A MAN who has harboured an ambition to fly a jumbo jet for more than 35 years is a step closer to his dream.

Mark McManus, has spent more than £25,000 to date on financing his dream to fly a Boeing 747. He has sold his car and given up his job so that he could fit in the hours required to obtain his commercial pilots licence.

He has also been offered £5,250 funding from the Teesside Training and Enterprise Council, but he still needs to find a further £6,500.

He currently holds a professional private pilots licence, which allows him to fly light aircraft, but he now feels it is time to make the transition to a commercial licence.

Thirty-seven year-old, Mr McManus, said: "All I have ever really wanted to do is fly aircraft and it is my lifetime ambition to pilot a 747 Boeing.

"It is the big one. It is like comparing a Mini to a Mercedes knowing everyone would choose the Mercedes every time."

Mr McManus, from Bramcote Way, Thornaby, has enrolled on a course with Linvic Flight Centres, to gain his final commercial pilots licence, this will cost him £11,750, and hopefully a job is there for him on completion.

He said: "It is expensive business learning to fly a plane. I never had the money before until I started work driving trucks. However, I needed to give up my HGV job to get all the required flying hours in to gain the licence. I also had to sell my car to help raise the money required.

"It will be worth it when I can get behind the controls and go away on long haul flights, which is what the plane is equipped for. Once I have completed the training I will be able to earn quite a considerable amount."

Mr McManus, now only has until November 30 to raise the remainder of the money needed to realise his dream. If anybody can help with sponsorship they are asked to contact him via The Northern Echo on (01642) 675678.