Birr girl celebrates first flight at tender age of just 17

Being described as having your head in the clouds is not always complimentary, but not so for Birr teenager Holly Corboy, one of Ireland's youngest flying enthusiasts.

Seventeen-year-old Holly, who is a member of the Ormand Flying Club, recently completed her first solo flight; a memorable occasion for any pilot but particularly for one so young.

Holly's proud father David told the Offaly Independent that an interest in aviation is in the blood.

“We live right beside the airfield and I'm a pilot myself so she has been around airplanes most of her life. She took an interest at an early age and started training as soon as she legally could at 15.”

Over the last two years Holly has logged almost 20 hours in the air and is thinking about pursuing a career in commercial aviation, her father says.

While flying, both commercially and recreationally, is a traditonally male dominated area, Holly is one of a trio of young women who are among the Ormand Flying Club's most promising pilots.

“It's quite unique. Along with Holly there are two other young female students, Susie Wrafter and Hazel Reynolds in the club. I don't know there most be something in the water around Birr,” David said.

Noting that her daughter can't drive a car, but can fly a plane unaided, dad David says that he and the rest of the Corboy family are “hugely proud” of her. He also paid tribute to Holly's instructors Aaron Dineen and the club's chief flying instructor Joe Davy, who was also David's instructor when he made his first solo flight.

“It's a fantastic achievement for her. Even if she doesn't go on and do anything else in aviation, if you talk to any pilot they will always tell you about their first solo. Nothing really gets better than that.”