Pilot Perfect

By Anonymous Pilot

Aviation is in my blood my grandfather flew in the military, so when I took off for the first time I knew my true calling. To get to the first take-off wasn’t as straight as the runway I took off on and neither was the journey after that. Here is my story shedding all the smiles and light-hearted jokes I can usually hide behind.

My aviation journey started on a Sunday afternoon in the Fall of 2012. Chatting with some friends after church a friend invited me along for a flight in a C-182. I had never been in a small plane at this point in my life and could count on a single hand the number of commercial planes I had been on as well. I loved flying and the airplane rides were my favorite part of some of my family vacations but I was supposed to work in medicine.

Both my parents were in the medical field and it made logical sense for me to follow. “People will always get sick and need taking care of. That’s job security.” My dad used to say this to me when I was younger. It made perfect sense to me and I liked helping people. My first semester working my way to try and get into med school was a giant struggle and my personal morale was very low.

I was in my second year when my friend took me flying and all I could think about while flying was how cool it was. He told me on the drive home

“dude you could do this for a job.

They have schools all over the place you just have to apply” I thought about it and applied to 3 schools. I was accepted into all three and then had more decisions to make. My schooling was in the gutter I was barely hanging on but I had a good job and a good family around. Why leave it all for schools with a BIG price tag. I thought about it for weeks and weeks until life kinda made the decision for me. My boss told me I was no longer working there because cuts needed to be made. The next day a professor told me that maybe I should pick a different path because I was already struggling and it wasn’t going to get any easier. Ok, sign taken. University in fall 2013.

Now as every pilot or pilot in training knows training is not cheap. Now add that price tag onto telling my family I wanna fly planes now. That might be about as far from away from the medical field you can get. Doubt was very high and the added weight of you/we don’t have the kinda money was already making this situation stressful but I was determined. I hit school my first semester running. Running for about 3 weeks. Until the flight money I thought might last a semester was already gone. I know you might be thinking you should have done more research or studied harder. I was studying 24/7 because I couldn’t sleep. Thinking of disappointing my family and coming home a failure was not an option. “introduce anxiety” Also add that I had no idea where I was gonna get my more money to continue flight training.

Loans, loans, and more loans. You might be thinking you should go home save money and do part 61. Pay as you go. I was committed and anything less than leaving with a degree was not an option. The first semester in the books passed my classes somewhat gracefully. Also getting my solo done right before I left for Christmas break was everything I thought I needed to boost me into next semester. It started well but 2 weeks in I hit a wall called weather. I canceled more flights than I flew and with a check ride looming right over the hill I was fighting an uphill battle. Not being able to get in the air was draining my battery and will power. I wanted nothing more than to be flying but the less time I spent in the air the more frustrated I became. When it did become time to fly I was all over the place. Trying to fit everything I needed to do in a single flight (not possible) and was frustrated when I was told I needed a retrain.

Retrain -> more money -> spending more money -> frustrated and angry -> anxiety leading to my next flights and not sleeping enough -> poor performance on next flight and repeat.

This cycle is what I got stuck in for weeks. Finally with some luck and some good weather I was up for a check ride and an entirely new wave of worry hit me. All I heard for two weeks leading up to my check ride “ don’t fail if you do you’ll have to tell everyone in every interview forever.” Sleep was little and the anxiety was at an all-time high. I knew I wouldn’t pass if I kept this up. I called a friend of mine’s father who was a private pilot and a mentor. He didn’t tell me anything profound or life-changing but it what I needed to hear at the time. “ I believe in you,” he said. You have been working your butt off so go out there so do what you already know how to do. FLY!

I got off the phone with new energy. Sometimes we just need someone to listen and to believe in us.

I love this platform because it’s somewhere to share and realize we are not alone. This life can be stressful. To be the “Pilot Perfect” is sometimes so hard. Knowing you have people to talk to and who will listen is amazing.

I passed that check ride and every other one first try. (I always called my friend’s dad each before each to them I think he was my good luck charm.) Now an Airline Pilot I’m here to say you can do it! Put in the time and the effort you can achieve what you put your mind to.

I BELIEVE IN YOU!