At 14, Chennai-born Abhinav Sujith becomes Asia’s youngest solo glider pilot
Kent: “Flying makes me feel peaceful, connected to nature, and curious about the world above us,” says 14-year-old Abhinav Sujith. Two days after his birthday, that curiosity took him into the sky alone.
On 6 October 2025, Abhinav completed his first solo glider flight in Kent, UK, becoming the youngest solo glider pilot in Asia, according to the Aero Club of India. The club has issued him an FAI sporting licence, making him eligible to compete in official gliding competitions.
The journey began in Chennai. At age 8, a paraglider ride over East Coast Road left a lasting impression. “I remember seeing the beach from above. Everything looked calm and beautiful, and I told the pilot I wanted to go higher so I could see the clouds,” Abhinav recalls.
When the family moved to the UK in November 2021 for his father Sujith Sankar’s job, Abhinav found a gliding club in Kent. Gliding uses engine-free sailplanes that stay aloft on rising air currents called thermals. It demands reading the wind, patience, and precise decisions.
He began training in a two-seater glider, learning take-offs, landings, safety procedures and emergency handling. One early flight even included a rope break and forced landing. “He stayed calm,” his father says. “It increased his dedication.”Instructor Gavin remembers him as focused beyond his years. “Most children are restless, but he asked intelligent questions and absorbed every detail. It was clear that he wanted to understand every part of the sport.”
For three years, weekends meant airfields — preparing sailplanes in the morning, practising manoeuvres in the afternoon, debriefs in the evening. Weekdays were for school. Now in Class 9, Abhinav says, “School always comes first.”When the instructor finally said, “The sky is yours,” Abhinav lifted off alone. “It was magical. Flying alone was unforgettable,” he says. His father watched from the ground: “When he landed safely, calm and composed, a sense of gratitude washed over me.”Rajiv Pratap Rudy, president of the Aero Club of India, ensured the achievement was celebrated on the club’s news portal.
Next, Abhinav is working toward his bronze badge, which requires solo experience and two qualifying soaring flights. From age 16 he can aim for a cross-country endorsement to fly beyond his home airfield.“It would be an honour to inspire other young people to explore this sport,” he says. “Every flight teaches me something new, and I feel part of something bigger.”From a childhood ride over Chennai’s coast to solo flight in Kent, Abhinav’s story is one lesson, one thermal, one careful decision at a time.
