17 May 2005, By Patrick Mulchrone The Daily Record
DEL Boy is finally going up in the world - he's earned his helicopter pilot licence.
Only Fools And Horses star David Jason has passed his test to fly a two-seater chopper - at the age of 65.
But there's no danger of it changing the style of Britain's most famous Reliant Robin driver.
An air enthusiast who spotted him taking off at Sherburn Aero Club near Leeds said: 'He was dressed in typical Del Boy garb - flat cap and a diamond-patterned jumper. Apparently, it has taken him 90 hours to get the licence.'
The TV favourite has held a glider pilot's licence for four years.
But he started helicopter flying lessons back in 2003 at Wycombe Airfield in Buckinghamshire.
Bob Healds, of Healds Aviation at the Sherburn club, took to the skies with him recently in a Robinson R22 two-seater helicopter.
He said: 'He trained down south at a club near where he lives but whenever he's in the Leeds area he flies with me.He is an excellent flyer.'
When he started helicopter flying lessons, friends said he just could not stop talking about it
One said: 'David is just enjoying the fact that he now has the money and time to do things that he couldn't do when he was younger.'
Jason was away filming and unavailable yesterday.
A new R22 costs about £100,000 so Del Boy may not be garaging his faithful old Reliant Robin just yet