Helicopter pilot flies solo on sixteenth birthday

ABOVE: Eddie Luft and his AA Flight Instructor, ex-RAF Shawbury Jason Davenhill

Aspiring Air Ambulance pilot Eddie Luft has taken to the skies solo on his 16^th birthday, making him one of the world’s youngest helicopter pilots.

Luft, who has been learning to fly with AA Helicopters since the age of 14, completed his milestone flight in an R22 from Halfpenny Green Airport. With his16^th birthday the earliest available opportunity he could go solo, favourable weather allowed him to ‘achieve this accolade and made his birthday dreams come true’.

Describing Luft as being “highly professional” and having “great control of the helicopter,” AA Helicopters owner Alan Austin hopes to welcome him as an instructor one day. “This was an excellent achievement for someone so young,” he added.

After concluding his school studies at Sir John Talbots in Whitchurch, Luft’s longer term aim is to establish a future career in aviation, potentially within the Air Ambulance Service.

AA Helicopters has been based at Halfpenny Green since 2014. Alongside training many private helicopter pilots, many license holders have chosen to pursue a professional career working for the police, Air Ambulance and offshore oil rig sectors.

IMAGE: AA Helicopters