- Amelia Joanna Brunt is a 21-year-old student in London who's qualified as a helicopter pilot.
- She grew up flying with her dad, who inspired her to get her private pilot's license.
This as-told-to article is based on a transcribed conversation with Amelia Joanna Brunt, a 21-year-old student in England who has a private helicopter pilot's license. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I officially got my helicopter license this January at 21. It took around 18 months of training. I grew up flying in helicopters all the time with my dad, who had a license, and we would spend most weekends at the airfield.
We would often fly over London Heli-Lanes, a set of helicopter routes over the River Thames that offer some of the best views of the city. I remember thinking: "I want to be able to do this."
The training is pretty rigorous and expensive
I decided to try and get my private pilot license while studying English at King's College London, and I had my first flying lesson in June 2021 at ICE Helicopters at Elstree Aerodrome, just north of London.
To qualify as a helicopter pilot, you need to have a medical certificate called "Civil Aviation Authority Class II" to make sure you're in good health.
You then need to pass nine theory exams in subjects like air law, meteorology, and navigation. You also have a radiotelephony practical exam to prove your communication skills.
After a minimum of 45 hours of flight training, including at least 10 hours of solo flying, you take a license skills test with an examiner. All up it cost in the region of £20,000, about $25,000.
You never forget your first solo flight
I never get scared flying and that really helped me during my training. But the lead-up to my first solo flight in September last year was nerve-wracking nevertheless.
But I'd done so much training for that moment that as soon as I got in I knew exactly what to do. I didn't feel like it was real until that happened.
Every pilot I know will tell you the same thing: You never forget your first solo flight — nothing can top that feeling.
Nothing makes me happier than flying
I am now qualified to fly privately and I can take friends and family in the air, but I don't have a commercial license so I can't get paid work yet.
I'm not sure if I want to get my commercial license in the UK, where demand is quite low, or go to the US – but I know I want to become a full-time pilot.
Learning to fly has been my favorite hobby and it's kept me sane while doing my degree. Nothing makes me happier than flying.
There are far fewer women than men in the aviation community and even fewer in the helicopter sphere. But I can honestly say that I've felt comfortable and welcomed into the community from day one.
At ICE Helicopters, there is a group of six women who are certified, from private license holders to flight instructors. That's quite unusual and I'm very proud to be part of the group.
I can land in your backyard
The beauty of helicopters is that you can pretty much land anywhere as there is no specific rule — as long as you get authorization.
It may sound ridiculous, but if I wanted to, I could call up a pub or a hotel, ask if they have enough space for me to land, and take my friends on a day out.
I remember as a kid, we would go to all sorts of places so it doesn't strike me as unusual, but when I tell my friends that I could land in their backyard, they're surprised and often don't believe me.
Now that I'm qualified, I get to fly with my dad, who inspired me to get my license.