Natalie - Emirates - B777
1) Tell us what made you want to become a pilot?
My dad is a mechanic for United Airlines and I grew up around airplanes. From a very early age I just knew I wanted to fly - it's just always been this feeling I've had that pulls at me. It's hard to explain - it's a passion I feel is in my blood.
2) Where did you train and describe your experience training there?
I trained at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. I obtained a bachelors degree while taking flight training. I learned so much! I feel like I've been given an advantage having trained there. It's just a very thorough university and immerses you in aviation from
Day 1. The instructors and professors are all very professional and very knowledgeable. Plus, the weather in Florida allows for almost year-round flying.
3) What aircraft did you fly during your initial training?
In the very beginning I did all of my training on a Cessna 172S, then when I was training for commercial I moved to the Piper Arrow for the complex sign off. My first multi engine aircraft was a Piper Seminole.
4) What was your hardest part of training?
I have really bad motion sickness, so learning how to manage that while completing maneuvers in the heat, in Florida was really tough some days! Definitely flew around with a barf bag HA!🤢
5) What advice would you give to aspiring pilot?
It is going to be difficult. There will be days where you hit walls, you feel very frustrated, no matter how much time or studying you put in you won't seem to grasp certain concepts. We ALL were there - keep pushing through. If this is what you love to do, don't give up on yourself. Flying is something you have to love to make it your job, because it is a career that has so many ups and downs. At the end of the day, never forget those feelings of butterflies you get when you start the engines - that is what will keep you going in the bad times!
6) What has been your best moment in the air?
When you're cruising along and it's smooth and you just feel the hum of the engines, just before dawn, you can watch the sun come up over the curve of the Earth. It's the most peaceful, incredible feeling, and one I never get tired of.
7) What is your favourite destination to fly to?
This is a hard question! Since I've started with Emirates I've had the opportunity to fly to so many places - every country is so incredibly unique in it's own right. If I had to pick, I would say India. Every city has its own personality, the food is AMAZING, the country is beautiful and crazy - it's this mix of loud pollution and serene nature. It's very interesting!
8) What is the biggest misconception that people have about your job?
That we are just bus drivers! There are so many years of training, hard work, struggle, and then every few months constant reviews, evaluations, and not to mention every single flight is different and offers challenges and threats you have to constantly adapt to. Plus, most of us are very passionate about what we do, and so dismissing us as just button-pushers is personally insulting some times.
9) Was there something you wish you did prior to starting your flight training that would be beneficial for aspiring pilots to do?
Be realistic about your expectations! The big jets will eventually come, but you have to be ready to fly them. You don't understand the level of responsibility it requires to operate on this level when you're young and green. Enjoy every moment of your career - it goes by quick!