A HIGH-FLYING teenager is on the road to success after gaining a private pilot’s licence and passing his driving test within days.

Ross Williams completed the extraordinary double just two months after his 17th birthday.

And he is now setting a course for flying lessons in the USA to help him towards his next goal of gaining commercial pilot qualifications.

“I’ve wanted to fly ever since I can remember,” said Ross, of Llanteg, who despite good GCSE grades, was determined to leave Tenby’s Greenhill School at 16 so he could earn money to fund his flying.

“I could have stayed on in school, but I just knew what I wanted to do and that was to be able to live my dream.”

Ross worked all the hours he could in McDonald’s and the New Inn, Amroth to pay the £150-an-hour cost of flying lessons in a Cessna 150 with Fly Wales of Haverfordwest.

After 45 hours in the air, written exams and a cross-country qualifier, his private licence was in the bag – just three days after gaining a first-time pass on his driving test following an intensive course.

“I was massively happy,” he admitted. “It took quite a long time to sink in.”

With the ultimate aim of becoming an airline pilot, Ross now needs to build up his hours towards his commercial pilot’s licence.

“I’m going to Arizona at the end of September, staying with family friends, where I hope to do between 50 and 75 hours of flying. It’s a lot cheaper to hire a plane there, around 100 dollars an hour.

“Then hopefully I’ll start doing my commercial written exams when I come home and build up some more flying hours.”

Ross’s flying instructor, Ryan Williams (no relation), described him as “one of my best students”.

He added: “Fair play to Ross – he is very switched on and focused, and shows great airmanship when he flies.

“To come through and gain a private pilot’s licence in just 11 months is amazing.

“Passing his driving test as well is the icing on the cake!”