Pensioner Paddy Elliot is still flying high at the age of 90 as one of the world's oldest pilots.
The sprightly nonagenarian celebrated his landmark birthday on St Patrick's Day and is still taking to the air - having only started flying when he retired at the age of 64.
Mr Elliot also still works five days a week too, manning the operations desk at South Warwickshire Flying School at Wellesbourne Aerodrome, where he has been a member since 1989 and more recently a director.
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Born Alfred Ernest Elliott in Shirley in 1925, Mr Elliot is looking forward to continuing as a pilot after recently passing a medical giving him the all-clear to carry on.
Although he served in the Royal Air Force and has always had an interest in planes it was only when he reached retirement that he had a chance to learn how to fly.
"I have always been interested in aeroplanes, ever since I was a kid," said Mr Elliot. "But it wasn't until I retired that my flying career started.
"The missus said to me ‘what are you going to do now?' I said not a lot but she saw something about light aircraft night school classes and I was really interested.
"The classes were run by someone who had their own aeroplane at Birmingham Airport and he asked if anyone wanted to go flying. I said I was interested so I had an hour's flying in Wales 25 years ago and that was the start.
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"I did my first flight that December and got my private pilot's licence the following September. I was nearly 65 when I got it."
Mr Elliot said he was delighted to have recently been given the medical all-clear to continue.
He said: "You have to pass the same medical as everyone else - ECGs and all the tests. It's exactly the same medical as for someone who is 25. I got the okay and that was it."
As a boy Mr Elliot attended Sharmans Cross School in Solihull and later went to Birmingham Central Technical College as an apprentice toolmaker for the Austin Motor Company.
It was as a young apprentice at Austin that he first came into contact with aeroplanes, as the car-maker produced components as part of the war effort.
At the end of the war Mr Elliot was called-up for national service and served in the RAF. On his return to civilian life, he re-joined Austin and went to work in the press tool department.
He later became a supervisor and subsequently covered various production activities, from engine components to body and vehicle assembly.
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Following a 50-year career he retired from Rover cars in 1988.
Asked why he was such a late starter, Mr Elliot said: "I was in industry all my life and never had the chance to fly.
"I was buying houses, getting married and suchlike. It wasn't until I retired that was able to follow it a bit further." Since learning how to fly Mr Elliot has flown all around the 海角视频 and further afield.
He added: "I have gone all over the country, to the Isle of Wight and over the continent quite a lot - to France, Jersey, Guernsey and Belgium.
"It's nice to keep my hand in. I'm still as interested in flying now as I was 25 years ago, if I wasn't I wouldn't do it. I really enjoy flying and really enjoy coming down to Wellesbourne. I'm still down at the club five days a week, which is good fun and keeps me active."
Outside of working at the flying school Mr Elliot looks after his wife Ruby, whose health is not as good as his. This year the couple will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.
Sadly, she is no longer able to fly with him, but Mr Elliot said he likes to fly "as often as he can".
He added: "It is something I wanted to do, that's all. I didn't do it for any purpose - I did it because I wanted to do it. It is a challenge and it is great fun being up there on your own – flying around with 58 million people down below.
"I thoroughly enjoy it, it is magical in a way. Being between 4,000 and 5,000 feet on a lovely day in a light aircraft, there's nothing better you can do.
"It is really lovely to get up over the Cotswolds on a beautiful evening – there's nothing better than the feeling you get - it's a wonderful feeling."