I started learning to fly in January 2010.
Back then, I was a complete beginner with zero hours in my logbook and a head full of dreams. Training took place under the old NPPL (National Private Pilot’s Licence) scheme in the UK. It was a fantastic, hands-on experience that taught me the fundamentals of flying in real British weather, from calm sunny days to challenging crosswinds and low visibility.
After 45 hours of training, I passed my skills test and earned my NPPL on 17th November 2011. That day remains one of the proudest moments of my life, the moment I officially became a licensed pilot.
In the years that followed, I continued building experience and made the transition to the EASA PPL by the end of 2014. Converting the licence involved additional training, exams, and meeting the new European standards that were being rolled out at the time. It was a significant step that opened the door to flying more freely across Europe as regulations evolved.
Those early years laid the foundation for everything that came later, from nervous student circuits to the confident IFR airways flying you see on The Flying VLOG today.