TEENAGER Lewis Lynch has not passed his driving test yet.

But soon he will be able to take the controls of a plane and fly across the English Channel - on his own!

The high-flying 17-year-old has become the youngest member to get his private pilot's licence at Solent Flight, based at Southampton International Airport.

Lewis, who lives in West End, won his wings after piloting a four-seater Warrior plane on a 70-mile flight from Eastleigh to Bridgwater in Somerset.

Before he took to the skies with his examiner he had completed the minimum 45 hours' training, which included a wide-ranging skills test.

Now the sky really is the limit for the youngster who has been flying since he was 13 but had dreamt of being a pilot many years before that.

He said: "I love it from the time you take off to the time you land. It is always different and it is the freedom that you get of being in the air."

Lewis made his first solo flight on his 16th birthday.

The minimum age for taking a private pilot's licence is 17.

So at aged 17 years and two months, Lewis is one of the youngest high-fliers around.

With his private pilot's licence under his belt he now has his sights firmly set on getting his commercial pilot's licence and one day flying jumbos.

He shares the same birthday as Virgin boss Richard Branson and would love to be as successful as the entrepreneur.

But he gets some interesting reactions when people hear that he can fly a plane.

He said: "A lot of people do not believe it because I'm so young."

Solent Flight club member Carl Lycett says: "I think it is absolute brilliant. It is nice to see young people coming into the aviation industry.

"He only needs to fly once with an instructor across the Channel and then he can go on his own."

His first solo mission will be to take proud mum and dad Richard and Jackie Lynch on a trip to the Isle of Wight.

Meanwhile, he will have his feet firmly back on the ground as his driving lessons soon get into top gear.