Seventy-five-year-old 'follows his dream' and studies for pilot licence

Despite being a nervous passenger on flights, Roddy Kyle is taking control by studying to obtain a pilot’s licence 60 years after first experiencing life in a cockpit.

The 75-year-old, who travelled across the globe serving in the army as a mechanic, got his first taste of flying when he flew gliders in an open cockpit whilst on leave from training to be a mechanic at the age of 16.

He said: “As soon as I got behind the controls of the glider I knew this was something I could do again and again.

“My initial deployment to Germany in early 1961 was by Troopship but Trooping flights to Germany started in 1961. It wasn’t the most pleasurable experience so it’s fair to say I wasn’t a fan of passenger flying.

“Now in the cockpit with my hands on the controls, it’s been an amazing experience and I’m even looking at the possibility of buying into something to fly more regularly.

“When you’re in the air it’s really quite simple and great fun – it’s the landing that is a bit trickier!”

Mr Kyle, whose previous adrenaline-filled hobbies include “a bit of ‘off-piste’ hill walking’”, obtained honours for serving in Germany and Belgium during the Cold War, and he was also awarded the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal and a General Service Medal for his work in Borneo.

Following his army service, the budding pilot spent 35 years in the oil and gas industries working across the globe in the Caspian area, Africa, the Middle East, India and the Far East.

Mr Kyle’s enthusiasm for flying has not been deterred by an upcoming hip replacement and has been fervently studying for his first round of pilot tests.

He explains: “I’ve spent a wee bit of time on YouTube looking at tutorial videos but it’s not something you can master just from watching, I’ve been lucky enough to receive some fantastic instruction.”

Now living at a Bield retirement housing development in Fife, Mr Kyle is also part of a fundraising community group that has donated to charities including Erskine Veterans Charity, CHAS and the local primary school.

Kathy Crombie, communications and marketing manager at Bield, said: “We are so proud of Roddy working so hard and finally having a go at attaining his pilot license.

“To see him following this dream at 75 is a true inspiration to all of us and we wish him every success in his steps on the road to getting his license.”