Man becomes ‘youngest with pilot license’ at 18

Beyazıt Şenbük - BURSA

An 18-year-old young Turk, chasing his dream of becoming an airline pilot, has been recently granted a pilot license when he was yet to have a driver’s one.

Flying in the skies with his teacher-cum-pilot father since he was 7 years old, Toprak Mert Yürekli has 160 hours of flight experience. After completing 45 hours of theoretical and 25 hours of practical training, Yürekli was granted a pilot license that permits him to operate ultralight aircraft on July 19.

It takes three months on average to complete these courses, Yürekli said, adding that this period may vary depending on participation in the training or weather conditions.

Yürekli, who received training from his father and started flying alone after becoming a licensed pilot, aims to serve as a teacher pilot by increasing his 40-hour flight experience as a captain pilot to 100 hours to meet the criteria.

“My father bought his own plane after quitting his job as a designer. I’ve flown with him as a co-pilot since I was a kid,” said Yürekli.

Though his acquaintance with aviation started at the age of 7, he entered the cockpit for the first time on the day his father opened an airpark in the northeastern province of Bursa, which contains ultralight aircraft, when he was 9 years old, Yürekli said.

“I remember that day like it was yesterday, we were caught in turbulence and it was so exciting, Yürekli said, noting that he decided to become a pilot at the age of 16, two years before becoming the youngest licensed pilot in Türkiye.

After graduating from university, Yürekli, who got the pilot license on his 18th birthday before even getting a driver’s license, dreams of becoming an airline pilot who flies Boeing instead of being involved in civil or military aviation.

“He has been flying with me since childhood and became familiar with aviation at a very young age,” said his father, Onur Umur Yürekli.

Pointing out that his son is still at the beginning of the road, he said, “I’m proud of my son. I believe he will be a successful pilot in the future.”