A TEENAGER from Kingsley has learned to fly a plane before he can drive a car or has passed his A-levels.
Ben Pilgrim, 17, a sixth former at Helsby High School, has piloted his first solo flight in a single-engine plane and is now on the verge of attaining his private pilot licence.
Ben, who completed his maiden voyage over Liverpool Airport, said: “It was a marvellous experience being solely responsible for the aircraft.
“It is quite bizarre that I can fly a plane on my own but not drive a car on my own just yet!”
Ben started flying on his 15th birthday and is a member of Liverpool Flying School which he also attends for his Ground School exams.
Becoming a pilot is an expensive business with 45 hours in the air costing £150 per lesson required to attain a licence to fly solo.
He has already obtained his flight radio telephony licence and has passed his air law and human performance exam. He is now studying meteorology.
Proud mum Rosalind said: “I was extremely nervous watching my son power down runway 27 at Liverpool and take off into the clouds on his own. But I was jubilant when 15 minutes later he made a perfect, safe landing.”
Benjamin’s father Frank added: “We are all extremely proud of Ben for all the hard work and commitment he has had to put in while still studying for his A-levels.”
Ben, a member of the 1074 Sqn Air Training Corps at Ellesmere Port, has high hopes of becoming a commercial pilot after an aeronautical engineering degree at Liverpool University.
