The year is 1983 and aviation enthusiast Stig Olav Bolstad is 13 years old. The father was active in the flying club in his home village of Hattfjelldal, and the 13-year-old had taken part in many flying trips. Stig Olav and a 15-year-old friend had got a job polishing the planes. When they finished this afternoon 40 years ago, they found that they had to taxi a trip on the ground with a Cessna 172, which was owned by the club. Before they knew it, Stig Olav had given full throttle, and suddenly they were in the air. No one noticed that the two boys ran away with the plane. But down on the ground, people stumbled across a small plane that does mind-boggling, acrobatic stunts. The plane plunged towards the rooftops in the neighborhood to quickly rise again. Here, the two boys are interviewed by VG after the dramatic incident in their home village. Photo: Bård Gimnes / VG/NTB For 55 minutes they flew around the village. – It was absolutely amazing to fly. We were not afraid at all, says Stig Olav Bolstad today. Exactly 40 years after the stunt, he is behind the flight levers again – in Hattfjelldal flyklubb, which is also celebrating its anniversary this weekend. This time the veteran pilot is presenting with a pilot’s licence. However, the nose wheel being turned upside down by his Solo Tour in 1983 was an experience he will never forget. Because it could have gone really wrong. A plane that takes off must also come down again. VETERAN AIRPLANE: Today Stig Olav Bolstad loves to fly, but as a 13-year-old he did something that made the world press look towards Hattfjelldal. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news – It wasn’t very well thought out, admits Bolstad. The boys had to ensure that they landed in a tailwind. Only after three landing attempts were they able to land on the ground. The nose wheel was knocked off, and a rim was destroyed in the impact. When the boys crawled off the plane they were met by a member of the flying club. – He was about to faint when he saw us. He said “I have to report this”. On this very day, Stig Olav’s father was away. He came home at night, and early in the morning the phone rang. Then the 13-year-old had been lying awake all night waiting. – He came into my room and asked if I had been out flying the night before. I had to admit it was me. “I have a lot to hear,” he said and left. I was under the criminal minimum age, so a shut-eye was the only punishment, says Bolstad. Made headlines all over the world It didn’t take long before Stig Olav’s solo tour reached the media. Se og Hør offered to pay for repairs to the plane in exchange for exclusive rights to the story for a week. They got that. Facsimile from The Times from 1983. The Icelandic newspaper Timarit mentioned the flight of Stig Olav Bolstad. Photo: Famsimile The two boys from Hattfjelldal reached the front page of the Swedish newspaper Expressen. Photo: Faksimile, Expressen Photo: Faksimile Expressen Newspapers such as the New York Times, the British The Times and The Sun and the German Bild am Sonntag all wrote about the Norwegian 13-year-old who ran away on a plane. – Bild am Sonntag came here to Hattfjelldal in a private plane to interview us. Bolstad himself remembers best what was written in the Swedish newspaper Expressen, which devoted two newspaper pages to the story. – The newspaper wrote “happiness was better than sense”. That was probably a pretty apt description. 40 years ago, Stig Olav made headlines almost all over the world – after what was a slightly unusual flight. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news But how did two teenagers actually manage to fly alone? – We had been with the adults on many flights. And when you are interested, you pick up a lot. You ask and dig and get to try a little in a safe environment. Therefore, we had “flyed” a bit before the solo trip. Finally got his pilot’s license In 2003, Stig Olav Bolstad officially got his pilot’s license – 20 years after the solo trip in his home village. He still flies and is a member of Hattfjelldal flyklubb. This weekend, the flying club celebrates, which is celebrated with a fast-paced flying rally at the airport. Stig Olav Bolstad had his very first flight with his father when he was three years old, and knows the nature in Hattfjelldal well. Photo: Ole-Christian Olsen / news Hattfjelldal airport was first used in the 1930s. When the Germans invaded Norway in the spring of 1940, they used Hattfjelldal as a way station when German planes bombed Narvik and troop transport ships outside Harstad. They laid wooden runway decks so that they could land with heavier Stuka aircraft. The Germans build Hattfjelldal airport. 30,000 logs were used Photo: Transit Film Those who wish will have the opportunity to join Stig Olav on a flight this weekend. – But there probably won’t be any stunt flying this time. Caption The times: The Times wrote about the Norwegian boy who in 1983 tried his hand at piloting the plane that his father used in the Hattfjelldal flying club. Photo: Widerøe and news
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Stig Olav’s flight as a 13-year-old was mentioned by The Times – news Nordland
