My first flight was in G-NXOE, a club Cessna 172, on the 4^th July 2016.  Everything happened very quickly from making the decision to come up to Goodwood to ask a few questions about flying, to that first flight and then eventually completing my PPL.

I spent my early childhood days growing up with our house backing on to the fence at HMS Daedalus (now Solent Airport) and spent hours watching aircraft taking off/landing. Herons and Doves manoeuvred around the apron right up to the fence line with the smell of aviation all around the garden.

During my Fire Service career I was lucky to have served at Horley Fire station both as a Crew Commander and Station Commander, throughout both terms I was privileged to see aviation sights many enthusiasts would be truly envious of.  I suppose the bug was there from a young age and continued right up to and beyond that first flight.

Having asked what it was all about I was told ‘you will know immediately if it’s for you if try a taster flight’. I made a booking for my first flight the very next day. My instructor Stuart Rawlinson wasn’t wrong, having decided it was for me I booked my medical for the following day. I was extremely lucky with the weather over the following months and managed my work diary to allow me to fly as often as I could. I flew solo on the 3^rd August 2016, completing my skills test with the CFI on the 6th October 2016, both flights in the same aircraft I had that taster flight in.