The plane King Charles took his first solo flight in still flying 57 years later

Nearly 60 years after King Charles completed his first solo flight, the Chipmunk aircraft that carried him in that milestone moment (military serial WP903) is still flying—57 years later. The story notes that poor weather diverted him to RAF Bassingbourn, where instructor Squadron Leader Philip Pinney assessed him as ready. Although Charles later finished Primary Flying Training that year on the Chipmunk and earned his RAF Preliminary Flying Badge, his first solo flight remains central to many pilots’ memories. WP903 remains airworthy and is operated by a group of owners based at Old Warden in Bedfordshire. The article describes how crowds respond whenever it appears at air shows, including former Air Cadets sharing their own experiences.