High flying Stourbridge student happy to have her head in the clouds (From Stourbridge News)

High flying Stourbridge student happy to have her head in the clouds

11:43am Monday 17th September 2012 in News

A STOURBRIDGE student is aiming high with lofty ambitions for a career with her head in the clouds.

Jemma Newton, aged just 17, is already on the way to fulfilling her dream of becoming an RAF pilot after completing her gold wings course for gliders as well as her first solo flight in a light aircraft.

Jemma, from Wollaston, started flying as a member of the Air Training Corps in Oldswinford, she fits her flying around an IT course at Stourbridge College and being a staff cadet at RAF Cosford's Vigilant Gliding School.

She said: "I have wanted to do this since I was very young but really never thought i'd get the opportunity, I am living my dream.

"When I qualified for my gold wings I was over the moon because that's one step closer to becoming an instructor.

"It means I have to work harder now to become a better pilot to be an instructor and get closer to the career i've always wanted in the Royal Air Force."

The former Ridgewood High School pupil completed her first solo flight in a powered aircraft in early August after a two-week training course in Dundee.

As a staff cadet at Cosford Jemma works on the ground refuelling planes, giving safety briefings to cadets and escorting them to aircraft.