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Vol 26 l Issue 18
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Martin to cycle coast to coast in dad’s memory
HIGH-FLYING TEEN SOARS INTO RECORD BOOKS! Report by Danielle Thompson A TEENAGER from Mawdesley has become the youngest Brit to fly solo in a powered aircraft. Maksim Ferguson, a year nine pupil at Scarisbrick Hall School, took to the sky at Spectrum Airways in Burlington, Ontario, Canada to fulfil his dream - at the age of 14 years, one month and 28 days! That made him one of the youngest pilots in the world to fly solo in a powered aircraft - almost three years before he can legally drive a car. And to add to that, it was his first ever solo flight! Before take off though he had to overcome various hurdles, including passing a Canadian medical certificate, reaching the minimum 10 hours of local flying time - including performing stalls, spins and spiral dives - and passing a Student Pilot Permit exam and an English proficiency test! And even then he had to contend with delayed take-offs due to snowy weather conditions and high winds. He finally took to the skies in gusty conditions in a Piper PA-28 single engine, four-seater plane, ascending to 1,000 ft, successfully navigating the
14-year-old Scarisbrick Hall pupil becomes youngest Brit to fly solo in a powered aircraft
Maksim Ferguson about to take off on his record-breaking solo flight.
chosen flight path and communicating with Canadian air traffic control, before successfully touching back down at the Burlington airstrip. Maksim, who not surprisingly has hopes of becoming an RAF or commercial airline pilot, said:
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“I wasn’t expecting to go solo when I did. They had cancelled nearly all the flights as the weather was so bad and I thought that my opportunity had gone. Then we got a call from the chief flying instructor saying let’s head out! “It all happened so fast and I was so nervous sitting there on the runway in the plane by myself - it didn’t help that my dad and my instructors were standing right beside filming me and taking pictures. “It was still really windy when I took off and it was a big relief when I touched back down. “I couldn’t have done this without everyone’s support. My Canadian flying instructors were amazing and I want to say a big thank-you to them. “This is a massive tick off my flying bucket list. I want to go solo in the UK as soon as I turn 16 and we will definitely be going back to Canada before then so I can go solo again.” Maksim has beaten the record of 16-year-old Ellie Carter who became the UK’s youngest solopowered aircraft pilot in January this year. Continued inside
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Vandals wreck canal bridge with JCB digger Pensioner ’s quest to track down his good Samaritan A PENSIONER is hoping that Champion readers can help him to finally track down the person or persons who may well have helped to save his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest. James Bowley was taken ill during a shopping trip to Ormskirk but has no recollection of what actually happened until he woke up in Southport Hospital some 10 days later! The 70-year-old (pictured right) vaguely recalls browsing around the shops but it was only after he regained consciousness in the hospital that he learned what had happened. That was on December 7, 2017 and ever since he has tried in vain to find out who helped him to get to hospital to can thank them. Now the normally publicity-shy OAP has turned to the Champ for help after his local florist suggested an appeal in our columns might do the trick. After his cardiac arrest the retired coach driver spent two weeks at the Southport hospital before being transferred to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. He said: “All I can remember about that day is that it was about midday or early afternoon and I was going for a browse in a book shop or doing a bit of shopping. There was no warning whatsoever as I wasn’t feeling unwell at all. “Someone must have assisted me, at least, if nothing else, by alerting the ambulance. I don’t know what else they may have done but there’s a chance they could have saved my life.” Jame had no history of heart trouble and the incident came out of the blue. He doesn’t know where it happened either only that he had parked his car in the Wheatsheaf car park as that was where his family found it afterwards. “I would really like to meet and thank anyone who has helped me. ” If you can help James trace the good Samaritans who helped him email editorial@champnews.com or call 01704 392408.
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