I can see the office from here!

Flying a plane is one of the easiest things I've ever done. Hold your arms out in front of you – the same as if you were driving a car. Keep them there for a few minutes, and don't let the nose dip. It's that easy.

Granted, I didn't do the taking off or landing bits, but it was my first time in the cockpit. I can't be expected to do everything.

Tomorrow, the members of the Leicester Aero Club will be dishing out free flights to members of the public at their annual open day in Stoughton.

It's a first come, first served offer, but well worth turning up early for.

Ahead of the event, I visited club members to give it go myself.

My instructor for the day, Tom Pinckard, 21, talked me through the dials, chronometers, speedometers and whirly clock things as we sat in the cockpit of the small four-seater aircraft.

Mercury photographer Beth Walsh buckled herself into the back and began to reacquaint herself with the power of prayer.

"There's a checklist you have to follow, but I've done this so many times I know it off by heart now," said Tom.

"Amen," finished Beth.

We began cantering along the runway and, before I knew it, we were in the air.

Unlike a commercial plane, there was no distinguishing moment to indicate the tyres had left the runway – "very smooth," I thought.

I think at this point it's important to note that I'm pretty scared of flying – not as much as spiders, but I'm definitely a two pints in the airport bar kind-of-guy (though not today!)

However, once I was up, it was quite relaxing and the nerves settled.

They began to jangle again when Tom let go of the controls at 100-miles-an-hour and said: "Right, it's all yours."

For a split second, I considered the ejector seat (there isn't one) but quickly grabbed hold of the handles and held them as tightly and as motionless as possible.

Beth seemed to have calmed down by now and was happily taking photos of Mercury Towers from above.

I kept the nose as straight as possible and flew towards Coventry. I think.

Whether it was the power of Beth's prayers or my prowess, the flight was incident-free and, needless to say, we landed safely and lived to tell the tale.

A private licence costs about £6,000, and you can start flying as young as 14 – so ask mummy and daddy nicely.

Teenage pilots can begin logging the 45 hours needed to achieve their dream of becoming a pilot, but be warned, there's also a heap of exams which stand in the way of the licence.

Written tests about aviation law, operational procedure, navigation meteorology and communications are just a few of the subjects students will have to pass.

And any potential Biggles out there must wait until they are 17 before can officially be issued with a PPL – that's Private Pilot Licence.

The open day starts at 10am at Leicester Airport, in Gartree Road, tomorrow .

For those who don't fancy half-an-hour in a 100mph steel tube, there's an all-day bar and food and lots of activities.

For more information, visit the club's website at:

www.leicesterairport.com