Pilot Stories Archives

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An Airline Cadet Pilot’s Road To The Line

Posted on September 10, 2020July 17, 2023 by Kai

Now flying an Airbus A350 for a major international airline, Second Officer Vincent Mok looks back on his airline cadet pilot journey and shares some of his experiences. In his first guest blog, he talked about his airline cadet pilot training. If you missed that you can read it here. In this edition, he discusses the next step – the road to the line!

Week 1: “The Honeymoon”

Within the space of a week, barely enough time to recover from the graduation party, we went from being the most respected gold-bar-on-the-shoulders seniors at airline cadet pilot school, to the most junior fresh pilots at the airline headquarters. It took 20 weeks to transform into a line pilot.

Day one at the airline started with a buffet breakfast with the chief pilots. With the same hands that commanded many heavy jets around the world, they opened a small envelope and brought out a piece of paper with the company logo at the top.

“Who’s Vincent?”

I put my hand up and gulped down the partially chewed fried egg in my mouth.

“Airbus.”

It was no longer flying the Slings, Foxbats, Diamond DA40s, Cessna 172s or the Diamond DA42 Twinstar. The link between my fingers and the ailerons will no longer be a few mechanical rods. Instead, a twitch of my finger will send digital signals through a myriad of wires connecting stacks of computers conferring at the speed of light whether they will grant the wish of that finger twitch. I’d be flying the Airbus A350.

There were two days of Safety School during the Honeymoon week. We trained for evacuation through various tasks:

1 Retrieve Snoopy the dummy from a smoke-filled cabin mock-up after donning a smoke-hood
2 Operate aircraft doors
3 Jump down an inflated 2-storey-high slide (which isn’t as easy as the “safety cards in the seat pockets in front of you” suggest)
4 Drag a classmate across a 25m swimming pool
5 Drag the same classmate from the pool into an inflatable life-raft
6 Set up shelter in the life-raft

The last day of the Honeymoon week was “new joiners’ day”. We broke ice with new joiners from other departments. We played games, toured the simulator building and maintenance hangars.

“Your accent sounds funny,” said the maintenance hangar tour-guide.

“I grew up in Australia”.

“People will start thinking you’re a pilot with that accent”.

Instead of saying “you’ve just met a pilot”, I grinned nervously. The upcoming schedule was ruminating in my mind.

Weeks 2 – 3: Ground School

At airline cadet pilot school, we had 20 weeks to digest ATPL theory. The Airbus ground school was 2 weeks. We had to put everything we’ve learned, from airline interview preparation to cadet school theory classes, to full use.

Tip: Take the time to completely understand the aviation theory taught at interview training and airline cadet pilot school. Your future self will appreciate it.

The course consisted of:

Computer based training on a dedicated laptop where a monotonous voice explained the operation of all the A350 systems.
Study guide of questions, all of which we need to answer before the end of the course.
Technical briefings by our instructor, an experienced Airbus engineer.
Use of a fixed base procedural trainer where we learned Standard Operating Procedures and dissected the function of all the buttons and switches.

I once thought the Diamond DA40 Aircraft Flight Manual was extensive until I started studying the airline manuals. To list a few of them:

Flight crew operating manual (7000 pages FCOM)
Flight crew techniques manual (500 pages FCTM)
Quick Reference Handbook (90 pages QRH)
Minimum Equipment list (2000 pages MEL)
Operations Manual: Policy, Procedures and Requirements (1000 pages)

Tip: You don’t have to be a “walking FCOM”. Memorise the safety critical information and know where to find the rest.

Weeks 4 – 10: Simulator Training

Simulator training commenced at 10pm the day after we passed our ground school exams.

The first session was in a full motion A350 simulator and is similar to the “Effects of Control” lesson. The most challenging aspect was handling the momentum during landing. If we flared like a DA40, the jet will float and run out of runway. If we flared too little too late, our buttocks would learn a lesson as if the instructor hit them with a paper FCOM.

The remainder of the simulator sessions consisted of normal and non-normal training, each lasting 4 hours.

Tip: Spend plenty of time rehearsing each lesson in advance on a “paper flight deck”

The goal of normal procedures training was to learn the Standard Operating Procedures and associated manual handling. There were:

4 sessions in the fixed based procedural trainer
4 sessions in a full motion simulator

The non-normal training included handling failures (e.g. engine failures, electrical failure, hydraulic failure, decompression) including their associated ECAM actions, decision making and manual handling. There were:

3 sessions in the fixed based procedural trainer
5 sessions in a full motion simulator

Our final two airline cadet pilot simulator sessions consisted of low visibility operations and performance based navigation training and general revision for the upcoming type rating and instrument rating.

For our type rating and instrument rating in the simulator, we had to demonstrate to the senior training captain our proficiency in rejected take off, takeoff, go-around, diversion, hold, and landing in manual flight as well as with automatics (autopilot and autothrust).

Weeks 11 – 20: Line Training

“Where’d you go for lunch today?”

“I went to Korea”

The observation flight you do will be one of the most memorable of your career. You’ve trained for 14 months as an airline cadet pilot and finally get to sit back and observe the masters at work over a sandwich or two. I went to Seoul. After observing the first sector, I had a Bibimbap over a 2 hour lunch and bought some Kimchi with my meal voucher. I was a school kid on my first excursion.

Line training is about learning to fly safely, legally and efficiently in a multi-crew operation. It consisted of 10 sectors and took me to multiple exciting destinations including:

Auckland
Melbourne
Sydney
Barcelona
Washington DC
Brisbane

The 17 month journey from the beginning of airline cadet pilot school to the line check was full of challenges and triumphs. I made many lifelong friends and learned a lot about resilience, persistence and comradery.

I was lucky to have the ongoing support of my mentors including Darren McPherson from ACS – Aviation Consulting Services as well as my family and friends. Realising my dream would have been impossible without them. If your dream is to be an airline pilot, certainly consider the airline cadet pilot pathway.

Airline-Cadet-Pilot-Graduates — Vincent’s airline cadet pilot class graduates with Captain Darren McPherson from ACS Aviation Consulting.

We’d like to thank Vincent very much for contributing these fantastic blogs on his airline cadet pilot journey. If you are interested in finding out more about our flight training courses and online learning options, email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Airline Pilot Guest Blog – Why You Should Consider An Instrument Rating Course

Posted on August 12, 2020October 18, 2021 by Kai

Now flying an Airbus A350 for a major international airline, Second Officer Vincent Mok discusses why an Instrument Rating course is so important. He also provides some handy tips on the must-have tools to look at before your first lesson.

All pilots should consider completing an Instrument Rating course which will enable them to fly in Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions. Not only is it an essential step in a professional pilot’s career, but also an invaluable skill for every private pilot because of:

1. Safety

Even though entering cloud or flying in reduced visibility should not happen with adequate planning, Visual Flight Rules (VFR) pilots can still make this fatal mistake. Completing an Instrument Rating course gives you the option of upgrading to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) for an additional margin of safety.

2. Efficiency

Some seasons are bad for VFR flying. An Instrument Rating increases the likelihood of being able to get to your destination all year round. If you are still training or building hours, completing an Instrument Rating course will allow you build hours and experience faster, with more available days to fly.

3. The Views

There’s just something magical about flying next to clouds, and of course those amazing city views at night!

Instrument Rating Night Cockpit — Completing an Instrument Rating Course allows you to enjoy spectacular views.

I’d like to share with you the tools I used during cadet pilot school that helped me get the most out of my first Instrument Rating flying lesson. They were also essential for my ongoing progress throughout the Instrument Rating course:

1. IFR Cheat Sheet

This free resource (link: weflyplanes.com.au) will be an invaluable tool for your IFR flying. You should be familiar with the whole document before your Instrument Rating course exam and check flight. However in the meantime, you should focus on the following sections initially:

Phraseology

IFR radio calls are slightly different to VFR but are something you can nail before your first flight. You will get more out of IFR flying if you can communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC) professionally early on.

Alternate Requirements

Knowing these is crucial for IFR flight planning. Use these to check the TAFs (Terminal Area Forecasts), NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), and aerodrome charts to make sure it’s safe and legal to fly IFR.

Holding Patterns

A competently flown hold is the bread and butter of IFR flying. You should understand holding patterns and sector entries well enough to teach it to other students!

2. Captain Joe’s Sector Entry Tips

While the IFR cheat sheet is great for learning the theory, Captain Joe (link: https://youtu.be/szkZ9VaNfrc) tells you how to fly it. My instructor was amazed at how fast I could work out sector entries during my first IFR flight! Make sure you watch this a few times!

3. G1000 Simulator

Flight simulators are a lot more useful for IFR flights compared with VFR. I practiced sector entries and flew the entire sortie on my laptop before my first IFR lesson. I’d tried X-Plane 11, Flight Simulator X but found the best trainer for IFR procedures was the G1000 Integrated Flight Deck Trainer (link: https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/5990).

Learn To Fly also operates a state-of-the-art Alsim AL42 simulator. This simulator provides a highly realistic cockpit environment based on the Diamond DA42 aircraft.

We’d like to thank Vincent very much for contributing this fantastic blog on the importance of completing an Instrument Rating course. Stay tuned for Vincent’s next guest blog on his journey to becoming an airline pilot.

Vincent was successful in his cadet pilot application after completing airline pilot interview preparation courses with Captain Darren McPherson from ACS – Aviation Consulting Services. Darren is a Check and Training Captain with a major international airline, with over 30 years of industry experience. We are proud to offer a range of highly successful airline pilot interview preparation courses taught by Darren. For more information head to https://learntofly.edu.au/airline-interview-preparation-programs/

To find out more about completing an Instrument Rating Course, email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Airline Pilot Guest Blog – Looking Back at Cadet Pilot Training

Posted on July 7, 2020October 19, 2021 by Kai

Now flying an Airbus A350 for a major international airline, Second Officer Vincent Mok looks back on his cadet pilot training and discusses some of the lessons he learned.

While I was backing up my photos, the past year and a half at cadet school literally flashed before my eyes. It’s an amazing journey to go from an office worker to an airline pilot in the space of 15 months. I’d like to share with a few photos with you from my cadet pilot training and the stories behind them. Hopefully they’ll help you in your journey with aviation.

First Solo, First Milestone

The journey to my first solo didn’t go as smoothly as planned. I needed two checks before the training manager was happy to send me up. The night before my first solo check, I had 15 Xiao Long Baos and a plate of noodles at a restaurant notorious for their use of flavoring enhancer (MSG).

I couldn’t sleep because of the flushing and palpitations which didn’t help with the anxiety before the first solo. My final approach profile was inconsistent because my power adjustments were more spasmodic twitches than smooth and decisive.

Lesson Number 1: Healthy eating is as important as checking the weather before a flight

Lesson Number 2: Sleep quality is essential for learning especially in an accelerated environment

That night I had better quality of sleep. My circuit geometry, final approach profile and landings were consistently safe during my second solo check. Alone in the cockpit, while I did my flows and checklists, I saw the windsock pick up a little and started worrying about it approaching my crosswind limit.

“If tower announced a 10kt crosswind, I’d have to do my solo another day”

I taxied to the holding point, did the required checks, lined up and took off after tower clearance.

“200ft AAL, brakes applied, flaps up” I said out loud.

I reached for the flap lever but it was already at its upper stop, realising that I missed a part of the before takeoff flows and checks. If I was on a 737, I would have crashed at the end of the runway and killed 300 people behind me, destroyed a runway and the reputation of my airline. Distraction is the biggest threat in aviation.

Cadet-Pilot-Solo-Flight — Vincent’s first solo flight during cadet pilot training.

Lesson Number 3: Don’t rush!

In the above photo taken after my solo, behind the smile, half tucked sweat stained shirt and tired legs were multiple lessons that I had learned. I’d been under a lot of pressure because I was the only one in my course without recent flying experience, despite having a PPL from 10 years ago.

After that solo flight, I knew that I had the potential to complete the course.

Memorable Flights

After the first solo, cadets progress through the following hurdles as part of the flying phase:

1 Recreational pilot licence/area solo standard
2 Private pilot licence (PPL) standard
3 Commercial pilot license standard
4 Single engine instrument rating standard
5 Multi-engine command instrument rating standard
6 Upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT)

The flying at each hurdle was both challenging and fun and reaffirmed my passion for aviation. I saw many sunrises, sunsets, coastlines, country airports as well as the world upside down from 6000ft high. I also recall the dread in my stomach during my UPRT but looking back was an utmost invaluable experience and was the most memorable.

“Do you actually get sick, or are you just scared?” My instructor asked while we were upside down in a roll.

“Imagine this was your Airbus and somehow the attitude is like this. Recover.”

Without much thinking, I adjusted the power, rolled wings level, fixed the pitch, and flew straight and level while the chicken I had at mess a few hours ago wanted to fly its way back out.

Cadet-Pilot-Vincent-Aerobatic-Flight — Cadet pilot training includes some memorable flights, like aerobatics!

Another time during the PPL training phase, I was admiring the sunrise and the little houses along the coast I could see from 500ft.

“Enjoy it while it lasts”. The instructor said in a mocking manner as I increased the power to climb to 2500ft.

“You’ve just suffered a partial engine failure”. He placed his hand on the throttle and retarded it to a few inches of manifold pressure.

I immediately pitched for best gliding speed and performed trouble checks, then looked for a field nearby.

“You’ve still got thrust, I don’t feel like landing on a vineyard today”

“Oh yeh….Goolwa Airport is in the vicinity and it seems someone just took off from 01”. I turned the aircraft towards downwind, idle power, made a descending turn to base then final.

“You’re way too high. Do a touch and go and we’ll do a diversion after that”

I took flaps and landed around a third of the way down the runway.

“Why’d you make a full stop?”

My bladder had taken over controls and I taxied to the terminal where we all had a toilet break.

Lesson Number 4: While enjoying the beauty of flight, always be prepared for the unexpected

Weight Gain

“Everybody gains weight at cadet school” was a well known fact that our seniors, course mentors, and instructors stated again and again. We had access to buffet style food at the mess for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The chef nicknamed me “Mr Six Eggs” after my breakfast choice, because there wasn’t enough time in the morning to say “Mr Six Eggs, Two Tomatoes, Bowl of Oatmeal, Scoop of Mushroom, Scoops of Baked Beans, Bowl of Yoghurt”.

Thankfully, one of my coursemates was obsessed with Arnie and I stumbled across photos of “Gympilot”, who used to be overweight but transformed himself into a muscle machine so that he could apply the required 60kg worth of force on a rudder during asymmetric flight on a DA42.

I built lots of friendships (and muscles) at that gym. It became my sanctuary in an otherwise stressful course.

Lesson Number 5: Make exercise a commitment

Cadet pilot training school was one of the most memorable, challenging and fulfilling part of my life. I’d highly recommend any aspiring pilot to consider this path to an airline career. The habits and lessons learned from cadet school lay the foundation for a career as an airline pilot and I attribute the following to my successful completion of the course:

1 Healthy eating is as important as checking the weather before a flight
2 Sleep quality is essential for learning especially in an accelerated environment
3 Don’t rush
4 While enjoying the beauty of flight, always be prepared for the unexpected
5 Make exercise a commitment

Cadet-Pilot-Vincent-Gym — Eating well and exercising is important during the rigours of cadet pilot training.

We’d like to thank Vincent very much for contributing this fantastic blog on cadet pilot training. Stay tuned for Vincent’s next guest blog on his journey to becoming an airline pilot.

To find out more about our flight training courses, email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Life is Short. Get Your Pilot Licence.

Posted on October 30, 2019October 19, 2021 by Kai

Challenges aren’t stopping David from fulfilling his pilot dream. At 71 years young, he’s studying a Recreational Pilot Licence at Learn To Fly Melbourne.

David, you’re studying a Recreational Pilot Licence with us right?

Well, yes that is the first step (laughs).

Have you already thought about what you are going to do next?

Of course! I haven’t got time to waste now.

David is 71 and signed up for studying a Recreational Pilot Licence this year. We find out he’s not only a friendly chap who has made an impression on many of the instructors and staff at LTF, but he is also a pretty tough character.

He shares with us how his flight training path has hit some patches of turbulence, and how he has overcome adversity to chase his dreams. There is no stopping David now.

Let’s go back to the beginning. Tell us how you got into aviation and what made you want to get your pilot licence?

I guess it’s like many young teenagers in my day, I was into model planes. I desired to build them and I used to just fly them around in circles. We didn’t have radio control, we just had a couple of wires flying a small model plane. I went onto further studies and other life paths, and I left that aviation interest behind a little bit.

Then one of my uncles was a pilot, he was a radio operator in World War II. He maintained his interest in aviation and gave me the chance to go up with him, flying around northern NSW, back country area

So how old were you at this point?

In my late teens. I loved it. We flew around in a Tigermoth over that area. Such good fun.

Did he let you take the controls?

No, and I don’t think I asked (laughs). I was happy to sit in the front and look at the scenery and checking out the area below – waterholes, cattle, sheep and things like that. I just knew I enjoyed being up there.

A lot of other things happened in my life. Completing school, getting a job, got married, had kids. Becoming a pilot took a back seat. But it was always there in my mind “gee I’d love to learn to fly”. I didn’t have the time and I was making sure my kids got a good education and took care of their needs first.

I used to have a farm but I sold that, so have some money in the bank. What am I going to do? (laughs) Get my pilot licence! Do what I always wanted to do. Now I can afford to get my licence and maybe buy a plane. So it’s a comfortable place to be in.

But the journey getting here has been a bit traumatic for me.

We have a bit of background on that. Are you happy to talk about that with us?

Oh yes, it helps me. My wife when she was alive I encouraged her to fly a helicopter. I bought her a flight as a 50th birthday present. I thought by having the first lesson in a helicopter I hoped she would really like it and continue or maybe want to fly planes too. But it was enough for her just to experience the flight. Unfortunately she passed away from an aneurysm.

As it turns out that is somewhat how I found out I too had an aneurysm. I didn’t have any symptoms though. When I went for my medical I told my doctor had a bad cycling accident and split my head open, broke my leg.

How long ago was that?

30 odd years ago. A long time! But it was a big accident so the doctor said maybe you should check that out. So I went to a radiologist and had a CT scan. The radiologist calls me in and says you should go and see your doctor straight away because you have got a small aneurysm. So I had an operation. A neurosurgeon put a clip on it.

Fortunately, afterwards, the doctor said, ‘You are still good to get your pilot licence’! And that was 3 or 4 months ago.

Wow, so very recent then.

Yes, I’d already started my flying training and I didn’t want to give up. Because I had to get the Grade 1 Medical, it was through those discussions with the doctor about my history, and the bike accident, that she suggested getting checked out more thoroughly.

So how has that been a bit of motivation for getting out there and studying Recreational Pilot Licence?

Yes in some respects. It’s given me something to focus on this and it’s something to work towards achieving. It gets the adrenaline running (laughs) and I am enjoying it. I’m looking forward to when I can take the grandkids! Something exciting to show them. They are a bit young still though. One he is only eight months old and the older one she is four-and-a-half.

How have you found the course so far?

I’ve found the course well-paced and I don’t feel like I’m being pushed. Hopefully, I am reasonably competent in what I am doing. I’m taking it very slowly and carefully. The instruction of the course is well laid out, the stages of it and how it all fits in so I’m enjoying that part.

My instructor is Cam Mitchell and I’ve flown once with Dave Ostler who are both very good. It feels like a bit of a family now. Everyone is supportive and Dips (School Operations Manager) is fantastic. I was checking out the different schools and I found your website and it looked good, so I came in and Dips was so friendly and explained everything well. It was the friendly open approach that attracted me. I’ve felt comfortable coming here.

Have you flown any others?

Not personally. Not yet. But my cousin used to fly in a Cessna 172 ages ago, like forty-odd years ago. A few years ago I went out to Lilydale and thought I might see about doing lessons there and went up in a Victa Air Tourer.

What is the aircraft you are learning in?

The Sling 2.

Learn-To-Fly-Starter-Set-Hero — The Sling 2 is a great aircraft to get your pilot licence in.

What do you enjoy most about flying?

I like the part where I am pushing myself differently because even though I am a trained teacher and with that, in the past, I did lesson planning, I am still very much a person who just chucks the stuff in and goes. Whereas flying an aeroplane is very different to that so I’m enjoying spending time on the planning and making sure that I do all the checks prior, and weather forecasting and flight planning. I like the discipline that’s involved in controlling an aircraft.

If you were going to buy a plane, have you thought about what kind you would buy?

It would probably be a Foxbat or a Jabiru or one of those types. The reason would be I want a high-wing one where I can see out more easily and if you go camping you can camp under the wing. There are lots of high wing aircraft becoming available. A light plane, high wing, able to carry a small amount of luggage like your tent and picnic essentials.

Do you like tinkering around with the engines as well?

In the past I was mechanically oriented but as I’ve gotten more mature, not so much. Modern engines aren’t so much fun to play around with, computer controls, fuel injection and all that. It’s too specialised. But you know give me a diesel tractor I’ll happily pull that apart to get it working again. I’m not interested in tinkering with aircraft engines though.

You’re having enough fun just flying them?

Yeah, I’m loving flying and the idea of visiting places, as I said, camping under the wing and doing all those things.

Sounds like a perfect way to spend your time.

Australia is a big country and driving takes ages so I think, why not fly yourself in a plane. You can see where you are going if there is bad weather ahead you can just find somewhere to land and try again later.

I’m not a maverick but you know, if there is a dry gravel road down there, check there are no powerlines, no trees, I can just put it down there (laughs).

Want to get your Recreational Pilot Licence? Email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Training as a Mature Age Pilot: Learning to Fly in Your Fifties

Posted on August 5, 2019January 1, 2024 by Kai

You’re never too old to chase your dreams! Student pilot Kim shares with us his story of learning to fly in his fifties, training as a mature age pilot, and fulfilling his pilot dreams. This year he flew his first solo just shy of his 54th birthday.

Hailing from Singapore, like all citizens and second-generation permanent residents there, Kim had to join the armed forces. He still keeps in contact with two of his military friends who are established pilots and are currently captains for Singapore International Airlines.

“We have a WhatsApp group chat to keep in touch. The two pilots recently captained a flight together, and shared a photo of the two of them in their uniforms after the flight.”

I replied with a photo of myself after my first solo, next to a Diamond DA40 with the text “I may be 30 years behind you, but I am learning to fly”.

They were so happy and excited for me. One replied, “Kim, have fun. A small plane is fun to fly and lots of things to look around”.

Mature-Age-Pilot-Training — Kim is one of our mature age pilot training students.

Did you always want to be a pilot?

I have always had a keen interest in aviation, like flight planning and Air Traffic Control. I tried to join the Singapore Air Force when I was younger but was rejected because of their eyesight requirements. So I missed that chance.

What are the issues with your eyesight?

I used to wear glasses for short-sightedness. For the air force your eyesight must be perfect. I had laser eye surgery 15 years ago, and now my vision is excellent. However, it was still too late to join the air force. The dream to fly remained, though. I’m retired and still healthy, I thought I would try again to be a pilot of some sort.

Which course are you studying?

Right now, I am doing my RPL . I will go through all the tests, and once I get my licence, I will go to the PPL. I can’t fly with an airline or the Air Force obviously, so I want to fly for fun.

What has been the highlight of the course?

Everybody says your first solo is the most memorable and most exciting moment as a pilot. Indeed it was for me, but not for the reasons you might think. I had to do three solo checks before I could fly. The weather changed, then the air traffic was too busy.

Then when I did get to fly, another issue was my own silly mistake. I didn’t line the aircraft nose up straight. My aircraft wheels weren’t straight either. When I powered up, the plane went to the left. I tried to use the rudder to straighten up, but that didn’t work to straighten the aircraft, and I was moving sideways. I had to hit the brakes and I went onto the grass. Then I advised the control tower I was aborting the flight. I came back to the training room to debrief. The instructors said I did the right thing calling off the flight, as after something like that you should come back and check for potential damage.

I was upset with myself. When something like that happens, it’s a big blow to your confidence. My instructor was a little surprised too because he thought I seemed ready. It was one small thing that I didn’t check. However, that is all behind me now. It has made me a better pilot. I won’t make that mistake again!

So a mistake that you made ended up being a highlight because you learned the lesson from it?

It made me more aware of things that can go wrong, even when you are focused and prepared. This can happen to anybody – even an experienced pilot.

What have you found to be the most difficult thing about mature age pilot training?

The weather and busy air traffic. Even when you get good weather and an aircraft, the airport is hectic. So there is lots of waiting. We only have a two-hour time slot to fly. More waiting around means less flying time. The weather here is the most challenging for me.

How did you go with the theory and exams?

I found the exams ok so far. You have to study hard, and you have to know the material – lots of memorising. I haven’t found it an issue, and I am currently preparing for a big theory exam. I will do that around mid-August. So by next week, I should have finished all my flying so I will have two weeks of intensive study and prepare myself for theory. When that is over, I can arrange for my flight test.

What would you say to anyone whose considering learning to fly later in life?

Live your dream if you want to fly. I feel, at 54, my age is not an issue. It is more about your mental will.

The other day I met a man who had come in for a Trial Introductory Flight. A retired businessman around my age who was asking me many questions. He was scared about the engine stopping mid-air and asking me what happens. I was explaining that pilots are trained to manage those situations. We got talking about how I was getting my Recreational Pilot Licence. He was saying he did want to learn to fly and now thought he was too old. He is 50, so I told him I am 54 and I am learning. So you are not too old!

Then when he went out for his flight, and the pilot let him glide. After landing, he came and spoke to me again. He was so excited.

So to people my age, I want to tell them, you are never too old. As long as you are medically fit and you have good motor reflexes, then you can fly.

This is what I always wanted to do. Now I am retired and have the resources. It took me a while, but here I am. I enjoy it so much. I’ve met some nice people. The instructors are great.

Thanks Kim for sharing your experience of learning to fly in your fifties. Best of luck for achieving your Recreational Pilot Licence.

Are you a mature age pilot looking to start your training? Get in touch with our flight training specialists. Email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Taking to the Sky as a Mature Age Pilot

Posted on July 26, 2019August 15, 2022 by Kai

Want to learn to fly in Melbourne? Even in your later years, you can take to the sky as a mature age pilot.

Becoming a pilot is often considered a youthful pursuit. A majority of students who achieve their pilot licence with Learn to Fly are under 25 and go on to have successful pilot careers or fly recreationally. However, if you are well over 25 and still have pilot aspirations, you don’t have to give up on your dream. Even with certain medical conditions that some people perceive as a barrier to obtaining a pilot licence, as LTF student Pete Bain shows us, it’s an achievable goal.

We sat down with Pete, who is undertaking his GA Private Pilot Licence, for a quick chat to ask him about being in his fifties and deciding to become a pilot in Melbourne.

Did you always dream of becoming a pilot, or is this a new endeavour?

I had dreamt of becoming a pilot, but it never came to fruition. I joined the police force at 20 and followed that path instead.

I undertook some flying lessons when I lived in England many years ago and acquired about 10 hours. However, it became unaffordable for me, so I stopped. I then developed a condition in my eye that has left me virtually blind in my left eye. I just assumed that this would disqualify me from getting the medical clearance required, so once again, I didn’t pursue it any further.

When I moved to Australia, on a whim I started making some enquiries. It was in my investigations I discovered that being a monocular pilot is not uncommon. I also found out that becoming a pilot was more affordable in Australia than in the UK, so I decided to retake the plunge.

After some research and talking to some Melbourne flying schools, I decided on Learn To Fly. One of the reasons I chose this school because of the busyness of the airport, so I could get more experience with air traffic and radio communications.

I started here with the RA-Aus course, but I decided to transfer over to a Private Pilot Licence (PPL). However, that requires a Class 2 Medical clearance. I have been working with CASA to obtain this.

Tell us more about that. What has this meant for obtaining your PPL?

I started with LTF in November 2018. I have got roughly 40 flight hours. So I am at the stage where if I had my medical clearance, I would have been able to progress to solo and then go onto licences. So it has stagnated my progress a little. In the interim, I’ve continued with my instructors to keep practising things such as emergency forced landings and short field takeoff landings. However, again, I haven’t been able to fly solo and go and do that myself. I feel like I’ve been spinning my wheels a little at the moment.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is, you’re the pilot” ~ Michael Altschuler.

What has been the highlight of learning to fly so far?

Today. I’ve had to jump through loads of hoops for CASA to get my Class 2 Medical Clearance. Today was the last hoop so it is looking good that I will get the required medical certificate so I can keep progressing with my PPL dream.

What have you found the most challenging about learning to fly?

For me, I guess it’s the workflow and the checklists. Remembering those and keeping on top of them. Every now and again, an instructor will ask you a question. For example ‘can you remember what we do for a steep turn’, and you think ‘I hadn’t thought of that in a while’ – so trying to remember those details of what you aren’t currently practising. It does become more and more familiar with the practice over time.

What is your ultimate goal as a pilot in Melbourne?

I want to get to PPL. I don’t want to be a commercial pilot. Besides, I’m 53. A job with an airline is not an option for me. I could get a job as a flight instructor or something like that. However, I’m happy doing what I am doing. I just want to fly.

The idea of flying my wife, or friends, or even my dog to an airfield for lunch or even a short break somewhere nice, and then coming back is pretty cool. I’ve got family in NZ and England and when they come over to visit it could be quite nice just to take them up and fly them around and Victoria from above.

Do you have any tips or advice for anyone who is considering being a mature age pilot?

Persevere. There might be hurdles to overcome in terms of balancing what’s required from a learning commitment point of view. You may also have to face obstacles concerning CASA medical clearance regulations, but that is all part of it. If you keep at it, you will get there. Take things at your own pace.

Thanks, Pete for showing others that the art of flying as a mature age pilot absolutely can be done!

Learn To Fly Scholarship Recipient Dean Shing Starts at Cathay Pacific

Posted on December 18, 2018October 21, 2021 by Kai

We recently offered a Learn To Fly scholarship for our highly successful Future Cadet Pilot Program to a Hong Kong student. The scholarship allowed the successful applicant to come to Australia and complete the flight training component of the program.

Our scholarship recipient was Dean Shing, who has been accepted into the Cathay Pacific cadetship program. He came to Melbourne to complete his flight training and fly solo, and we caught up with him to talk about the process, as well as his love for flying.

Dean’s Flight Story

The Beginning

The moment I became determined to be a pilot was when I did my first flight training in Canada in May 2018. But my Learn To Fly Scholarship program preparation started a lot earlier than this. Allow me to share a bit of my aviation journey.

I was never an aviation person, and being a pilot to me was just like being an astronaut. It was something I never thought was possible. But all that changed in December 2015 when I was travelling around New Zealand, looking for fun and exciting things to do

That was when I did a trial flight. It was an absolutely beautiful and amazing experience. I still remember after my instructor aligned the Cessna 172 to the runway centreline, he asked me to apply full throttle, and then pull back on the control yoke, and the C172 just lifted off; and here it was, my first takeoff, flying me into my aviation journey.

Ever since then I started to be interested. Part of me thought having flying as a hobby was a pretty cool thing to do. It’s silly I know, but that’s how I started. What I did was mostly self-studying, and later joining AAEP (Advanced Aviation Education Programme, by Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps) after I came back to Hong Kong. It was during the course I realized that being a pilot is not just about flying. It involves a lot of planning, decision-making, and multi-crew working, etc. That really attracted me, and that’s also when I started studying really hard for the Learn To Fly Scholarship program.

To confirm my passion, I went to Canada for my first flight training. It was during the fight training I found out that not only did I enjoy the flying part so much, I enjoyed literally everything including all the ground preparation with my instructors, the late night study with my batch mates; and the satisfaction of flying in the sky is incomparable. That’s when I became determined to be a pilot, so I made my move, and here I am!

Preparing and Applying for the Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Program

My preparation for the Cathay Pacific cadet program was divided into two parts – technical knowledge and HR Interview, both of which require teamwork.

Firstly for the technical knowledge, I did a lot of self-study, reading mostly Bob Tait’s. Apart from books and Google, I have learnt a lot about Meteorology and Engineering through YouTube. Another thing I did was having study group meetings. During these we discussed different technical knowledge, shared question banks, and had mock interviews with each other. In my opinion, it is important to do it on a regular basis with different people. In that way not only did I learn from different perspectives, but knowing that I’m not alone in pursuing this dream actually energised me. It’s important to always ask “why”, and know that it is not only the cadet pilot interview that I’m preparing for, it is the career.

Secondly for the HR interview, the most important thing is knowing yourself from inside out. Let’s first talk about CVs and portfolios. Simply put, each item on my CV and portfolio is there for a reason – they can either show my passion for flying or show what kind of person I am (in a good way). If they can’t serve either of the two purposes, they shouldn’t be there.

For the interview part, I think it’s important to treat it not as an interview, but more like meeting new friends, or even having a speed date. It’s really the process for your new friends to know about you, and, to a lesser extent, for you to know about your new friends. Be calm, act normal, and show them why you’re suitable. Of course it’s easier said than done. To prepare I had a lot, I mean really a lot, of mock interviews with different people; and I have also applied for different jobs just to gain “real” interview experience. In this way, I was calmer when facing the real one. I also learnt when to talk more, and when to stop, i.e., talk like a normal person in an interview.

Before applying, I also did 12 hours of flight training in Canada. I think it’s important to at least try a couple hours of flying to know whether you really like it or not, before committing to a life-long career. And the pursuit of a career is always a team game. Joining some courses or programmes is a good way to start your preparation. Not only you’ll learn the knowledge in a proper manner, but you’ll also meet people who may as well become your batch mates in cadet training in the future.

The Interview Process

At the time of my application, there were 3 stages:

– 1A – Aptitude Test + Technical Quiz
– 1B – HR Interview
– 2 – Flight Planning Exercise, Group Exercise, and Technical Interview

The 2 interviews were more relaxing than I expected. They were really just like chatting, letting them know why I want to be a pilot, and what makes me suitable to be one. You need to familiarise yourself with the whole process, know what to expect, and therefore what to prepare. Nothing should come as a surprise if you are well-prepared.

The most difficult and time-consuming part of the preparation was the interviews, and therefore HR questions. Others were pretty straight forward. From my experience, when preparing for HR interview it’s easy to fall into a trap – pretending to be someone we’re not. It’s important what we say in the interview match what we have done in the past (shown on our CVs). To prepare for this, I would suggest first you need to figure out what kind of qualities the airline is looking for in you. And then you can start judging from those essential qualities to see which ones you have. This process could take a lot of time so it’s better to start preparing earlier.

I found that quite a lot of people I met would try to hide their past failures or mistakes. To me they’re actually a great selling point if you know how to use them. It doesn’t matter what failures or mistakes you had, it matters what you have done about them. Show the interviewers what you have learnt from them, and how you have improved. Once again, match what you say with what you have done.

Flying in Melbourne with Learn To Fly

Flying with LTF was an amazing experience for me, and has built up my confidence in flying. During my last flight training in Canada, I was struggling on landing and because of that I wasn’t able to do my 1st solo. Before I started my training with LTF this time, I had already expressed my concern. Not only did LTF construct the training schedule to fit my particular needs, my instructor Uly also gave me a lot of encouragement and guidance. After some bouncing on the runway, I was finally able to land the Diamond DA40, and achieved my 1st solo.

Diamond-DA40-Solo-Landing — Bringing the Diamond DA40 in to land at Moorabbin Airport.

It was amazing! Words simply couldn’t describe how happy and satisfied I was, and I still am. To me, it’s not only about the joy of flying the plane by myself, but what’s more important is knowing that I can actually handle an aircraft, and that has really built up my confidence and made me feel like a pilot for the first time. For this reason I couldn’t be more grateful to LTF and my instructor Uly.

Looking back a little bit before I went to Melbourne, and before I started preparing for my flight training, I had thought flying in Moorabbin Airport was so difficult. It has 5 physical runways, each one crossing the other one. On top of that, the numerous taxiways crossing different runways makes it a bit of a maze to begin with! Thankfully LTF prepared a starter kit that listed out the detailed route map and the standard procedures for Moorabbin Airport. This preparation took away my worries about navigating the runways, and made my flight training smooth.

The other thing I have to point out is that the LTF aircraft are so beautiful. They’re probably the most beautiful ones in the airport – all looking new and colourful. It’s an enjoyment simply looking at them, and taking selfies of course! Other than flying, I do enjoy hanging around in the office. There is a big classroom for students to study and chat. I have met a lot of aviation enthusiasts there, sharing thoughts and talking about aviation.

All that being said, I’m really looking forward to coming back for more!

The Learn To Fly Future Cadet Pilot Program Scholarship

The Learn To Fly scholarship has helped me in a lot of ways. I mean the grant of the scholarship itself already means a lot to me. It is not just the flying hours that I get, but more importantly it’s the recognition of my passion and hard work – it’s a real encouragement.

Before I went to Melbourne, we already had a consensus about my flight training goals, and LTF delivered. They didn’t simply try to put me up for my 1st solo, but they constructed a training program, including the aircraft, the checklist, the procedures etc, to prepare me for the upcoming cadet training. Of course, completing my 1st solo was a simply a bonus, and a bonus that I really love.

During my time there, not only did I massively improve on my flying skills, but I have also learnt more about what it takes to become a good pilot through sharing stories with the instructors, something I find of true value.

All in all, with the help from LTF, I am now confident and ready for the upcoming challenge. I hope soon enough I could be as a good pilot as my instructors here at LTF. And I’m really glad LTF has given such a chance for Hong Kong locals to pursue their dreams. It’s never easy to take on this career in Hong Kong, but with the LTF Future Cadet Pilot Program now, the path seems to be a little bit easier.

We thank Dean for giving us this great insight into his aviation journey. We also wish him well with his training at Cathay Pacific, and hope to see him in Australia again sometime.

Darren-McPherson-ACS-Aviation-Consulting-Services — The Learn To Fly scholarship grants the recipient our FCPP course, which is facilitated by Captain Darren McPherson from ACS Aviation Consulting Services.

For further information about Learn To Fly scholarship opportunities, email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour. Our highly successful Future Cadet Pilot Program is run in partnership with Captain Darren McPherson from ACS – Aviation Consulting Services.

Pilot Stories: The Road to Becoming an Airline Second Officer – Matt Waterton

Posted on October 6, 2018October 21, 2021 by Kai

We spoke to Matt Waterton, one of the success stories of our Airline Interview Coaching Session about his passion for flying, his experiences in applying and being accepted into a cadet program, and then becoming an airline Second Officer. Matt is well on his way to achieving his aviation dreams in the airline industry.

Even for those young men and women who have already taken steps towards being a pilot, until very recently a career as an airline pilot has still seemed out of reach. Many major airlines are opening up their doors, increasing numbers in their cadet and direct entry programs and offering new entry points into the industry.

Tell us a bit about your background and what made you interested in flying

I travelled regularly as a child and found myself more interested in what type of aircraft I was flying on, rather than the trip itself. In the days when it was legal, I used to visit the flight deck where I found myself fascinated by the complexity of the dials and switches. I remained in the cockpit during landing on several flights, and it was on one of these occasions when the captain allowed me to wear headphones and listen to Air Traffic Control, that I realised flying was my passion.

What do you love most about flying?

I still find that there is still nothing quite like accelerating down the runway and taking off. However, I do enjoy looking at the night sky and observing things I wouldn’t usually be able to see; the International Space Station, shooting stars, and the ever-changing scenery down below.

If you were given the opportunity to fly any aircraft in the world, what would it be?

Unfortunately for me, I have always had a soft spot for the Concorde. It flew higher and faster 50 years ago than any airliners in active service today. The Concorde truly made the world a much smaller place. It amazes me that Concorde was designed and engineered in a time without computers as we know them.

What is your ultimate flying goal?

I’d love to be the captain of an airliner into London or my hometown of Brisbane.

Tell us about your current airline Second Officer role

I’m currently a Second Officer at a major airline based in Asia. It’s a great job – I mainly fly sectors back to Australia, so I always get to catch up with my family. The crew are fantastic and easy to talk to, and very supportive if I’m due for any upcoming training sims.

Did you have any flying experience before you decided to apply for airlines?

I used to fly skydivers in a Cessna aircraft. It was a great job for getting used to manually handling an aircraft and seeing how they perform. I then worked as a charter pilot in a twin-engine piston aircraft based in Queensland. I primarily flew passengers to remote towns in Australia, landing on some interesting landing strips.

Was the interview process what you expected?

Yes, it was indeed. I made sure I did everything I could to prepare for the process. I found the interview itself to be less confronting than I had expected, that was a big relief! I had to pass an initial interview, followed by two days of testing before I was accepted. The two days encompassed a group interview with other candidates (a problem-solving activity), psychometric testing, a simulator assessment in a 747 simulator, and finally a panel interview.

What are the main things that you found challenging during the interview process, and what advice would you give to future applicants?

Waiting to see if I was successful or not was agonising. I’d jump every time I received an email! Make sure you receive all the help you can for your interview; interview preparation, reading through online forums to see what to expect, and running through the simulator assessment on a flight simulator.

Make sure you’re completely familiar with the airline you’re applying to. That includes where they fly to, knowing about the country in which the airline is based, which aircraft they operate, and most importantly – what is expected of you in the position you’re applying for. Knowing you’ve done everything you can makes it that much easier to stay calm and be yourself during the interview.

Airline Pilot Interview Preparation Courses

Whilst now is the perfect time to look at an airline career, getting there is still very competitive and challenging. To give yourself the best possible chance of success, you need an edge. That edge is preparation, and knowledge from people experienced in how both the cadet program itself and the industry in general works.

Captain Darren McPherson from ACS – Aviation Consulting Services is our specialist airline interview consultant. He runs our highly successful airline interview courses, which includes the Future Cadet Pilot Program (FCPP) and Airline Interview Coaching Session.

Matt becoming an airline Second Officer is just one of many success stories to come out of these courses, which give you a proven edge over other applicants. We’d like to thank Matt for sharing his story and experiences.

For further information or to register your interest in our airline interview preparation courses, email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

Fifteen Year Old Leeanne Kaplan on Her First Solo Flight

Posted on July 16, 2018October 21, 2021 by Kai

Learn to Fly RPC student Leeanne Kaplan won’t be forgetting her 15th birthday in a hurry, after completing her first solo flight.

Leeanne started studying the theory components for her Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC) at age 13, patiently waiting until she was 14 to be allowed to take the controls of an aircraft in flight under the guidance of her instructor.

And then, on the day of her 15th birthday, Leeanne successfully completed her first solo flight. Given that 15 is the minimum legal age at which you are actually allowed to fly solo, Leeanne is surely one of very few people that have actually achieved that milestone so early.

We asked Leeanne a few questions following this amazing achievement:

1. How do you feel after your first solo flight?

To be perfectly honest, after flying solo for the first time, I felt really self-accomplished and proud of myself. In the hours leading up to my flight and on my way to Tooradin, I was incredibly nervous. I wasn’t worried that I would crash, but more that I would forget something and disappoint everyone. However, I got over my nerves and just did it, and I’m glad that I did!

2. What was the most challenging thing about it?

The most challenging part about it is deciding to actually do it. By this point my nerves had calmed down but the first time Anurag (Leeanne’s instructor) asked me if I wanted to do a circuit by myself I put it off and asked to do two more with him.

I found that I just had to commit to it and to know that I would be fine, which I was.

3. When did you decide that you wanted to get a pilot licence?

In December 2016 I went to the HASSE x NASA Space School in Houston (Texas, USA) for two weeks and they were talking about the different career paths NASA can offer, one of which was a pilot. Being able to fly a plane has always interested me, and when I came back from the USA I decided to pursue it.

4. What do your friends at school think?

My friends are completely obsessed with me flying and they hardly ever shut up about it. When I told them that I flew solo I was bombarded with comments, congratulations, and videos, anything where they could get their message across. Needless to say, they are extremely supportive of me but I always get asked this one question; “When can you fly me to _____?”

5. What is your ultimate goal for your aviation career?

I don’t have an exact goal for my aviation career. But I’m certain I would like to fly for a great airline like QANTAS. There are so many options and I know I have a long way to go. Plus I don’t have to decide now.

First-Solo-Flight-Instructor — Student pilot Leeanne Kaplan with instructor Anurag after completing her first solo flight on her 15th birthday.

The Best Time To Start Flight Training

With an enormous increase in pilot demand predicted globally in the next 20 years, there’s never been a better time to consider an aviation career. It’s fantastic to see young people like Leeanne with the passion and enthusiasm to start so early.

The aviation industry has traditionally been somewhat male-dominated, but that is changing. There are many progressive airlines that are proactively looking to recruit more and more female pilots. It’s role models like Leeanne that will help to encourage more young females with a passion or interest in flying to have the courage and drive to pursue it.

Learn to Fly offers a range of courses to suit budding pilots of all ages and experience. For young people like Leeanne, the Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC) is the best place to start. It allows you to commence learning and progress at a younger age than other courses such as the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL).

After achieving your RPC, there are many other options available to you. You can add a Cross Country Endorsement, which allows you to fly further. You can also opt to convert to General Aviation training and progress towards a Private Pilot Licence (PPL).

Whether your aviation career goal is to be a flight instructor and teach other students, fly charters, or become a Captain with a major airline – you will find plenty of exciting opportunities within this fast growing industry.

We very much look forward to seeing where Leeanne’s flying career takes her.

Are you looking to start your pilot training? Get in touch with our flight training specialists. Email [email protected] or visit https://drift.me/learntofly/meeting to book a meeting and school tour.

LTF Enters A Team In The 2018 Outback Air Race

Posted on July 7, 2018October 21, 2021 by Kai

Late last year we posted a blog story announcing that two of our students were going to compete in the 2018 Outback Air Race. The annual event starts in Archerfield (near Brisbane) in QLD and finishes in Broome WA after eight individual flying legs.

Since 1996, the Outback Air Race has helped to raise much-needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This year will see over 100 competitors in more than 40 teams take to the sky. The race covers approximately 2,132nm (or 3,940km), with the longest leg taking pilots from Bundaberg to Longreach.

Horace, who is currently studying for his PPL with Learn to Fly, has now been joined by Eason, who is studying his Diploma of Aviation and hoping to become an airline pilot one day. At 21 and 20 years old respectively, they will be the youngest team competing in this year’s event.

The race starts on August 18th, with Horace and Eason taking off from Moorabbin Airport here in Melbourne on August 15th to make their way north in our Sling 2 VH-LHH aircraft.

We asked Horace and Eason a few questions in the lead-up to the event:

What excites you the most about taking part in the 2018 outback air race?

Horace: I have always dreamed of circumnavigating Australia in an aircraft, and by the time I have completed the race and returned to Melbourne, I will have almost done that (Melbourne to Brisbane, across to Broome WA via the Northern Territory for the race, and then back to Melbourne). I am also looking forward to having a lot of fun and raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Eason: I think this will be something amazing to be able to tell my grandchildren one day, and as a student pilot, taking part in the race will really improve my flying and navigational skills. I’m also really looking forward to having fun flying with Horace.

What have you been doing to prepare for the race?

Eason: We have been flying together as much as possible, and completing a lot of longer flight legs and navigation exercises together. It’s important that we can work as a really good team together.

Horace: We have been doing a lot of planning around how we will complete each leg of the race, and how we will split responsibilities whilst we are flying. The longest single distance I have flown in the Sling 2 is around 480nm (from Sydney to Melbourne).

What are your goals for the race?

Eason: The main goal is to finish the race successfully, but also we would love to actually win at least 1 leg.

Horace: We are also hoping to raise at least $2,000 each for the Royal Flying Doctor Service through our Everyday Hero fundraising page.

You can help Horace and Eason’s fundraising by donating on their Everyday Hero page here. We’ll be keeping track of their progress when the race starts on our social media, so make sure you are following our Facebook and Instagram accounts.

LTF-Team-Outback-Air-Race — Horace and Eason make up the LTF team competing in the 2018 Outback Air Race