Congratulations to Year 11 student Leon Fenemor who flew his first solo flight on his sixteenth birthday!

Since the age of eleven, Leon has been hunting out and seizing every possible opportunity to get up in the air. He has socialised widely, getting to know people who fly, asking them for opportunities to join them and taking every chance to sit in the cockpit.

"I've always been into planes, just always been at the airport, hanging around, getting to know people, and then they would take me up," said Leon.

 At 15yrs, he started taking formal flying lessons. Six months later, on his 16th birthday, Leon flew his first solo flight in a Cessna152.

When asked how it felt to fly solo for the first time, Leon replied, "Pretty cool. It's a bit weird, you know, being the only one at the controls, so, I felt a bit of pressure, but it's quite cool."

Leon's favourite type of plane are the WWII warbirds and he is hoping to work his way up to flying bigger airliners in the future. He plans to get his private pilot's licence at 17yrs, his commercial pilot's licence at around 18yrs, and then he hopes to get a job working for an airline. He is well on his way to achieving his goals, having already saved all the money to complete his private pilot's license by working after school at McDonald's and completing the exams before his 16th birthday.

Leon says the most challenging part of flying is "making sure you make the right decision." 

"And I guess landing is always the more challenging part too," he added.

But the part he enjoys the most is "being in control of a cool machine."

Congratulations on achieving your first solo flight Leon and we wish you all the best as you work towards getting your private pilot's licence!