My dream destination
Scots pilot lands his perfect job flying biggest passenger jet to home city
AS a teenager he dreamed of becoming a pilot, and even washed planes to pay f or flying lessons.
Now Iain Weir is preparing to make aviation history by landing the world’s biggest passenger plane on Scottish soil today.
He will be taking the Super Jumbo Airbus 380 for a three-hour visit to Glasgow Airport to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Emirates flights between the city and Dubai.
He could even end up flying over his home town of Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, when he makes his f i nal approach to the city.
An airport official said: ‘ There is a 50- 50 chance he will pass over Clydebank, but we won’t know until the morning.
‘The wind direction will determine which route is adopted.’
Mr Weir, 43, said: ‘ I am very privileged to be one of the few pilots
‘At eight I wanted to be a pilot’
in the world to fly the A380. It really is a dream for me.
‘ I was a co- pilot on the f i rst Emirates flight out of Glasgow ten years ago. When I heard the airline was bringing an A380 to Glasgow, I emailed my boss to ask if I could be considered as the pilot.’
Mr Weir was a pupil at Clydebank High School when he discovered his love of aviation and caught the flying bug. He recalled: ‘I was about eight years old and I was going on holiday to Majorca. I knew then I wanted to be a pilot.
‘At the age of 15 I got my first job answering the phones and washing the planes at the West of Scotland Flying Club. It’s now defunct, but I used the money to pay for flying lessons so that I could get a private pilot’s licence.’
During the A380’s visit to Glasgow, VIPs will be invited on board to marvel at the luxurious double- decker plane, which is fitted with showers, a spa and a passenger lounge with bar.
There are only 100 Airbus 380s in service around the world, and Mr Weir will put the world’s biggest commercial plane down on the tarmac at Glasgow Airport shortly after midday.
The closest Scotland has come to welcoming a jet of this size was five years ago when one of the 525-seater Super Jumbos flew over Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick airports.
In ten years, Emirates has carried 2.4million passengers between Scotland and the United Arab Emirates – and Mr Weir will be one of them.
He will remain behind when the plane returns to Dubai – and will be f l ying home tomorrow as an ordinary passenger.