Ayr teenager gets his pilot licence

Apr 17 2009 by Stuart Wilson

Dizzy new heights as young pilot flies solo

A TEEN pilot is flying high – after taking to the skies at the age of 16.

Fourth year pupil Sean Saunders logged his first solo flight just hours after turning legal.

Now the Ayr kid wants to repay his granddad Thomas for giving him wings.

Sean revealed: “He bought my first lesson at Prestwick Flying Club when I was 13 because he knew how much I wanted to fly.

“I can’t take anyone up with me until I’m 17, but my grandad will definitely be the first so I can say thanks.”

The Belmont Academy star had planned to fly solo on his 16th birthday – but had a tough choice to make.

His appearance on saxophone at the Belmont spring concert ruled him out of cockpit action for 24 hours.

He explained: “I could have done both on my birthday, but I wasn’t sure I’d be up to going on stage after my flight.

“I waited until the next day then took my flight, but I wasn’t too nervous.

“I just blanked out that I was flying solo and it was great.”

Sean’s anxious family watched from the ground as he completed his first circuit in a Piper PA28 aircraft.

Now he plans to bag an apprenticeship with BAE systems as he follows his dream of being an aircraft engineer.

“A lot of young boys say their dream is being a pilot, and I wouldn’t mind that either,” he admitted.

“But my ideal career would be as an engineer.”