An integral part of the journey to become an airline pilot is the road that I have taken to get to this point my life. Although my story might be fundamentally different from every other future airline pilot, I think I’ll share my story. My hope is that the shedding of some light on how I went about making the choice to leave my “secure” life and risk it all to become a pilot. Obviously most of you know this story, but since this blog will someday gain global recognition, I want people to know the story.
Everyone has different reasons for getting into aviation, but when you hear the stories of others, you begin to pick up certain similarities. You find that as a child, you were always amazed at how those huge metal machines could fly through the air so gracefully. Then on the magical day, you got behind the controls of an aircraft, and found it amazing effortlessly to handle your 3000 pound hung of metal. You found that the plane actually became an extension of your own body. From that point forward, you knew what you were destined to do. It might not be a “direct flight” to this dream, and it might be a bumpy one, but you knew that you would make it to your destination someday.
I’ve wanted to be a pilot for as long as I could remember, and I think it’s what I was born to do. I truly believe that aviation has set up camp in my DNA, and its not going anywhere, not matter what I throw at it. My grandfather was a pilot. He was not your normal run of the mill pilot, he was a great pilot. Now mind you, I never actually saw him fly, but like the greatness of most pilots, his legend was passed down through stories from those that new him. Still today, his greatness burns in me. Some of my most prized possessions in life used to be his prized aviation possessions. Items such as his navigation tools, logbooks, and even military medals still travel with me whenever I move. The NEVER are permitted to ride in a moving truck, it’s always in the car with me.
Out of these heirlooms, the single most priceless item in this collection is his WWII flight logbook. Every single flight he flew was recorded by him in this book. It is truly irreplaceable. From the moment he started flight training, to the moment he stopped flying for the military, there is an entry in this diary. My grandfather was a B-17 and a C-47 pilot during the WWII, and then continued fly general aviation after that. Eventually, he became a flight instructor at his local flying club in Ft. Meade, Maryland. I believe, still to this day, that his love of flying is in my blood and has been passed down through the generations. Although he was a great man, I am saddened by the fact his is no longer alive. One of my few regrets in life was that my grandfather died when I was young and that he never got to see my fly. I don’t consider myself a religious person, but every time I fly, the thought of him looking down on me brings me comfort. I can sometimes look up into the clouds and see him smiling at me from above. Below is a picture of my grandfather. He was the aircraft commander of his B-17, and can been seen in the top row on the far right.
Moving one generation closer to me, my mother, although deathly scared of heights and constantly worried about the safety of her son, appreciated and supported my fascination with aviation. My first detailed aviation memory of my mother (no, I don’t remember throwing up on her as a baby moments after taking off from Athens, Greece enroute to New York), was a trip we took to Europe when I was still a small child. This trip was special for a variety of reasons. This was my first trip to Europe, I was going to see my father who was living over in Germany, and this was my first time on a 747. I remember taking off with my face pressed against the window staring out in the pitch black night looking for the slightest sign of life. A few hours after takeoff dinner was served, and when complete, I feel asleep in my seat with my head on my moms lap. Next thing I knew, it was morning and we touched down in Zurich.
In my early teens, my mom bought me Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game, that in opinion, could be one the greatest single inventions of the 20th century. Even today, I find so much pleasure in flying a “virtual” 747 from LA to Hong Kong. When my mom and I would go on vacations, she appreciated that flying was a big deal for me and made every effort to somehow incorporate aviation related stuff into our trip. I’ll give her credit; this can be difficult to do when you go places like Nova Scotia. I recall on one particular road trip, she took us several hours off our normal route just to watch planes at local airport for an hour or so. My is one of my biggest supporters, even though her motherly instinct mandates that she worry about the safety of her son, especially when he is flying. As I will mention below, without her support and blessing, I don’t know if I would be following this dream today.
My father and my uncle were both in the US Air Force and in their own respects involved somehow in aviation. My father’s love for aviation, like my grandfather’s, carried down to me as well. When I was still a child, I remember waking up early in the morning and watching my dad put the medals and ribbons on his Air Force uniform. There seemed to be hundreds of intricate pieces that he, as a Major, was required to wear on a daily basis. I remember the time and effort it took to complete that meticulous task, and I knew that one day I wanted to wear a similar uniform. Even if it wasn’t a military uniform, the white shirt and lapels of an airline pilot would meet my needs for formal attire. My father and I both loved aviation and loved to fill the time we had together with everything aspect of the hobby. My dad and I can sit and talk for hours about things related to aviation. When I was young, my dad and I would set and share dreams of flying around the country in our own airplane. When time permitted, we would go watch airplanes at the local international airport and air force base. When I was old enough, he took me for my first flying lesson. A bond was formed during this time that all pilots share, and will never lose. When I achieve something aviation related such as passing a checkride, a challenging weather filled flight, or even just a picture perfect landing in a crosswind, my dad is one of the first people I call to rejoice. No matter what time I called him, you could truly hear the excitement in his voice.
Like most people, my teen years were filled with many distractions from flying. Girls, socializing with friends, beer, sports, more girls, and getting a high school education were on the main stage. Although I flew gliders/sailplanes with my father when I was younger, by the time I reached high school, flying took a backseat. Because my grades were not good in high school, I was unable to go to an aviation university such as ERAU. To make a long story short, I decided that in addition to flying, I had another passion, the hospitality industry. The hospitality industry was a safe bet for me when I graduated from high school. For college, there was no better place to learn the art of hospitality then the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The hotel school at UNLV was one of the best in the world, and was located about a mile off The Strip. Thankfully, I got my act together and at the end of 8 years at UNLV I received my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Hotel Administration. During that time at UNLV, I was able to obtain my private pilots license at the local flight school, and at the time, considered leaving the hotel business and going back to the airline pilot dream again. But, like most people, the thought of going so far into debt scared that pants off me. It seemed like the ideal choice was to take my degrees and go work in the hotel industry. This was a very safe bet at the time, and would end up providing me with some great experiences. The hotel business paid the bills, I got to work in some of the worlds best hospitality properties, I met some wonderful people, and I even started working on my PhD with intention of eventually teaching tomorrows hotel managers the in’s and out’s of the business.
Then, in April 2007, I began to take a long look at my life and where it was going. I was not happy. I was a full-time PhD student and instructor at UNLV, and I was good at it. But, it was the safe thing to be doing. Eventually, if I kept on this track, I would get my degree and hopefully get tenure at a university. But, would that make me truly happy? My mentor at UNLV told me that when I turn 75, I want to be able to sit in my rocker and say “I have no regrets.” Well, to be blunt, I knew that if I did not follow my dream of becoming an airline pilot, I ran the risk of having a monumental regret on my shoulders. To me, this was not something to look forward too.
With the support of my parents, and my girlfriend Lisa, I began the exhaustive research of how a major shift in profession would actually work. I began to get the answers I needed and wanted to ensure this dream come true. I realized that the first thing I needed to do was get back up in the air and see if I liked it. So, I went back to where it all began a few years earlier, my local flight school. I saw some familiar faces, but for the most part it looked very different. To my dismay, my instructor from the past had left, a corporation had come in and bough the old “mom and pop” flight school that was here before, and most shocking, the price to fly had increased A LOT. A few days later, I went up again. It was a short flight, but it was a great flight. It was like riding a bike. I got behind the controls of the Cessna, and the plane became an extension of my own body. Was I perfect? No, that’s why the call it rust.
Now came the big part. How was this going to work financially? With the support of everyone, it eventually came together. It should be noted, that without the support of Lisa, this would have never happened. In the past, I lacked the support of those close to me, and it hurt. Now I have support, and in my opinion, it’s the most important factor in my success.
Eventually, I decided where I wanted to go for flight school. A school called Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) was the best bet. They have a 90-day program called the Airline Career Pilot Program, that in my opinion, is the most effective and efficient flight school to attend if your goal is to become an airline pilot. The program is expensive and intense, but in the end, when you successfully complete it, you will be well on your way to saying “Ladies and Gentlemen, hello from the flight deck.”
Everyone has different reasons for getting into aviation, but when you hear the stories of others, you begin to pick up certain similarities. You find that as a child, you were always amazed at how those huge metal machines could fly through the air so gracefully. Then on the magical day, you got behind the controls of an aircraft, and found it amazing effortlessly to handle your 3000 pound hung of metal. You found that the plane actually became an extension of your own body. From that point forward, you knew what you were destined to do. It might not be a “direct flight” to this dream, and it might be a bumpy one, but you knew that you would make it to your destination someday.
I’ve wanted to be a pilot for as long as I could remember, and I think it’s what I was born to do. I truly believe that aviation has set up camp in my DNA, and its not going anywhere, not matter what I throw at it. My grandfather was a pilot. He was not your normal run of the mill pilot, he was a great pilot. Now mind you, I never actually saw him fly, but like the greatness of most pilots, his legend was passed down through stories from those that new him. Still today, his greatness burns in me. Some of my most prized possessions in life used to be his prized aviation possessions. Items such as his navigation tools, logbooks, and even military medals still travel with me whenever I move. The NEVER are permitted to ride in a moving truck, it’s always in the car with me.
Out of these heirlooms, the single most priceless item in this collection is his WWII flight logbook. Every single flight he flew was recorded by him in this book. It is truly irreplaceable. From the moment he started flight training, to the moment he stopped flying for the military, there is an entry in this diary. My grandfather was a B-17 and a C-47 pilot during the WWII, and then continued fly general aviation after that. Eventually, he became a flight instructor at his local flying club in Ft. Meade, Maryland. I believe, still to this day, that his love of flying is in my blood and has been passed down through the generations. Although he was a great man, I am saddened by the fact his is no longer alive. One of my few regrets in life was that my grandfather died when I was young and that he never got to see my fly. I don’t consider myself a religious person, but every time I fly, the thought of him looking down on me brings me comfort. I can sometimes look up into the clouds and see him smiling at me from above. Below is a picture of my grandfather. He was the aircraft commander of his B-17, and can been seen in the top row on the far right.
Moving one generation closer to me, my mother, although deathly scared of heights and constantly worried about the safety of her son, appreciated and supported my fascination with aviation. My first detailed aviation memory of my mother (no, I don’t remember throwing up on her as a baby moments after taking off from Athens, Greece enroute to New York), was a trip we took to Europe when I was still a small child. This trip was special for a variety of reasons. This was my first trip to Europe, I was going to see my father who was living over in Germany, and this was my first time on a 747. I remember taking off with my face pressed against the window staring out in the pitch black night looking for the slightest sign of life. A few hours after takeoff dinner was served, and when complete, I feel asleep in my seat with my head on my moms lap. Next thing I knew, it was morning and we touched down in Zurich.
In my early teens, my mom bought me Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game, that in opinion, could be one the greatest single inventions of the 20th century. Even today, I find so much pleasure in flying a “virtual” 747 from LA to Hong Kong. When my mom and I would go on vacations, she appreciated that flying was a big deal for me and made every effort to somehow incorporate aviation related stuff into our trip. I’ll give her credit; this can be difficult to do when you go places like Nova Scotia. I recall on one particular road trip, she took us several hours off our normal route just to watch planes at local airport for an hour or so. My is one of my biggest supporters, even though her motherly instinct mandates that she worry about the safety of her son, especially when he is flying. As I will mention below, without her support and blessing, I don’t know if I would be following this dream today.
My father and my uncle were both in the US Air Force and in their own respects involved somehow in aviation. My father’s love for aviation, like my grandfather’s, carried down to me as well. When I was still a child, I remember waking up early in the morning and watching my dad put the medals and ribbons on his Air Force uniform. There seemed to be hundreds of intricate pieces that he, as a Major, was required to wear on a daily basis. I remember the time and effort it took to complete that meticulous task, and I knew that one day I wanted to wear a similar uniform. Even if it wasn’t a military uniform, the white shirt and lapels of an airline pilot would meet my needs for formal attire. My father and I both loved aviation and loved to fill the time we had together with everything aspect of the hobby. My dad and I can sit and talk for hours about things related to aviation. When I was young, my dad and I would set and share dreams of flying around the country in our own airplane. When time permitted, we would go watch airplanes at the local international airport and air force base. When I was old enough, he took me for my first flying lesson. A bond was formed during this time that all pilots share, and will never lose. When I achieve something aviation related such as passing a checkride, a challenging weather filled flight, or even just a picture perfect landing in a crosswind, my dad is one of the first people I call to rejoice. No matter what time I called him, you could truly hear the excitement in his voice.
Like most people, my teen years were filled with many distractions from flying. Girls, socializing with friends, beer, sports, more girls, and getting a high school education were on the main stage. Although I flew gliders/sailplanes with my father when I was younger, by the time I reached high school, flying took a backseat. Because my grades were not good in high school, I was unable to go to an aviation university such as ERAU. To make a long story short, I decided that in addition to flying, I had another passion, the hospitality industry. The hospitality industry was a safe bet for me when I graduated from high school. For college, there was no better place to learn the art of hospitality then the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The hotel school at UNLV was one of the best in the world, and was located about a mile off The Strip. Thankfully, I got my act together and at the end of 8 years at UNLV I received my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Hotel Administration. During that time at UNLV, I was able to obtain my private pilots license at the local flight school, and at the time, considered leaving the hotel business and going back to the airline pilot dream again. But, like most people, the thought of going so far into debt scared that pants off me. It seemed like the ideal choice was to take my degrees and go work in the hotel industry. This was a very safe bet at the time, and would end up providing me with some great experiences. The hotel business paid the bills, I got to work in some of the worlds best hospitality properties, I met some wonderful people, and I even started working on my PhD with intention of eventually teaching tomorrows hotel managers the in’s and out’s of the business.
Then, in April 2007, I began to take a long look at my life and where it was going. I was not happy. I was a full-time PhD student and instructor at UNLV, and I was good at it. But, it was the safe thing to be doing. Eventually, if I kept on this track, I would get my degree and hopefully get tenure at a university. But, would that make me truly happy? My mentor at UNLV told me that when I turn 75, I want to be able to sit in my rocker and say “I have no regrets.” Well, to be blunt, I knew that if I did not follow my dream of becoming an airline pilot, I ran the risk of having a monumental regret on my shoulders. To me, this was not something to look forward too.
With the support of my parents, and my girlfriend Lisa, I began the exhaustive research of how a major shift in profession would actually work. I began to get the answers I needed and wanted to ensure this dream come true. I realized that the first thing I needed to do was get back up in the air and see if I liked it. So, I went back to where it all began a few years earlier, my local flight school. I saw some familiar faces, but for the most part it looked very different. To my dismay, my instructor from the past had left, a corporation had come in and bough the old “mom and pop” flight school that was here before, and most shocking, the price to fly had increased A LOT. A few days later, I went up again. It was a short flight, but it was a great flight. It was like riding a bike. I got behind the controls of the Cessna, and the plane became an extension of my own body. Was I perfect? No, that’s why the call it rust.
Now came the big part. How was this going to work financially? With the support of everyone, it eventually came together. It should be noted, that without the support of Lisa, this would have never happened. In the past, I lacked the support of those close to me, and it hurt. Now I have support, and in my opinion, it’s the most important factor in my success.
Eventually, I decided where I wanted to go for flight school. A school called Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) was the best bet. They have a 90-day program called the Airline Career Pilot Program, that in my opinion, is the most effective and efficient flight school to attend if your goal is to become an airline pilot. The program is expensive and intense, but in the end, when you successfully complete it, you will be well on your way to saying “Ladies and Gentlemen, hello from the flight deck.”
1 comment:
Nick...congratulations on being accepted...I included a quote that I feel coincides nicely with your blog..."
“I am the eagle, I live in high country, in rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky;
I am the hawk and there's blood on my feathers, but time is still turning they soon will be dry; All those who see me, and all who believe in me, share in the freedom I feel when I fly.”
--John Denver
Post a Comment