Highlands teen performs first solo flight

The Highlander first got involved in flying small aircraft at the age of 12 after his grandparents from Scotland gave him a trial introductory flight at Camden for his birthday. 

“I think they noticed that I had loved the long haul flights over to the UK so thought that I might like a lesson and I did,” he said.

Thomas then did another flight on his 13^th birthday and on his 14^th birthday decided to have lessons every two weeks so he could perform a solo flight when he turned 15, earlier this year.

So what is it that Thomas loves so much about flying?

“I think just the feeling of being in the air and seeing everything from a different perspective,” he said.

In the lead up to the solo flight, there was plenty of preparation required.

He had to do countless takeoffs and landings, learn all the emergency procedures, how to use the radio and communicate with other aircraft, learn about all the forces acting upon the plane and what happens when you change them, and physically learn how to fly the plane.

His instructor Malcolm Poulton at Goulburn Flight Training Centre also had to tick him off as competent to fly solo before he could undertake the flight.

Thomas said the hardest thing about learning to fly was landing and being able to remember everything that needed to be done “off the top of your head”.

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He had planned to do the flight on his 15^th birthday but due to windy conditions, had to postpone the flight until the day after.

For his first solo flight he completed one circuit of the Goulburn airport.

“A circuit is basically a rectangle based off the runway you took off from. So you take off and after you pass 500 feet Above Ground Level you make a left turn, then as you are still climbing make another left turn so you are parallel with the runway you took off from,” Thomas said.

“[You then] level out when you get to 1000 feet, start descending once you have passed the end of the runway, turn left again and when you get to 500 feet turn left again onto “Final”, then land on the same runway you took off from,” Thomas said.

Once he completed the first circuit, Thomas got all his paperwork signed off and then headed back out to enjoy another half hour of circuits.

“The only moment I found slightly daunting was when I finished the line up checks and looked up, straight down the runway.”

Thomas said the most exciting thing about completing his first solo flight was the sense of achievement.

“Just the feeling of ‘oh, I can actually do it’ was pretty amazing.”

He also received a scholarship from Recreational Aviation Australia to help him with his lessons.

This helped him financially and allowed him to work while the scholarship paid for his flying fees.

To apply for the scholarship he had to write a 1000 word essay, a 500 word extended response, provide copies of his passport and a letter from Moss Vale High School Principal Patricia Holmes.

“I was also lucky enough to be in the top 10 scholarship applications and receive a LightSpeed Zulu 3 Aviation headset.”

Thomas said he now plans to get his recreational pilots certificate and then work towards his commercial pilots licence.

“I hope to become a commercial pilot in the future because it is amazing that you get to fly and travel, and get paid for it.”

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