Bradley Clark - Cathay Pacific - B777
1) Tell us what made you want to become a pilot?
I would say this happened over two stages. Firstly, I’m one of those who can only ever remember wanting to be a pilot. I can’t pin point it, but I have had no particular wanting to be anything else, maybe besides a lollypop man or police officer when I was in Primary School! I wanted anything and everything to do with aviation growing up and when I was 13 I joined the Air Training Corps. I took part in my first air experience flight in a Bulldog doing aerobatics, from then on I knew I definitely wasn’t going to be doing anything else other than flying.
2) What aircraft did you fly your initial training?
At Cabair, I flew the C172S in the States, and in the UK the Diamon DA-40 and twin-engined DA-42.
3) What was your hardest part of your training?
Academically I was never that great in school, so I would have to say the Ground School phase of training required my greatest attention. Luckily I’ve never really struggled with the flying/operating side of things.
4) What is the biggest misconception people have about your job?
“Your job is easy, the autopilot does everything” I’m sure every pilot hears this, to which we explain through gritted teeth this isn't the case! I won't compare myself to a life saving surgeon, but I’m sure people don’t turn round to them and say “your job is easy, the tools do everything for you”. The Autopilot is just that, a tool, which we manipulate to fly the aircraft and reduce our work load. There are lots of aspects in managing a flight, and having the autopilot “fly” the aircraft increases our spare capacity to think about other aspects in case any in-flight contingency is needed- nearest suitable airport incase of emergency, weather at the closest airport should an emergency occur, what approaches they have available, is it possible to land a big aircraft there, what services do they have on the ground etc… There are a lot of things to consider. And of course it’s hard to drink tea whilst hand flying, the autopilot allows us to do that!
5) What advice would you give to aspiring pilots?
Stay positive, and never give up! I suffered repeated set backs all along the way to get to where I am. But I’m a true believer that if you want something enough, then hard work always pays off. Nothing is truer than that in the world of aviation. If you are committed, with the right support and keep trying your best, it will be impossible that you don't end up at your goal.
6) What is your favourite destination to fly to?
London Heathrow. From a young age a lot of my family has lived in Australia and Singapore, so frequent visits were made to fly out ourselves, or pick up relatives at Heathrow. A lot of memories attached to the place, and when I was a kid I thought the airport was a magical, with big wide bodies flying out every minute, brilliant! When I fly in now it also means I’m coming home, as a passenger or in one of the front seats! On the operational side it’s a joy to fly in to Heathrow, I can honestly say the UK has the best Air Traffic Controllers in the world. From radar down to the clearance delivery guys, everyone has got their best game on. On a clear day, when you land on the westerlies, flying over London is awesome. And then when you cross the fence in a wide body, I have to tell the 10 year old inside myself to behave and concentrate on the touch down!
7) Where did you train, and describe your experience training there?
Initially I trained at Cabair in Cranfield, UK and Florida, USA on an integrated course. Then later at Flight Training Adelaide with Cathay Pacific Airways as a Cadet. For brevity I’ll speak about Cabair at Cranfield, however the school doesn't exist anymore unfortunately. They made a good impression on me on the open days and the guys I met who were studying there at the time seemed to be enjoying themselves. I felt it was more of a family atmosphere- less like a number in a factory chain churning out pilots. Training at the school certainly felt like this. Overall the experience was fantastic, barring some issues with management- as there tends to be when money is involved. From the Ground to Flying instructors, they were great- incredibly experienced people from either military or civil background, and I felt very fortunate to learn from them. The fleet of aircraft we flew were all very new, modern aircraft which were a joy to fly. And finally, I met and still maintain a lot of good friends from the school.
8) What has been your best moment in the air?
I have 3 which are almost on a par. The first would be my very first flight in the Air Cadets that cemented what I always knew, I want to be a pilot! Air Experience Flight no. 1 consists of ‘effects of controls’. I lied and told the instructor it was my second flight and we went straight in to loops, barrel rolls and stall turns, not a bad initiation into flying. The second would be leaving the runway after landing from my initial Instrument Rating test and being told “congratulations you’ve passed, I’ll taxi us in”. Jumping down off the wing after that flight thinking ‘I’ve done it!!’. Little did I know that was just the beginning. And the third, which might just pip it, is doing Base Training in a 777. Base Training is where we take our aircraft to a quiet airport and do circuits with touch and go landings, much like you would in training in a C172, but this time in a Boeing 777! Probably the best day out I’ve ever had in an aircraft. On a nostalgic note it was also the very first 777 ever made, ex test aircraft Line no. 1. Thankfully I didn't break it and it’s still going strong.
9) Was there something you wish you did prior to starting your flight training, that would be beneficial for aspiring pilots to do ?
Personally, everyone is different. You may have to look at yourself when you leave school and ask yourself if you're truly ready. In all honesty once I completed my A-levels, and I knew I didn't have to go to university to fly, I wanted to do some full time work to mature and develop myself. I got myself into a small management position and from there I felt it was an appropriate time to start my flying career, going into training when I was around 23.