Hilary Swank says learning to fly is like reading a book

The actress took piloting lessons to prepare for her role as famous aviator Amelia Earhart in upcoming movie `Amelia`, and says the experience of trying a new skill transported her back to childhood.

Hilary said: "Putting my hands on the wheel for the first time was a rush. After a certain age, there`s not many firsts you experience in your life, so learning to fly reminded me of the childlike feeling of exhilaration when you first ride a bike or read a book."

Hilary, 35, was disappointed to be banned by film bosses from completing her full pilot training and plans to continue working towards her license in future - even though she struggled to get to grips with some elements of the course.

She explained to The Scotsman newspaper: "I`d like to get my licence and continue to go up on my own.

"I flew for 19 hours, but they couldn`t let me go up when they were shooting. I taxi the plane - but that`s on the ground, and I would like to see this through. What I didn`t know when I started was the calculations that go into flying. It was like I was back in school doing calculus. I don`t sweat much - but I`d do a two-hour flight and I`d be drenched from the concentration.

"I do want to go back. I don`t want to just say, `Yeah, I flew.` "

The `Boys Don`t Cry` star also had different experiences of flying - jetting across the world so frequently to promote her projects that flight attendants started to mock her.

She explained: "The air staff actually laugh at me because they know me so well and they tell me it`s illegal for them to fly as much as I do. I`m constantly in the air."

sections: Celebrities