The young pilots who can fly before they can legally drive: ‘When you’re in control of the aircraft, you just zone in and everything feels right’

With only herself for company, Muireann Bagley enjoyed blasting out a few Katy Perry songs as she made the return journey from Sligo to Co Meath last September. But it was just her voice, no radio for music as the airwaves needed to be kept clear for listening to air traffic control. Bagley wasn’t making the journey by car — at 16 years old she’s yet to have a single driving lesson — instead, she was flying, all on her own, thousands of feet up in the air, piloting a Robin HR200.

“I had my first solo flight in June and then my solo cross-country to Sligo by myself was really fun! The Robin HR200 is a little small plane, agile and nice to fly,” the Co Dublin schoolgirl says. “It’s tough to put into words, but that feeling when you’re in control of the aircraft, you just zone in and everything feels right, it’s just an incredible experience.”.