At 17 most teenagers are grappling with learning to drive a car.

But for Felix Charlesworth getting to grips with flying across the skies of Sussex was his biggest concern and he has even flown solo.

The Brighton College pupil was awarded a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) on his 17th birthday, three weeks after achieving nine A’s and one A* in his GCSEs, to put the icing on the cake.

The schoolboy, who has only been learning to fly for a year, racked up 45 hours' flying and sat nine exams to achieve the feat.

Inspired by his first flying lesson with his school’s Combined Cadet Force, Felix then decided to gain the PPL at the Sussex Flying Club at Shoreham Airport in July last year. He said: “I really enjoyed it, so I decided to start on my PPL, but only with the intention of having a hobby and nothing more.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I got a lot of hours in, did a lot of studying and got all the exams done.”

"Now I plan to go to flight school after my A Levels to get my Commercial Pilots License.

"I’d love to be a British Airways captain.”

As part of his course Felix regularly flew to Worthing, Brighton Marina and Southend in the Cessna 152 he was training in, including flying ten hours solo.

Proud father Matthew Charlesworth said he was nervous when his son first flew solo, but he is now over the moon his son can fly.

“Learning to fly is perceived to be a difficult thing, so I was a little nervous but always confident in him," he said.

“For him to get his Private Pilot License on his 17th birthday, I’m very proud.

“It was a great month and he’s done really well. I’m pleased with his GCSE results and the flying, and delighted he knows what he wants to do in life - that makes me really happy.”

James Crabbe, chief flying instructor at Sussex Flying Club, said: “Felix was really fortunate to get his licence on his 17th birthday, which was a great effort for everyone concerned, including the Civil Aviation Authority who issued it on his birthday, which was very kind of them.

“Felix worked very hard and put a lot of effort into it.”

Now the rugby playing teen will be focusing on his A Levels in Mandarin, Economics, Philosophy and History, but is setting his sights on becoming a commercial airline pilot.