High Flying Hannah
16 year old Manchester High student, Hannah, has become one of the youngest females in the UK to fly solo in a plane less than 12 months after her first flying lesson.
The sixth former first took to the skies in July 2020 following the easing of the first lockdown and since then her feet have barely touched the ground. In fact, on just her second lesson she flew with her brother and instructor from Liverpool to Le Touquet in France and stopped off for lunch! Since then she has clocked up 30 hours in the air and last week took the biggest leap of faith with her first solo circuit.
It was during one of her bi-weekly lessons that Hannah’s instructor suggested she should do her first solo flight following an assured circuit around the aerodrome. Hannah said, “I wasn’t nervous as I was already in the zone and I had confidence in myself. It was exhilarating and I have already been back up to do it again!”
Hannah is now working towards her Private Pilot’s Licence which she hopes to take on her 17th birthday. She is also planning a flying trip around Europe with instructor, and friend, Sarah Bond this summer. The pair will be getting an aerial view of the region and Hannah is hoping to gain even more solo flying experience.
For Hannah though, the sky is definitely not the limit. In August she will also be returning to Guatemala to work in an orphanage where she taught English and Music two years ago and she ultimately hopes to land in America after her A-levels to study Politics at University.
