Like so many pilots, I discovered my own path and figured out how to get to where I wanted to be as I went along. I didn’t have one source of information for all the answers and I didn’t know any experienced professional pilots who could answer my million questions about how to become a pilot.
I grew up longing to be in the air. However, while most aspiring aviators want to fly planes, I was drawn to helicopters and the way they could access remote places anywhere in the world. I remember watching a helicopter take off from a sports field one day on my way to school. It was all I could think about for the rest of the day. What was the helicopter doing there? Where was it going? Fantastic stories of what the aircraft was doing that day ran through my head and the experience left a lasting impression on this young boy’s world and future. Whenever I heard an aircraft I would run outside to watch it (and still do). When I got the chance to talk to pilots I got the sense I was an outsider peering in on an exclusive club that I wanted to be a member of. So I spent all my time thinking about how to get in.
I planned my subjects at school to allow me to get into the Navy pilot career stream straight from school and when I managed to scrape through with exactly the grade I needed I started my aviation adventure. When things didn’t go as planned, I made new plans and found alternate ways to get to where I wanted to go. Once I had my licence the work to build my career began.
I got my first entry-level aviation job working for a scenic tour company. Like most entry-level jobs in aviation, it started on the ground supporting flying operations with the promise of flying when an opportunity became available. I started flying passengers for just an hour a week and as more flying slots became available I started to gain real experience. I talked to other pilots and I leveraged their experience and connections to build my knowledge and network. This continued from job to job and over time I built a network of contacts throughout the industry whom I could call on for advice and help with progressing my career.
I’ve now worked in 3 different countries in several different types of operations and have been able to experience all kinds of flying environments in some of the most incredible locations. Now I want a new challenge though and hopefully relaying my experience to the next generations of aspiring pilots can be part of that. This is why this site exists and why have put my heart and soul into it. If I can ask one thing in return it is to learn from my mistakes and go out into the world - Fly your own track!
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