Teenaged aviator Chloe Hallett, daughter of Virgin balloonist
Lindsay Muir, has become the youngest balloon pilot in the country.
The budding ballooning star, from Bishops Castle, picked up her licence on her 17th birthday to claim the accolade, having started learning at just 15.
Lindsay, who pilots balloon rides in Shropshire and Cheshire, is a former British national hot air balloon champion and has been teaching Chloe everything she knows.
Lindsay said: "It came quite naturally to Chloe and she was very, very relaxed about it. A lot of students coming into it are very tense most of the way through.
"Chloe would chat away, look over the side of the basket, burn, talk about something else... and then tell her mother to shut up because she needed to concentrate on the landing."
Chloe followed in the footsteps of
Milli Karlstrom, daughter of Virgin Balloon Flights chief pilot and CEO
Kenneth Karlstrom, who became youngest pilot when she gained her licence in October last year.
Chloe said: "It's good that I'm a girl. There haven't been many female pilots and it's good to be a record breaker," she said,
"I think I'll get my commercial licence which means I can fly passengers, but I don't think I really want it as a job, just as a part-time thing really."
Chloe is hoping to take part in competitions for pilots under 25 starting next year.
Congratulations to Chloe from everyone at Virgin Balloon Flights!
To book a balloon ride in Shropshire with Lindsay visit the
Virgin Balloon Flights website.
Lindsay, who pilots balloon rides in Shropshire and Cheshire, is a former British national hot air balloon champion and has been teaching Chloe everything she knows.