Lee James
A 69-year-old retired Airport Security Officer with over 37 years of experience at London's premier airports and over 17,000 virtual flying hours.
My Aviation Journey
For 27 years from 1978, I worked at London Heathrow International Airport as a Senior Security Supervisor, before taking early retirement and severance from that Airport in 2006.
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After a brief hiatus, in 2009, I resumed my Aviation Security career at London Gatwick Airport as an External Security Officer, where I continued until my retirement in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
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You might be interested to know that I am working on a BOOK about my long Security Career. I'm hoping for the book to be finished and ready to send out for publication by Summer 2026 I have a webpage up which you can take a look at. Contact details are on the page:-
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Started
1978
Experience
30+ Years
Career Timeline
A detailed look at my professional journey through London's aviation security
Passenger Search Section
Spent 11 years in the Passenger Search section of Airport Security, working in all three main Terminals at London Heathrow International Airport.
Security Supervisor
First promotion to Security Supervisor, relocating to Terminal Two Passenger Search, taking on leadership responsibilities and team management.
Cargo Examination Unit
Specialized role in the Cargo Examination Unit, responsible for decompressing cargo consignments in a 75-foot chamber and updating Emergency Procedures for the Unit.
Ground Security Unit
Senior role running teams of staff on Control Posts, responsible for searching Staff, Air Crews, VIPs and Contractors at London Heathrow.
Gatwick Airport Security
Spent 11 years working in the External Security section of Gatwick Airport Security, searching airport staff, contractors and VIPs outside the Terminal environment at London's Gatwick Airport.
From Real Airports to Virtual Skies
In 1986, I discovered Bruce Artwick's SubLogic Flight Simulator II on the Commodore Amiga 500 Home computer and there began my journey into virtual aviation that would span nearly four decades.
By 1989, I completed my first "long haul" flight from Los Angeles to Boston, using nothing but a Rand McNally Road Atlas with scenery disks for both cities!
In 2001, I discovered Virtual Airlines and joined British Airways Virtual as a pilot. Later, on becoming a member of the Management Team, I organized their first General Conference Meeting in 2010, bringing together 70 members for a luxury weekend at a major hotel near Heathrow and with Captain Peter Burkill as our VIP Guest who told us the real full story of BA138 from Beijing that lost both engines 30 seconds from touchdown. You can check out Peter's book HERE . . .
17,000+
Flying Hours
Since 1986
Virtual Pilot
Current Activities
Today, I give back to the Flight Simulation Community through content creation and virtual airline participation
Virtual Airlines
Currently active as a virtual pilot in five different virtual airlines, including my own VAP AIR. I regularly fly modern aircraft in MSFS2020, including Boeing and Airbus models, participating in global flight operations.
• BAVirtual (22+ years)
• FlyUK (8+ years)
• Virtual Airlines of Ukraine
• World Wide Virtual
• VAP AIR (My own airline)
Life in West Sussex
I am divorced with two wonderful grown-up children and now live the retired life in West Sussex, UK, continuing to pursue my passion for virtual aviation and sharing my knowledge with the flight simulation community. Below is an interview I gave to a reporter at the Cosford Flight Simulation Show in 2019