Sean, 16, on cloud nine after solo flight

HE’S not old enough to drive a car but the sky has no limits for this Junior Cert student – having just completed his first solo flight.

Sixteen-year-old Sean Hegarty fell in love with the freedom of the skies when he accompanied his dad on an hour-long flying lesson that he and his siblings had bought him for Christmas.

That was three years ago and, since then, Shane has got his student pilot licence (SPL) and clocked up 14 hours of flying from Cork Airport.

In April, his tutor at the Atlantic Flight Centre suggested Shane should try the all-important solo flight.

On April 18, a month after his 16th birthday, he took to the skies alone, taking off and flying at 1,300 and 1,400 feet while communicating with air traffic control.

Sean’s father, Paul, says he’s the youngest pilot to have taken a solo flight with Atlantic Airlines.

“It was a very short time after which to be allowed fly on your own,” he said.

Not surprisingly, the Presentation Brothers student from Boreenmanna Road in Cork city said he would like to be a pilot.

“I might do a relevant degree course first but I love flying and, ultimately, I’d like to be a pilot. I have good eyesight too. I love the thrill and the freedom up in the air.

“I’ve learnt some theory too, about the radio, meteorology and also about human limitations. I read a bit around the area,” Sean said.

In the meantime, Sean is on terra firma – with his sights firmly fixed on the Junior Cert.