Ben, 16, is youngest Aero Club member to fly solo

At just 16 years and three weeks, local student Ben Stark has become the youngest member of the Guernsey Aero Club to accomplish his first solo flight.

‘I thought I’d be scared, but there was so much to do and all the great training I had paid off,’ he said.

Flight instructor Mike Selwood emphasised the value of Ben's accomplishment, adding that his first flight came after just 10 hours and 10 minutes of training.

‘The time it takes for someone to undertake their first solo flight is highly variable. Some people take longer, but not many take less. Ten hours of training is fairly quick, but I have absolute confidence in his knowledge and ability. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let him do it,’ said Mr Selwood.

The journey has not been an easy one for Ben. He is an active student at Blanchelande College, and while studying for the civil aviation air law exam required to fly solo, he was balancing his sixth form studies and exams as well.

He is in a particularly interesting situation where he cannot yet drive a car, but he can fly aeroplanes. As the youngest in his class at Blanchelande, Ben said he and his friends have an arrangement – from now on, his friends drive him around, but eventually, Ben has promised to take them flying.

Ben’s love of aeroplanes began when he was a small child. One of his first memories is taking off in a Vulcan V-Bomber from the Waddington Royal Air Force Station.

Flying aeroplanes, he said, is something he has wanted to do his whole life. His goal is to become a pilot with the Royal Air Force. However, he would also like to break the aviation record for youngest solo circumnavigator of the globe.

With his first solo flight under his belt, Ben said he would continue to train and practice with Mr Selwood to earn his private pilot’s licence.

Mr Selwood said a pilot’s first solo flight was an important hurdle to overcome.

‘It’s always very satisfying to teach someone and see them take that teaching on board with a degree of alacrity,’ said Mr Selwood.

He added that although Mr Stark’s age made him a new Aero Club record holder, he did not believe that age was the most important factor.

‘I love working with people who are willing to put work and effort into what they do – and Ben has certainly worked hard for this accomplishment and is enthusiastic to learn,’ said Mr Selwood.

Ben said that he hoped that his first solo flight would become the first of many accomplishments in a long career among the clouds.