Flying Lessons

TRANSCRIPT
Flying Lessons

NARRATOR:
How can learning from others help us grow? At just 16, Ellie Carter is already rising to a challenge most people wouldn’t even consider taking on. She may be too young to drive, but she can already fly a plane. This hasn’t happened by chance. It has taken focus, consistency, and a willingness to learn from every experience in the air.

SOUNDBITE - Ellie Carter:
“I love it. The whole experience is so unique and it's amazing. Definitely some of the challenging things, like landing today in a crosswind, makes it a bit more interesting. The bumps up there makes it, you know, a bit more challenging, keeps you on your toes.”

NARRATOR:
Through regular flying lessons with experienced pilots, Ellie has been building her skills. Each lesson brings new situations to deal with. Variable weather, different landing conditions, and unexpected moments all test her ability to stay calm and make accurate judgements. Having strong role models also helps her develop as a pilot. With guidance from her mentor, Ellie is gaining insight into the industry and being shown how she can be part of a more inclusive future in aviation. 

SOUNDBITE – Captain Zoe Ebrey:
“Challenging those stereotypes that most people hold about being an airline pilot. It really demonstrates that no matter what your gender, you can still be an airline pilot. It's just really important.”

NARRATOR:
As Ellie continues her training, she is improving her technical skills while also developing a clear sense of direction.

SOUNDBITE - Ellie Carter:
“Short term, I want to add as many ratings to my licence as possible, so my tail dragger rating, aerobatics, that kind of stuff. In the long term, I'd quite like to be a test pilot or a stunt pilot.”

NARRATOR:
For now, her focus remains on the next step. She is working towards her private pilot’s licence, which she plans to achieve as soon as she turns 17. By then, she will have been flying for several years. With every lesson, she is moving closer to that goal.