His early infatuation with aviation has continued and now the Year 12 Kent Street Senior High School student has received a scholarship to help him further his dream of becoming a commercial pilot.
Alex received the Minister for Education's Aviation Scholarship for his academic achievement, motivation and commitment to aviation.
He started in Kent Street's specialist aviation program in Year 8 and has doggedly worked through a challenge that could easily have marred dreams.
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READ NOWAlex has dyspraxia, which affects the formation and communication of muscles, including those used to form speech.
"Dyspraxia is something that has been present in my life for as long as I can remember," he said. "In my younger years I undertook intensive speech therapy and physiotherapy to help overcome and master the main side effects of my condition.
"The challenge it has presented within flying has mostly been with radio calls; I've needed to slow down my communications so that each word be heard clearly, whereas naturally Im a fast paced speaker."
Now in Year 12, he has his recreational pilot's licence and has completed several navigation flights to prepare for his private pilot's licence in the next few months.
He started flight training with the Australian Air Force Cadets last April and graduated the dux of his course. By May this year he will have piloted enough navigation flights to gain his private pilot's licence.