Teenager's solo mission to land job as commercial pilot

But one Yorkshire youngster took his urge to rove literally to new heights when he reached for the skies.

Student pilot Jonny Lee flew solo before he could drive a car and is thought to be one of the youngest people to have flown solo at the age of 16.

The 18-year-old was smitten with the flying bug after receiving a flying lesson from his parents as a 16th birthday present.

Recalling his first lesson, Jonny said: "It was weird being in control of the plane."

But once he had savoured a taste of piloting an aircraft, there was no stopping the teenager.

Jonny, of Eldwick, near Bingley, gained his private pilot's licence (PPL) two months before his 18th birthday and said he found his driving test harder than becoming a pilot.

He said: "I was really nervous at my driving test because all my friends passed first time."

Despite his reservations, the teenager passed his driving test on his first attempt last November, describing it as a "great feeling".

"My friends just don't believe me when I tell them about my flying," said Jonny. "My mum and dad are proud. All my friends say they want free flights when they are older."

The youngster, who did all his training at the Multiflight Training Centre at Leeds Bradford Airport, sat seven written exams and completed the course in a Robin HR200 light aircraft to gain his licence.

Jonny said he likes the freedom of being up in the air. "Flying is a great feeling and Multiflight offers excellent instructors and is a fun place to learn to fly," he said.

Jonny hopes to become a long-haul commercial airline pilot and will start his commercial flight training at Multiflight and Bristol Ground School next year.

A former pupil of Woodhouse Grove School in Apperley Bridge, Jonny left school at 16 to pursue his ambition of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

Jonny said he became interested in flying when he was around 15 and after his first lesson at 16 he tried to fly twice a week every week.

The teenager, who has completed flights to Durham and the Humber area, worked at a coffee shop to fund his flying lessons.