The Kensal Rise student who raised more than £70,000 to continue his pilot course has published an aviation career guidebook.

Former cabin crew attendant Amanda Epe and Rasheed Graham, 23, who grew up in Chamberlayne Mansions, have co-authored Fly High: A Guide to Pilot and Air Cabin Crew Training.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Award winning author Amanda EpeAward winning author Amanda Epe (Image: Cec Richards)

The book launched on World Aviation Day on December 7, aims to inspire young people interested in aviation careers and is dedicated to Rasheed’s supporters.

Rasheed: “Without my donors and supporters, I wouldn't be in a position where I'm able to write now, so I just want to say a big thank you.”

He said he was honoured to be the first Black student awarded a fully-funded scholarship worth £100,000 on the Aer Lingus Future Pilot Programme.

However, due to the pandemic, the course was cut short and Rasheed was told he had to raise £60,000 to continue.

The former Furness Primary School pupil created a campaign video, set up a #Rash2FlightSchool GoFundMe page and was featured on BBC Panorama’s documentary Has Covid Stolen my Future? on October 26.

Rasheed raised £40,000 on the day the show aired, peaking at £10,000 in one minute, and hit his target within a month.

Amanda and Rasheed met in October during a The Let's Talk Show radio station interview to discuss aviation.

Amanda, who now teaches creative writing, wished to write Rasheed’s biography after following his fundraiser - but after he took an interest in her work, they decided to collaborate.

Brent & Kilburn Times: The cover of Fly High: A Guide to Pilot and Air Cabin Crew Training.The cover of Fly High: A Guide to Pilot and Air Cabin Crew Training. (Image: Foyles)

Over the last month they wrote Fly High, which discusses their own journeys, gives an honest insight into the training process and shares ways to overcome barriers within "elitist" careers.

Rasheed said: “To read a guide that was personal and something that's not a sales piece, that's something I needed when I was growing up and getting into the industry.

“Hopefully it comes across as informative and personal so that they realise there's actually real people out there who go through things to get to this final destination.”

Amanda previously won Completely Novel's One Big Book Launch for new authors in June 2015 for her memoir A Fly Girl.

The book spoke of her experiences travelling as a Black British woman in the late 1990s while she was part of British Airways' cabin crew.

“We wanted to both show people, we're from minority backgrounds, we're not the most represented in the aviation industry, but show we're there,” said Amanda.

“I wanted to convey that the world is open, you can do anything that you want, you can chase your dream, don't be put off by the naysayers who say this is not for you.”

In the new year they hope to do talks in schools on writing and aviation, starting at Rasheed’s former school Capital City Academy.