AN airline pilot who lost a leg 18 months ago is back behind the controls as part of the UK's first disabled flying team.

Mike Wildeman, aged 56, from Bournemouth, lived in constant pain following a motorcycle accident that injured his foot and ankle 18 years ago.

Eventually, because of the pain and the bone degradation, he opted for a below-knee amputation.

Today the former RAF pilot, who has worked as an airline pilot for 22 years, is waiting for the green light from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly airliners commercially again.

Mr Wildeman said: "It is very rare for someone with a lower limb amputation to captain a long haul airliner, but I really hope I can get back to doing what I love, and with a great company."

But while he awaits his confirmation, he’s been busy working as an Airbus A320 instructor and examiner at the L3 CTS Airline Pilot Training Academy in Southampton, and working as team leader for Bader’s Bus Company, the UK’s first disabled flying display team. The initiative is being led and financed by the Douglas Bader Foundation — which helps children and adults with limb loss in the form of grants, aviator and activity days and various forms of support and advice.

The team, which was finalised at the beginning of the year, comprises Mr Wildeman, Barry Hobkirk, Alan Robinson and team manager Alex Krol, and will make its first public display in a month’s time.

He said: "It is very exciting and we hope it gives us a platform to expand and maybe even get some different planes which will be able to perform more tricks, and we’ll be able to show off what we can do.

"This year though, our displays will be in close formation, which is pretty good considering there are only two good legs between the four of us."

He's been a patient at Dorset Orthopaedic's southern clinic, Ringwood, for a decade.

And the team there were with him through the entire amputation process, coming up with his rehab plan and getting him onto his prosthesis within six weeks of surgery.

Ahead of his amputation, Matt Hughes from Dorset Orthopaedic introduced Mr Wildeman to people who were already amputees, to show what could be done.

Mr Wildeman said: "Meeting people who’d already had amputations totally changed my view on disability, and what was possible. It helped me realise it was the right thing to do. And I’m so glad I did, it’s a pleasure to walk pain free, over further distances and on all terrains. And also go on the beach, which I wasn’t able to do for a very long time.

"Then, when I was asked to be a part of the team it was a great incentive for me to get fit and ready."