Phillip's dream of flying comes true

And he is one of three local men to have just earned their wings.

Mr Allcock, aged 24, of Little Lever, has always dreamed of being a pilot.

He fondly recalls his days as a young boy collecting and playing with his toy aeroplanes and building models of his favourite aircraft.

He began taking private flying lessons at the Barton Aerodrome when he was just 16 and now he has qualified to fly for KLM Airlines.

Mr Allcock completed a physics degree at Salford University and then decided to apply for sponsorship from many of the major airlines to train for his pilots licence and fulfil his childhood dream.

But he struggled to gain funding, so he decided to take fate into his own hands and complete his pilot's training privately, without any help from airline sponsors.

He took a part-time job at Norweb in Bolton and then with the help of a loan from the bank, went to America to start his training.

When he came home in April 2001, he began the official qualification process for his Commercial Pilot's Licence.

He qualified for his ground exams with flying colours - passing 13 of the 14 exams on his first attempt, and the remaining one after only one re-sit.

Since then he has spent six months at Leeds Airport, honing his flying skills and learning how to fly using commercial flight paths and air traffic control.

He is now awaiting the issue of his licence from the headquarters at Gatwick. This consists of both his Commercial Pilot's Licence and his Instrument Rating, which shows that he has passed his tests on how to fly in bad conditions as well as clear skies.

Meanwhile, Lee Simpson, aged 27, from Heaton, and Mark Howarth, aged 22, from Bolton, are both about to take up positions as pilots with the My Travel group.

It has taken seven years for Lee to realise his ambition of becoming a pilot. He has had his sights set on becoming a pilot since .

He started work as a cabin crew member in 1995 and rose through the ranks from senior cabin crew to cabin supervisor before gaining an Airtours sponsorship to attain pilot status.

Mark, on the other hand, has already racked up 10 years flying as he started out as a 12-year-old and joined Airtours International in 1999 in-flight operations before deciding to become a commercial pilot.

Lee said: "It was a really gruelling period of classroom study. I hadn't been in a classroom for 10 years and it came as a real jolt to the system, as well as having to cope with all the homework.

"Although it was extremely intense, it wasn't a problem as my motivation was mountain high given that I felt so lucky to be fulfilling my ambition to become a pilot."

FLYING HIGH: Newly qualified pilot Phillip Allcock

PHILIP Allcock is flying high after passing the qualifications for his commercial pilot's licence.

And he is one of three local men to have just earned their wings.

Mr Allcock, aged 24, of Little Lever, has always dreamed of being a pilot.

He fondly recalls his days as a young boy collecting and playing with his toy aeroplanes and building models of his favourite aircraft.

He began taking private flying lessons at the Barton Aerodrome when he was just 16 and now he has qualified to fly for KLM Airlines.

Mr Allcock completed a physics degree at Salford University and then decided to apply for sponsorship from many of the major airlines to train for his pilots licence and fulfil his childhood dream.

But he struggled to gain funding, so he decided to take fate into his own hands and complete his pilot training privately, without any help from airline sponsors.

He took a part-time job at Norweb in Bolton and then with the help of a loan from the bank, went to America to start his training.

When he came home in April 2001, he began the official qualification process for his Commercial Pilot's Licence.

He qualified for his ground exams with flying colours - passing 13 of the 14 exams on his first attempt, and the remaining one after only one re-sit.

Since then he has spent six months at Leeds airport, honing his flying skills and learning how to fly using commercial flight paths and air traffic control.

He is now awaiting the issue of his licence from the headquarters at Gatwick.

Meanwhile, Lee Simpson, aged 27, from Heaton, and Mark Howarth, aged 22, from Bolton, are both about to take up positions as pilots with the My Travel group.

It has taken seven years for Lee to realise his ambition of becoming a pilot.

He started work as a cabin crew member in 1995 and rose through the ranks from senior cabin crew to cabin supervisor before gaining an Airtours sponsorship to attain pilot status.

Mark, on the other hand, has already racked up 10 years flying as he started out as a 12-year-old and joined Airtours International in 1999 in-flight operations before deciding to become a commercial pilot.