I’ve had a keen interest in learning to fly for as long as I can remember and often spoke about it to family. After high school, I chose to go travelling and ended up living and working in Australia for close to 5 years.
Living abroad and constantly being on the move meant that I wasn’t able to fund my flight training, although it was always an idea at the back of my mind. After returning to my home country of Scotland in 2018, I needed a new challenge and this is when I finally had the chance to take the controls of my first light aircraft, the Cessna 152. Straight away I was hooked and have been enjoying working towards my PPL ever since. In that time, I have flown in a mixture of general aviation light aircraft such as the PA28, Bulldog, Jodel and Robin DR400 from Prestwick Airport located on the West Coast of Scotland.
I also enjoy exploring new countries and combining this with my passion for aviation. In August 2019, I flew out to Toronto, Canada to watch the Canadian International Air show and along with the Red Arrows display, I was equally impressed by the Canadian Snowbirds. Likewise, whilst on an adventure in South Africa I took the opportunity to experience flying in Cape Town and added the Tomahawk aircraft to my list.
Whilst training in the Scottish Bulldog aircraft, originally a basic aerobatic trainer for the RAF, I couldn’t help but ask my instructor if we could try some loops and barrel rolls. Following this amazing experience, I decided that once I’ve completed my PPL, my goal is to add my aerobatic rating and mountain flying whilst working towards a commercial license. I will definitely be taking up any other opportunities along the way to get out flying and enjoying life from the sky.
What got you interested in aviation?
When I was around 10, I flew from Edinburgh to Thessaloniki in Greece for a sports competition. I’ll never forget the feeling I had sitting on the plane waiting to take off as it must have been one of the first flights I can remember. When we started rolling down the runway and took off into the sky, I was mesmerized by how it was at all even possible and so my interest in aviation was born.
How did you get started flying?
When I came back to Scotland, I started watching a documentary series called ‘Ice Pilots’ which follows Buffalo Airlines based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Canada. Audrey was a rampie on the program but also training to be one of their pilots, and seeing a girl learning to fly sparked my interest again. I decided it was time I gave it a go and luckily it was my birthday coming up within the month. My family were looking for ideas for a gift and so a suggestion to them meant that I soon received my first flying lesson. The following week I had it booked and my journey to gaining my PPL began.
What was your first flight like?
My first flying experience was in a Cessna 152 from Perth Airport in Scotland. Jeremy, a current airline pilot, was my flying instructor for the day and after a pre flight brief we went out to take a look around the aircraft. Sitting in the left hand seat of the plane felt surreal and looking at the instruments was daunting with no prior knowledge of what everything was. After ensuring the wings were clear from other aircraft, I was given a shot of taxiing the plane and was surprised to be steering with my feet. The flight was 45 minutes long, which was enough time for Jeremy to allow me to make some turns, notice the effect of rudder and practice a little climbing and descending. We also took a moment to just enjoy the views and the experience of flying. It wasn’t long before it was time to land, but I had a brilliant experience which definitely solidified my interest and confirmed I wanted to continue lessons.
What do you like about flying?
As a student pilot, I love how much learning to fly pushes me out of my comfort zone and has completely changed the way I think. There is so much more that goes into it than just the physical handling of the aircraft, and making my way through the theory for 9 PPL ground school exams has definitely taught me that. I know there is a long road ahead in terms of gaining any future licenses too, but I am fully committed to making my dream a reality.
What’s the most challenging part of flying?
Currently, I would say that it is working through the large amounts of theory behind learning to fly, however, it definitely helps that I’m genuinely interested in the subjects. I can also appreciate that ultimately it will make the practical flying lessons easier by having more awareness and understanding of what is going on. To overcome this, I have allowed myself time to focus and utilised the help of experienced pilots who have helped explain certain concepts.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue aviation?
For a long time, I wasn’t sure becoming a pilot would be possible, however, I’ve now realised that if you want something strongly enough and you’re willing to put 100% focus and energy into it then anything is possible. Go for it! I can guarantee that you’ll only wish you started sooner 🙂
