Solo pilot Alice glides into the history books (From Gazette & Herald)

Solo pilot Alice glides into the history books

A HIGH-FLYING teenager has celebrated her 16th birthday by becoming one of the youngest people in the country to complete a solo glider flight.

Alice Archer marked her big day by obtaining her solo licence at the Wolds Glider Club, in Pocklington, leaving her free to head up into the skies alone.

Flight instructor Alan McWhirter accompanied Alice on two flights, and ruled that she had achieved a level of competency necessary for her licence.

Under British law, 16 is the youngest age for people to fly solo in gliders, which use thermals in the atmosphere to gain height.

"I was nervous to start with, but when I went up, I forgot all about it," said Alice, of Goathland, on the North York Moors. "It was absolutely amazing. It was so quiet and strange, I can't describe it."

Alice was introduced to gliding a year ago by her stepfather, Ian MacCraig, and takes to the skies about twice a week.

She is one of the youngest members of the club and was cheered on by other glider pilots, who are keen to promote the sport to a younger generation.

She now plans to work towards a further gliding qualification, and her ambition is to become one of the few women commercial airline pilots in the UK.

THREE CHEERS: 16-year-old Alice Archer punches the air as she celebrates her first solo glider flight at the Wolds Gliding Club at Pocklington. Looking on are (from left)Alice's step-father Ian MacCaig, Sarah Sheard, Graham Walker, Marc Chippendale, Alice's boyfriend Laurence Vincent-Jones and Alice's instructor Allan McWhirter.

Updated: 12:11 Wednesday, January 05, 2005