Did my Flying Scholarship at Thruxton, where I still keep my aeroplane, 6 weeks after my 17th birthday. Drove there on my 49cc NSU Quickly scooter from Wimbledon, was shown to a rat infested sleeping hut by the old black hangar (which housed several Mosquitos that were for sale) and then to a briefing on what to expect in the bar of the Wiltshire Flying School that evening. The following morning my first air experience trip was in Chipmunk G-AORL with a Polish instructor, Mr Ruprecht from Middle Wallop who just did aerobatics until I was ill. From then on all the flying was in Thruxton Jackaroos, first solo in G-AOEX on the fifth day, dual cross country as to Christchurch airfield and qualifying one to Portsmouth and Shoreham. PPL Flying test at 30 hours was with CFI John Heaton 13 days after I arrived there, which was the excuse for the instructors and a young actress called Sheila Scott to have another party in the bar that evening. I left for home the following morning feeling as ill as after my first flight there, but for a different reason. Another year at school for A levels and then onto Cranwell....I am still addicted to flying which proves the system really worked!