Esmee is flying high after licence success

Cadet Flight Sergeant Esmee Webley has qualified as a pilot, thanks to a scholarship funded by the Royal Air Forces Association.
Esmee Webley is pictured alongside her aeroplane and CAA Flight Examiner, Captain Edward Burford.Esmee Webley is pictured alongside her aeroplane and CAA Flight Examiner, Captain Edward Burford.
Esmee Webley is pictured alongside her aeroplane and CAA Flight Examiner, Captain Edward Burford.

The 18-year-old, who lives in Morpeth and is an Air Cadet with the 2522 (Bedlington) Squadron, was awarded a 35-hour scholarship that allowed her to obtain an EASA Light Aeroplane Licence.

She chose to top this up to a full 45-hour EASA Private Pilot Licence course and succeeded in completing the entire flying syllabus and theoretical knowledge examinations within a six-week period.

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Chief Flying Instructor Raymond Stock was impressed with her performance throughout the course:

He said: “Esmee demonstrated dedication as well as intelligence.

“For example, she was at the controls of a light twin aeroplane on both legs of a trip to France.

“With further flying training and experience, she will indeed develop into a skilled and knowledgeable pilot. We wish her well for the future.”

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Esmee hopes to join the RAF in an aircrew role and fly the Chinook or Boeing C17 as a career, once she has left her sixth form college.

Flight Lieutenant William Booth, Officer Commanding at 2522 (Bedlington) Squadron, said: “We are all incredibly proud of Esmee and her achievements.

“She epitomises the positive and ambitious attitude that we encourage in all our young people and is an inspiration to many of our younger cadets.”

Earlier this year, Esmee ga-ined her Silver Gliding Wings.