High-flying Glasgow couple Gary and Eleanor Wroe are turning their backs on the world of passenger jets to launch a much more down-to-earth venture a 24-hour Drain Doctor Plumbing business.

Gary spent 25 years as an aircraft engineer with the Royal Air Force and British Midland Airways while Eleanor was a member of cabin crew for Britannia Airways.

Now their 'planes-to-drains' transformation will see them solving plumbing and drainage problems for business and residential properties in an area that includes south Glasgow, Motherwell, East Kilbride, Coatbridge, Airdrie, Rutherglen, Lanark and Hamilton.

"Working in the airline business may seem exciting but the time came when I wanted a new challenge," said Gary. "I took up working for a plumber in my spare time, mostly on bathroom and kitchen installations, and he recommended that I set up my own business.

"I jumped at the chance when I discovered that the national Drain Doctor Plumbing group had a franchise available in south-east Glasgow. As a franchisee I will have the advantages of a nationally recognised business name and the support of an experienced head office team.

"Drain Doctor Plumbing has built a national reputation by providing unprecedented standards of customer service. What really appealed to me was its commitment to customer service. We provide a genuine 24-hour service and do not charge for call-outs or add on extras for working unsocial hours.

"Customers are given fixed-price, no obligation quotes and all our work is guaranteed. Our technicians are fully trained in latest techniques, such as closed circuit camera surveys and no-dig drain repairs. They even wear plastic boot covers and use work mats to protect floor coverings when working inside."

Gary and Eleanor are launching their business with two fully equipped vans and one technician but they have plans to expand rapidly to a fleet of seven or eight vans within five years. Eleanor will handle customer calls and office administration.

As an aircraft engineer Gary spent 10 years maintaining RAF strike planes such as Tornados and Buccaneers and 15 years working on passenger jets such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. "It may seem like a big switch from aircraft maintenance to plumbing and drainage repairs but the skills involved are very similar," he said.

Drain Doctor Plumbing is a member of the UK Trades Confederation, which operates a customer evaluation system, and it was the first national organisation in its sector to register under the UK government's Quality Mark Approved scheme, which aims to protect householders from unscrupulous tradesmen.