Meet the 11-year-old Irish girl learning to fly planes and hot air balloons
Evie Rose O'Rourke from Meath, who is learning to fly a fixed-wing aircraft.
While other kids are being ferried to GAA training, Evie Rose Rourke has a very different extra-curricular activity as she learns to navigate the skies in an Ikarus C42 aircraft.
The 11-year-old from Meath has been co-piloting hot air balloons with her father Brendan for a number of years.
However, it seems that her adventurous spirit knows no bounds and she is now dabbling in light aircraft too.
This follows the family’s relocation to West Sussex in recent years to secure better treatment for Evie Rose’s mum Laura’s medical conditions.
Evie Rose said she would like to get back to Ireland someday.
However, she acknowledged that there are more opportunities available to her as an aspiring young pilot living in the UK.
The schoolgirl, who also lives with her eight-year-old brother Oscar, is currently making impressive strides training with British Young Pilots, which provides training in aerospace STEM and flying to children between 10 and 17.
She is now preparing to embark on her third flight with her Irish flying instructor Brendan.
She said that aviation theory and simulation devices will never live up to the reality of flying.
“My mum had always wanted to fly a fixed-wing aircraft, so I think I got my love of it from her,” Evie Rose told the
“When I first started, I felt nervous and excited. I didn’t know what was going to happen or how it was going to feel.
"Before that, my training was just on a computer, so the landing and take-off didn’t feel the same as it might in real life.
"You don’t feel the bumps or the wind. You don’t feel any of that really. Someone can give you an idea of what flying is like, but it’s completely different to experience it in real life.”
Evie Rose recalled the nerves she experienced ahead of her first flight.
“I was kind of scared because this was such a new aircraft for me. At the same time, I probably wasn’t as frightened as most people would be because I’ve been up in the air so many times.
"I've kind of got used to being up there. We are a family that is very much up in the air.
"The main thing I found scary about it was how completely different it was to a hot air balloon.
"It only takes the tiniest of things to make a big mistake in a fixed-wing aircraft.
"For example, if you move the joystick too far, you could flip over, which is completely different to what happens in ballooning.”
She opened up about her hopes for the future.
“I definitely want to do more on the fixed-wing side because I really enjoy it, but ballooning is kind of my main focus,” she said.
“What I’d really like is to start my own company in Ireland making and designing hot air balloons.”
Classmates are often in awe of the 11-year-old.
“Whenever I tell anyone about what I do, they just think I’m lying. When they realise that I’m not, they are really amazed.
"Flying over my school in a balloon would be too dangerous since it is so close to the sea.
"There’s also a train station nearby and no safe place to land. I would like to bring my basket and burner into school one day though so the others can have the chance to see them.”
Laura is thrilled with her daughter’s progress at British Young Pilots.
“They have about nine different courses that you can go on, which basically teach the children all about aircraft and how to fly,” the mum of two said.
“There is material in the study books for the five exams that you need to pass to get your pilot’s licence.
"They go through all this in what could only be described as lectures effectively.
"Once you've completed all of the nine courses with them, you should then have the knowledge that's needed to undertake said exams to get the licence.
"They also have agreements with local airfields and flying schools where children can get reduced rates on flying lessons.
"That's basically how she's getting into the fixed-wing side of things.
"She's done two of the nine courses so far and completed her first two lessons in an Icarus C42. Evie is glad to be able to physically fly the aircraft, with the instructor next to her at all times of course.”
Flying has been a huge part of Laura and Brendan’s life since before Evie Rose was born.
“I've been flying balloons for over 20 years now, but unfortunately due to medical conditions, I'll never be able to get my licence,” Laura said.
“Brendan had been crewing for a balloonist over in Ireland for many years before we found this out.
"We had a whole balloon kit sitting in a trailer in the driveway that I couldn't get a licence to fly.
"That was when Brendan decided to get his own licence. I can fly it if I have someone with me, but not as a pilot in command.
"I suppose the main reason we got into the ballooning thing in the first place is that I have my own insurance broking company specialising in aviation insurance, but more specifically balloon insurance. We insure the vast majority of hot air balloons all around the world.
"Evie has been getting dragged along to various ballooning events since she was in my stomach.
"In fact, Brendan and I actually met at the survivors dinner, which takes place annually at the end of the Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships.”
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