Lindy - B717
1) Tell us what made you want to become a pilot?
I have always loved airplanes and flying, but I never thought it was possible for me to become a pilot. Mostly because of the high cost and difficult selection process of the flight schools. After thorough research on the internet and visiting open days, I noticed that it was not that impossible after all.
2) Where did you train and describe your experience training there?
I passed the selection process at Gestair Flying Academy Spain in Madrid. The school is now operating under the new name 'European Flyers'. One year later I started the training and I enjoyed everything of the training. We had very good instructors and I met some amazing people that are still my best friends. The course took about 2 years. We started with theory classes only, but after 3 months we started to fly as well. I loved the fact that theory and flying practice was combined in this flight school. It was so much easier to stay focused on my studies because every training flight was a great motivation to continue studying.
3) What aircraft did you fly during your initial training?
We started flying on the Cessna 172, one of the best training aircraft. After passing the PPL (Private Pilot Licence) exam, we started to fly 50 hours solo in this plane. The Multi-Engine phase was done in the Piper Seneca PA-28.
4) What was your hardest part of training?
The hardest part was probably the 14 ATPL theory exams we had to pass with a score of 75% or more. For months I have studied from 10am to 10pm and I could not always join friends to do fun things. We have to stay dedicated and manage our time well, we can balance studying with free time but without losing focus. Finally I passed with an average of 95%, so all the hard work paid off.
5) What advice would you give to aspiring pilots
If you are sure you want to become a pilot, go for it. Don't think it's impossible. Study, focus and stay dedicated.
6) What has been your best moment in the air?
One day I took my parents and sister flying in a Cessna and I let my dad fly a little bit. It was such an amazing experience. Another memorable moment was year later when my mom was a passenger on my flight. She was very proud of me and was applauding after my landing!
7) What is your favourite destination to fly to?
I don't have one single favorite destination, but I love to fly to islands in Spain, Greece and Italy. The sea and coastlines make for beautiful views when approaching or departing from those airports.
8) What is the biggest misconception that people have about your job?
The biggest misconception would be that we always get to see new destinations when we work as a pilot. To the contrary, as I fly short haul we usually fly 4 flights a day. Basically only thing I see from a destination, is the airport! Obviously the job does allow us to discover the world a bit as we can often travel with staff-tickets on days off.
9) Was there something you wish you did prior to starting your flight training that would be beneficial for aspiring pilots to do?
As it could be difficult to find a pilot job immediately after finishing flight school, you may consider a degree in Aviation. It will make your CV much more attractive and you have a bigger chance to gain experience in Aviation before getting hired by an airline.