IT was a childhood dream realised when Joe Knighton qualified as a pilot.

And his achievement is all the more inspirational considering the Bournemouth Flying Club instructor was partially paralysed in a motorcycle accident when he was 19.

Joe was left with a broken neck and paralysed from the neck down, spending six months in hospital – three in traction and three in a wheelchair.

However, he battled his way back to health and in spite of limited use of his right hand and leg has hasn’t let the physical disability hinder his determination to pursue his boyhood dream.

From the age of 13, Joe had his heart set on a career with the Royal Air Force and completed a scholarship at the age of 17, before the accident that changed his life.

“I had to come to terms with the fact that I was disabled.

“And once, I’d done that I realised that I was still the same person and I didn’t want to let it stop me”, Joe, 33, told The Daily Echo.

“I was a typical 19-year-old up until then – always the first person to do something and experience a new challenge.”

During his tough rehabilitation Joe discovered the Royal International Air Tattoo Flying Scholarship for the Disabled and applied while still in hospital.

He was successful and was subsequently awarded a 40-hour, six week scholarship at an air school in South Africa.

He then returned to the UK and after a couple of years away from aviation he was bitten again by the flying bug and re-qualified.

At the end of last year, Joe was taken on by Bournemouth Flying Club at Bournemouth Airport as an instructor and is one of two instructors qualified to teach aerobatics.

“I do describe myself as disabled but I think the label helps other people more than me though”, Joe said.

“I think people have a perception of what their pilot is going to look like and then they see me stumbling up to them. No-one has said anything to my face though.

“I’m very lucky to be doing what I love. The sky is my playground and I wouldn’t swap it.”

‘Immense adrenaline rush’

As the plane juddered to life I have to admit I didn’t look the most relaxed person with my terrified expression and clenched palms.

However, that had nothing to do with Joe’s disability but more the size of the two-seater Bulldog plane and my overactive imagination.

As we took off and soared over Christchurch and Hengistbury Head, Joe’s chatter put me more at ease and I began to relax.

We flew closer to the Isle of Wight and Joe told me to focus on the Needles.

I squinted to really concentrate on them and as I began to wonder why, the plane rolled to one side and continued until we were upside down and I was screaming through the headset’s microphone.

The shrieks continued until we were upright and from there we did loop-the-loops and a barrel roll Spitfire-style.

The adrenaline rush was immense and despite the screams, is an experience I would repeat in a heartbeat.