations.
Stay tuned for updates on our next event — we can’t wait to see you again soon.
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If you missed out on getting a signed copy of his new book, you can get one here: