Ash earns his wings

A teenager is a step closer to achieving his dream of performing aerial acrobatics after earning his private pilot’s licence.

Ash Commons has been interested in aviation since an early age and was just 14 when he offered voluntary work at Fenland Airfield in Holbeach St Johns.

He was taken on by Humphrey Penney, owner of E-plane Ltd, an aircraft maintenance company, to help in the maintenance hangar in return for the occasional flying lesson.

When Ash left school at 16, he was offered an aircraft engineering apprenticeship with E-plane Ltd.

He gained a diploma in aeronautical engineering by attending Bedford College one day a week, still finding time to continue his flying lessons at Fenland Flying School with Humphrey as instructor and later on by ex-RAF serviceman Marcus Palmer.

To complete his private pilot’s licence course, Ash had to pass nine theoretical exams and complete a solo cross country.

At the age of 19, he passed his flying skills test a couple of weeks ago.

Ash is now studying to gain his aircraft maintenance licence which will enable him to sign off aircraft as airworthy.

He is continuing to gain more flying hours to fulfil his ultimate goal of performing aerobatics.

Ash said: “We are very lucky to have such a high calibre flying school on our doorstep.”