Stephania Delaps - Avianca - A319/20
1) Tell us what made you want to become a pilot?
Well, ever since I can remeber, I've always wanted to do this, I dont have a special reason like most of the people that talk about their childhood stories watching the airplanes up in the sky, I just remember myself in second grade being asked by the teacher what I wanted to be when I grow up, I just replied "I want to be a pilot", I just know I never wanted to do or be anything different.
2) What aircraft did you fly your initial training?
The Piper 28, for initial training and it's my favourite one.
3) What was your hardest part of your training?
I think the hardest part was that you have to study everything by yourself, I mean when you get down to the school they give you lots of books and manuals, and you have to see where to start. It's a lot of information which can be quite daunting, but once you have organized yourself and find good instructors who can give you good grounschool, it is way easier to manage everything.
4) What advice would you give to aspiring pilots?
No matter what don't give up. It can be tough, difficult, hard, whatever you want to call it, but it will be worth it. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but nothing in life is. If you pour out your heart for what you really love, everything will be fine. All the sacrificies, the long hours studying, even the money you paid will be totally worth it, just remember that special feeling everytime you get into an aircraft.
5) What is your favourite destination to fly to?
I have so many, local and international. Every airport and every flight has their own special thing, they are all unique. You just have to enjoy every flight.
6) Where did you train, and describe your experience training there?
My training was over in Florida in the United States. It was a mix of everything, mostly the emotion of being able to study what you love, sometimes I can't even believe what I did down there, having been able to take an aircraft and just fly wherever you want. I look back now and realize it was the best time I ever had. The freedom of flying with your friends, got at your base at early morning to do the preflight of the little aircraft, learning about ATC and comms. My place was so small, little town, there were rough moments, but waking up everyday and realized you can do what you've always dreamed of doing, made everything easier and possible.
7) What has been your best moment in the air?
Wow, I have so many!! I cant choose just one, but I think it would be my first time in the piper, when you rotate that yoke, and you see that you are actually are flying, you see the world just beneath your feet, and you thank God for this precious moment. Actually everyday is a good day, just being up in the sky.
8) Was there something you wish you did prior to starting your flight training, that would be beneficial for aspiring pilots to do ?
Well, personally, I did what I needed to do before the trainning, I went to study english overseas, and I would say that people should have good engligh because you will need it forever in this career. Make sure you read about aviation and do your research before you start your training, just the basic stuff but they will be so helpful once you start your aviation school.
9) What is the biggest misconception people have about your job?
Well, I have to say that people think we know everything about flights, for example"Do you know how much this ticket would be?" "Do you know at what time this flight is " "Where is the gate located"? I mean, we just fly the aircraft, we don't sell the tickets. A friend of mine once said, it is nice that people think that we as pilots know everything, but well it's not like that. Another being that everyone thinks that we just have one flight per day, we are just relaxing at home and we are called to go and only do one flight, then we would be coming back to our apartments and chill out. It's not like that, we wake up so early sometimes, or we stay up late flying around. Sometimes it gets pretty intense, it's not as easy as people think. Also about the 'copilots', the more appreciated term is First Officer. I have realized that many people think that we as First Officers don't do anything in the aircraft. We are the second in command, and equally qualified as the Captain, the main difference is that the Captain has the overall command of the aircraft.The flying is shared between the Captain and First Officer.