A Chepstow woman who was sponsored to learn to fly by the RAF Charitable Trust, has completed her training. 44-year-old Amanda Edwards is now keen to continue her training, which she undertook with 42-year-old Paul May from Newport. Since it was established in January 2005, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust has awarded over £2.5 million to a wide range of projects and initiatives in support of the RAF family, including serving personnel ad Air Cadets. Amanda and Paul were both selected for the Trust's two RIAT Flying Scholarships for Disabled People (FSDP) after attending a Selection Board at RAF Cranwell in April. They then spent three weeks learning to fly microlight aircraft at Bournemouth Flying Club. Amanda has an auto-immune disorder which meant she had to be medically discharged from the RAF Police. She said: "I enjoyed a very intense and thrilling three weeks of flying twice a day and studying. Luckily we had glorious weather and I got to fly over the whole of Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight and surrounding areas: the views were breath-taking!" She added: "I had to dig deep for the courage to do something as daring as flying a plane, but I loved every minute of it and feel very honoured. By far the best moment was a planned navigation over the Severn into Wales as I live just underneath the old bridge. Paul and I planned the route, and I texted and messaged everyone to look out for two planes, then we flew in formation over Yate, Bath, Bristol, the Severn Bridge, circled over my house a few times, dipped our wings at about 1,000ft then flew back to Bournemouth over Newport, the Bristol Channel and Weston-super-Mare. Later that day all the neighbours reported that they saw me. Yippee!" She continued: "I am very thankful to FSDP and the RAF Charitable Trust for the amazing gift they have given me. My husband said I've returned home a stronger person, and he and my son are both very proud. Now I'm saving very hard as I'd love to keep going and aim for my PPL." Both pilots learnt to fly under the instruction of Joe Knighton, Deputy Chief Flying Instructor at Bournemouth, who started his own flying career with an FSDP scholarship back in 1999.