Teen pilot Dior Toppazzini earns her wings on first solo flight with Hastings District Flying Club

She is one of about 16 young people in the club who literally have their heads in the clouds as trainee pilots.

For Dior, the progression to flying was a given. Her grandfather was an aircraft engineer on DC10s and her dad Doug, also a member of HDFC, has been flying for as along as he can remember.

She first got her wings at just 14 when she came under the supervision of flying instructor Mike Bullock.

"I just love flying. We'd always go to air shows, it has always just been in our life," the Mackillop College student said.

"When you're up in the air you can go wherever you want. It's calm."

Dior has cut her teeth behind the propeller of a Sling 2 and has committed hours of study and simulated training with the help of Mr Bullock before her maiden solo flight last week.

"When you're flying you have no time to think or worry about being nervous," Dior said.

She flew one circuit and executed a perfect take off and landing.

Mr Bullock said the enthusiasm of the current cohort of student pilots is contagious.

"They have a total love for flying and they have a great time," he said.

Dior will now add to her solo flying hours and tackle ore advanced circuits. She will refine her emergency response strategies and the more difficult manoeuvres in the aircraft.

She would like to venture into aerobatics and formation flying and obtain her recreational pilot's licence.

Dior hopes to be a flying vet one day helping out in rural communities.

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