THE sky is the limit for one young pilot who is preparing to take his first solo flight.

High-flying Sam Roddie, of Selby, is set to become one of the country's youngest glider pilots when he turns 16 on Friday.

The Selby High School pupil has been flying since the age of five, but has been waiting for the milestone to fly solo legally.

Sam said: "I have been training for it for a long time and, now I am ready, I can't wait to fly on my own.

"I am a bit nervous because I have been doing it for so long, but going up on my own is a big step.

"It is not like driving a car; you can't just pull over if you have a problem. You have to deal with it yourself."

The youngster has 50 hours of flying time from 150 flights under his belt, with the help of funding from the Royal Aeronautical Society and The Caroline Trust charity.

His father, Derrick, 44, is an instructor at the Wolds Gliding Club, in Pocklington, and has been flying for 26 years.

He said: "He is very confident, very safe and I am really proud of the way he has done it.

"The environment of the gliding club is really good because it develops young people's confidence and gives them responsibility."

Sam now plans to fly in the Junior National Gliding Championships in July, where pilots navigate gliders for up to 300 miles at speeds exceeding 60mph.

He is not the only rising star at the club where two other young pilots, Charlie Tagg, 18, and Simon Barker, 24, are aiming for the 2007 World Championships in Italy.

Chief flying instructor Chris Price said: "The instructing team has gained great satisfaction from seeing Sam develop over the years into the confident and extremely capable pilot he now is."

Updated: 09:34 Monday, April 17, 2006