The sky's the limit

Ever stood in the queue to check in at the airport and wished you could stride past everyone, get into your own plane and take off with no delays and no fuss?

Nick Watson, Associate Director in Rettie & Co.'s New Homes department is on the way to doing just that. A lifelong interest in flying led him to investigate obtaining his private pilot's licence. He began training in 2006 and is on target to qualify in summer 2007.

Here, Nick explains just how you can 'earn your wings':

"Rather surprisingly, there is no minimum (or indeed maximum) age to start flying, although you do have to be fourteen before your flying hours count towards your licence and the ripe old age of sixteen before you can fly solo!

In the UK you have a choice of two types of private pilot's licence - the National Private Pilot's Licence (NPPL) which entitles you to fly for pleasure, solo or with passengers, in a light aircraft in daylight and within sight of land. The Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) allows you to do the same but is recognised in Europe, so obviously broadens your horizons. Also, as a PPL holder you can go on to obtain further qualifications and ratings, offering you much more scope as a pilot.

You can, however, start with NPPL and progress to PPL and should you wish to 'do a John Travolta' and become a fully fledged airline pilot, you can then progress to your Commercial Pilot's Licence through training and exams. For this, you will also need as many as 1,000 hours of flying experience and you would be looking at spending between £40,000 and £60,000 to gain your qualification. You can also train as a flying instructor.

Gaining your PPL costs in the region of £6,000 and will take a minimum of 45 flying hours to achieve. You will also be required to undergo  a medical.

There are several flying schools in existence (I am learning through Tayside Aviation in Fife) which offer everything from a "taster" flying experience, right up to comprehensive Commercial Pilot training. Perhaps the best way to start, if you are considering becoming a pilot, is to have a trial "flying experience" to see how
it feels.

Flying is like nothing else I know of. It requires considerable concentration and gives me a great buzz - I may not yet be able to bypass the queues at the airport, but I'm on my way!"

 "FLYING IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE I KNOW OF. IT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE CONCENTRATION AND GIVES ME A  GREAT BUZZ"

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