The oldest person ever to pass his microlight pilot's licence?

John reaches for the skies

By Kate Cronin

A DAREDEVIL pensioner is on top of the world after becoming the oldest person ever to pass his microlight pilot's licence. The 72-year-old from Corby hit new heights after manoeuvring his way through the tricky test.

John Hilliard, a former chemistry teacher, learned to fly at Deenethorpe Airfield near Weldon. He said: "I had a taster session and I loved it. So I decided to go for my licence. Now I've bought my own microlight and I can fly every day if I want to."

Mr Hilliard, of Lerwick Way, grew up in London's East End and was evacuated five times during the Blitz. The father-of-four, who has a zoo-ologist and an astrophysicist among his children, all now in their 30s, first dreamed of flying when he was one of the youngest serving members of the RAF aged just 15 years and one month. Despite five years in the force he never became a pilot, and instead became a radio repairer for 20 years. He then became a house-husband – bringing up his four children while his former wife worked as a midwife. He spent his evenings studying, passing five O-Levels at the age of 40 and going on to do a teaching degree before becoming a chemistry teacher. He moved to Corby four years ago and took up flying two years later. He said: "I'm not sure what the secret is to staying young. I eat healthily and used to run a lot in my 60s and my grandmother lived well into her 90s."

A spokesman for The British Microlight Aircraft Association said Mr Hilliard was one of a handful of people to qualify in their 70s, and he is believed to be the oldest. His instructor Simon James, who has run his C10 Airport business at the former American Second World War airbase at Deenethorpe since the mid-1990s, said: "John is a really excellent pilot. He has qualified faster than some people half his age." Mr Hilliard added: "It's quite poignant going up the runway here knowing that American airmen went up the same runway and never returned." Simon did a fantastic job getting me through the test – I really couldn't have done it without him."

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/John-reaches-for-the-skies.3434977.jp