Please could you explain where / what stage you are currently at in your athletic / professional career.

I’ve been a First Officer for a major European Airline for over a year and a half now. Fourteen of those months were spent operating out of Paris Charles de Gaulle, and now I work at Amsterdam Schiphol. My role involves assisting the Captain with day to day operations of flights and act as second in command of the Crew. Typically, the Captain and myself alternate between the roles of flying and monitoring the flight. We follow published Standard Operation Procedures for normal, abnormal and emergency operations, which outline the tasks of Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring, as well as specified roles for the Captain and First Officer. Generally, I fly all over Europe and even beyond, to Tel Aviv and Morocco. 

What role has TASS support played in your journey / development as an athlete and what were it’s practical benefits?

TASS support came to me shortly before the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, which coincided with the commencement of my A Level Studies. Stepping to the next level in my sport and academic pursuits meant ensuring I had efficient support in place in order to achieve success in both areas. The Strength & Conditioning, Physiotherapy and Lifestyle Coach support really helped me find a way to push myself to new limits off my skies and manage my academic commitments around my training and competition schedule. Whilst I already had the idea of completing my A Levels over three years, discussing and adapting the plan with my Lifestyle Coach really helped maximise my potential academically. Additionally, the contacts I established at my local TASS hub, the University of Surrey, were useful further down the line, with support continuing past the end of my TASS scholarship. This enabled me to continue to train in a high performance environment off the snow and receive career / lifestyle advice. Prior to deciding to retire, I had even worked with the university directly to devise a plan which would enable me to study for a degree and ski. However, this did not materialise because I decided to become a professional pilot instead!

How important is / was pursuing a dual career to you? Why do you believe it is important?

Something my father always said to me was “education is important, as it’s something that cannot be taken away from you”. I was always encouraged by my parents and my school to commit to my education alongside my sport. Even as early as Year 7, my headmistress said I could take time off school to train and compete abroad, as long as I didn’t let my academics suffer. An athletic career can be over in an instant, either coming to a natural end like mine did, through a career-ending injury or perhaps loss of funding and other unforeseen circumstances. Competing at a high level in sport is only a very small chapter of an athlete’s overall lifetime. Therefore, it is important to have other possibilities in store because you do not know when your career will end. Choosing to commit to your education alongside your sport is a good way to prepare for life beyond and enables you to look at a more sustainable picture.

What are you most proud of / your favourite aspect of being a student athlete?

I think the challenges I faced of balancing both parts of my life. Being in that environment meant I had to develop skills which were quite mature for my age, I was even living in a rented flat doing all the chores, studying and being an athlete at the age of sixteen! The non-technical skills and competencies I developed through sport include: time management, being an effective worker, organising my studies, managing my energy, being flexible, being adaptable and learning to find what works best for me. All of these skills, and more, have been useful on my journey to becoming a pilot. My academic achievements always surprised me, particularly my A Levels, which were very respectable and proof I chose a way to approach them that suited me.  I taught myself a lot of the A Level syllabus and even completed my last year independently outside of school, so of course, I am proud of that!

TASS has helped over 6000 young sports people since 2004 and TASS supported athletes have won over 170 Olympic and Paralympic medals. Can you sum up what’s impact TASS has had on you in the last 15 years?  

When TASS was born, I was nine, so I don’t remember it’s early days! I only became aware of it’s existence when I was sixteen after I got put forward for TASS support. But having been a TASS athlete and following the achievements of others, I know it has been a force for good in helping athletes manage their academic and sporting commitments. The organisation has created a positive environment for success in both areas for many of its dual career athletes, pioneering this area of support in UK sport. It has created a generation of ambassadors who live balanced lifestyles and are capable of achieving anything in sport and beyond. 

What would be your wish for the next generation of talented athletes?

For the next generation of athletes, I hope they learn to understand that their sport and their athletic career is not what defines them. It is important for young athletes to understand what their identity is in order to reduce pressure during their career by emphasising it is not the sport itself who makes you who you are; but rather the lessons it teaches you and the aspects of your character it develops. By learning this, it makes the transition to life after sport easier and helps prepare for the future. However, it is hard to comprehend whilst still competing,  because generally, as an athlete, your sport is what you have been committed to your whole life. Your peers at school might have labelled you “the skier” or “the gymnast” or “the sailor”, etc. But this is not who you are, this label is incorrect, it does not define you. What defines you as an sportsman or sportswoman is the person you have become as a result of the environment you have been in: the unique environment that is the competitive sporting world. The skills this environment has equipped you with are what you can take forward into the next chapter and career of your life. 

Use one word to describe what TASS means to you.

Formative.

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We know a bit about your sporting and professional achievements. But what’s the one thing you’re proud of that has nothing to do with either? 

My ability to integrate into other countries and cultures, which has come from a result of my sporting and professional environment. For example, my abilities in the French language have developed over the years to a point now where rather than be asked where I am from, I am asked what part of France are you from! Which for a British person with no French family or connections is fairly complimentary!

When did the journey to your current non-sport career begin? Ie. After finishing education, during, childhood?

My journey to the flight deck happened purely by chance. I injured myself shortly before the British Championships in 2015 and had every intention of returning to the sport. I was exploring the possibilities of bringing a dual career element back into my life, as a year of being a full time athlete had not worked for me. Ideas such as joining the armed forces or studying a degree were forming in my mind. However, in a very short space of time, my whole life changed. It started with a conversation I had with my father whilst I was driving to dinner and ended about two months later when I decided I wanted to pursue the training path to becoming a commercial pilot and retiring from my sport at the grand old age of nineteen. 

Things that have / you think will make transition out of sport easier / harder?

Factors which make the transition easier are those such as having other interests outside sport which are unrelated, as these could develop into the next chapter of your life. They also serve as a way to split your focus and reduce the chances of you over investing in one area of your life, allowing a balanced approach to your time management. Secondly, it is important to be able to recognise when it is your time to retire. For example, realising you no longer enjoy the sport in the same way you did when you were younger. It is possible for you to become too results-focused and forgetting to enjoy the sport for the sport itself, which is what I experienced. Additionally, a good support network around you, such as your family and friends, is essential to helping you through the decision to retire and subsequent mourning or grief you may encounter. Finally, be open minded! By this I am referring to being open to pursuing a new path that is completely different. You might find something you had never previously considered really enjoyable. I would never have even thought about becoming a pilot if my father had not randomly suggested it to me. The career possibilities I had been considering in the past were strength and conditioning coaching, physiotherapy, journalism and volcanology. Asides the latter, the others are quite common career paths for athletes.

Factors which could pose a challenge for an athlete transitioning out of sport include not being willing to let go of your athletic career because you are perhaps afraid of loosing your identity or of failing. Regarding the former, for a lot of athletes, their sport has been dominating their life for the majority of its duration. This can cause them to allow their sport to define who they are and therefore experiencing a feeling that they are nothing without it. When in fact, this is often not the case. What can perhaps worsen the situation is when an individual has not committed to their education alongside their sport, leaving them to feel they are limited with their options. Whilst this is not an ideal situation, it is never too late to embark on furthering your education post sport, as you still have a large portion of your life left to live. Secondly, something an athlete may have to overcome is their fear of failure. Whatever stage of their career they are at, when an athlete retires, they will be failing one way or another because they will not have achieved the goals they had set themselves. Even if you are an Olympic Gold Medallist and achieved your ultimate childhood dream, you will still have set yourself a subsequent goal to work towards. The moment an athlete makes the decision to discontinue their sporting endeavours, it is likely they will feel they have failed,  despite having achieved an extraordinary amount in their young lives. They may hesitate to retire because they are afraid of failing and be trapped in the mindset that they have not achieved what they set out to achieve, so must therefore continue. This may create a negative environment because they commit but may no longer enjoy the sport and the other lifestyle choices of an elite athlete. It is important to remember winning or success are not just about your on paper results, but also include the personal competencies and non-technical skills you have developed as a result from the competitive sporting environment. Finally, it is beneficial to be able to communicate with others about how you feel towards your sport and the transitional period you will undergo at the end of your athletic career. The inability to do so may cause a build up of psychological and cognitive stresses, making the transition harder. Mitigate this by having a good support network in place built of people you trust. Or alternatively, seek third party advice through someone who has no part in the situation.

Can you think of a time when you had to make a really difficult compromise between two halves of your dual career?

In January 2013, I was informed I had been selected for the European Winter Youth Olympic Festival, which I was exited about as I would have then competed in that event as well as the Winter Youth Olympic Games for Team GB. However, I made the tough decision to focus on my A Level studies and my upcoming mock exams. That particular year, I was completing two AS subjects and two A2 subjects, as well as committing as much time to a full time skiing programme as I possibly could. I had to prioritise my academics. As a dual career athlete, it is really important to learn when your sport needs to take a backseat whilst you focus on your education for a while. This is key to achieving success in both areas.

What has helped the most with moving on from your sporting career?

Investigating what winning means to me has made a significant contribution to the transition into life as a pilot and to helping me move on. I am at a point where I have absolutely no feelings of regret towards the path I have pursued and the timing of the decisions I made. I have been able to reflect on my sporting career and turned my failures into successes by accepting them, learning from them and using them to drive my inner strength and resilience. A key lesson was learning to realise the biggest achievement from my sporting career was who it has made me, not how many medals or trophies I have won. By acknowledging how the non technical skills that I learnt from a competitive sporting environment, I have been able to move on and flourish in my life after sport. This was assisted by realising I could apply and develop these skills in my new career as an airline pilot. Notwithstanding, discovering a new passion and forming new ambitions definitely enabled the transition to be easier as I was able to let go of alpine skiing and move on from the initial grieving I experienced shortly after deciding to retire from the sport.

If you could solve one issue in your sport what would it be?

Specifically regarding dual careers, it would be really beneficial to the sport if it could be possible to continue committing to the demands of alpine skiing at a high level, whilst undergoing university or any other higher education studies. At the moment, it is not a possibility. Many athletes either commit to the sport after completing their GCSEs or A Levels (or equivalent) and no longer work on furthering their academic education. Or they retire from alpine skiing to attend university, causing a drainage of the available talent pool and a reduction in the possibility for those athletes to reach their full potential. Other countries have the support in place to allow their skiers to continue their education beyond school, whilst committing to a high level in the sport. If they can do it why can’t we? A potential solution would be to perhaps build a relationship with at least one university, as other sports have done, such as British Canoeing and Nottingham, to then establish a higher education academic and sporting programme which can nurture the athletes’ abilities in both areas.

Biggest obstacle you’ve overcome, or potentially not?

As a ski racer, I found myself being far too results-focused, which created a fear of failure and despite being aware of it, I could not conquer it. Since moving on from the world of competitive sport, I have reflected on what it all meant to me and how I can use my experiences to thrive in my new working environment. I realised failure can be turned into success if you allow yourself to facilitate it. Initially, as a new pilot, I was concerned history would repeat itself and I would allow myself to get the better of me, as I did in ski racing. But I am proud to say, I have moved on from that. I can conquer failures and set backs with a very positive attitude by identifying them as learning opportunities to further my skills as a pilot, becoming more refined and competent. This allows me to review them, learn from them and become more resilient and stronger because of them. Flying an aircraft requires you to be focused on the process, you have to let mistakes go and move quickly on, keeping up with the dynamic environment you are in. This was something I tried to accomplish as an athlete, but was never able to understand and apply it.

What’s the one thing that’s surprised you about your career (of either kind)?

I think probably how useful the environment of elite sport is and striving to achieve the highest level taught me. Despite not achieving my dreams of becoming an Olympic and World Cup athlete in ski racing, I did not fail. In fact, I had a very successful career. As a result of it, I have become a highly resilient, open minded, positive, determined and calm individual which is able to perform under pressure, work with many different people and be flexible in a highly demanding working environment. Having learnt to win and lose gracefully, I have adopted a good level of integrity, maturity and calmness towards my profession. Additionally, I am capable of balancing all aspects of my life and I understand my limits, I know how to manage my energy and how to get the best out of myself. All these skills and characteristic elements have helped lay the foundations for the non-technical skills required to be a modern-day airline pilot. 

Most important lesson you’ve learned?

The key advice I would like to share with young athletes is that your sport is not what defines you. Despite it being something that you have been dedicated to your whole life up until you retire, it is not your identity. I believe understanding this concept will allow you to move on without regret, regardless of what you did or did not achieve. Others may refer to you as “the skier”, “the gymnast”, “the cyclist”, etc. This is not who you are. You are an athlete. That is your identity moving forward into the world beyond. By this, I am referring to the person you have grown into as a result of your sporting commitments. The skills you developed will be able to be carried forward and evolved in your next chapter, allowing you to achieve whatever you subsequently commit to.

Are you still involved / how would you still want to be involved in your sport post-retirement?

I am not currently directly involved with anything, but I would definitely be interested in finding a way to mentor and support young athletes striving to achieve dual careers. Equally, I wish to help others transition into life after a sporting career. At the moment, my writing is merely a passive way of achieving this. I really would like to make this active where I can make a difference to others and help them, by having a more active role.

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When did you decide you wanted to become a pilot?  Did you go to university first to study a degree before attending flight school?

I finished senior school in July 2013 and at that stage I was still very much dedicated to my athletic career. I applied to university in September to study Geography, with the intention of accepting an offer and then postponing it whilst I focused on furthering my potential as an athlete. I had a fascination for volcanoes and was considering eventually training to become a volcanologist. During the following year, I changed my mind and re-applied to university to study Sport and Exercise Science with the aim of becoming a physiotherapist or sport scientist, as I found it interesting discovering how my physical training was changing my body and adapting it to suit the requirements of my sport. In the spring of 2015, I suffered a knee injury and my competition season ended early; I returned home to the UK at the beginning of April. One evening, I was driving my parents to a restaurant (ironically called “Wings”) for their wedding anniversary. We came across this rather complex roundabout, which I negotiated with no problems at all, displaying some very smooth, slick driving skills. As I accelerated onto the dual carriageway with elegance, my father says “You’re quite good at driving now. Your driving has come a long way.” I merely replied with a thank you, not aware of where he was going with such a comment. A few minutes later, he came out with “Would you like to have a go at flying? I reckon you’d be good at it” as we pass Farnborough airport. Shocked, I sat there processing and I just replied “Why not?” Fourteen theoretical exams, eight hundred hours of classroom lessons, many more hours of independent study and more than 150 hours of flying later, I found myself graduating from FTE Jerez, a mere two years after the last time I carved my way down a snowy slope somewhere in Austria.

Flying is something that underpins your life, how does it make you feel? Why do you prefer flying over an office job?

Whilst flying is a very dominant part of my life, it is not what defines me. When I was an elite athlete, I was always referred to by my school peers as “the skier”. When I took the decision to retire from my former career, I was worried about what people would think because my entire life up until that point had just been about skiing. I was very career orientated and focused solely on furthering my sporting ambitions. Flying on the other hand, has taken the essences of my personality and helped them flourish and mature. Now, whilst my career does require a lot of dedication as I strive to continuously improve my knowledge and skills, the intensity to which I approach it is less because I have a more balanced approach to my work and social life. I value time with my friends, family and loved ones, always making sure I can be there for them, even if it’s just on the other end of a phone call or text message. Additionally, I am no longer required to be the best at something, I just strive to be my best, comparing my performances with my own ability and potential. 

I have worked in both an office and a flight deck now, without a doubt I definitely prefer my new job! One thing I really love and never tire of are the views out the window. I have seen the Alps countless of times but I never get bored of them. I also love flying to Malaga and spotting Jerez in the distance on a clear day, reflecting on my time spent in Spain. When I worked as an assistant last summer, I would find myself looking at the clock wishing the day would pass quicker. Now, I don’t. Time passes quickly as the Captain and I are busy, especially on short flights such as Paris to Milan, Nice or Gatwick. The only moment I find myself looking at the clock is when I am doing a PA to the passengers mid flight to update them on our estimated time of arrival at our destination.

Which values or abilities does someone require to become a pilot?

The training course to become a commercial pilot requires a lot of dedication and hard work. The content isn’t necessarily difficult to understand, it’s just the volume of work is large and you have a short period of time in which to learn it! In addition the world of commercial aviation these days has a heavy focus on non-technical skills and how you interact with other people. The fundamental competencies for a pilot include teamwork, leadership (even as a First Officer), situational awareness, decision making, problem solving and customer service skills. I also think it is important to be open, a good communicator, have a good understanding of people (paying particular attention to how they may be feeling), be calm and have a solid professional attitude. 

Why do you think the percentage of female pilot worldwide is so small? Do you think women lack of references in this field?

In March 2018, easyJet published the results from a pilot survey which highlighted only 44% of female pilots were over 16 years old before they considered it as a career, compared to 55% of male pilots knowing before the age of 10, and even 22% knowing by the age of 5. I think the main reason why there are only a few female pilots is because it’s not a job girls tend to have awareness of as they are growing up. Due to the lack of female pilots compared to male pilots, there are fewer visible female role models young ladies can look up to. 

However, recently the low percentage of female pilots has caught the attention of the public eye, with an increase in articles being written and shared via social media about the female pilots out there. Additionally, many ladies do have social media accounts where they share information about their jobs and inspire others, as well as participating in school visits to encourage interest among students. I believe now more women are considering it as a career and with easyJet for example we have the opportunity to go part time as we become more senior, which is certainly appealing with regards to raising a family. Hopefully, during the following years, we will see the numbers grow and the current First Officers progress to Captains, becoming role models for younger generations and increasing the number of women in more senior positions within the pilot profession. Currently there are only just over 450 female Captains in the entire world! Being a pilot requires leadership skills if you wish to further your career and in order to become a good leader, you need to be able to observe the behaviour of those who are already in those roles. I was fortunate to fly with two lovely ladies who are Training Captains and by working with them I was able to admire their exemplary leadership styles, which inspired me. The way men and women behave in management roles can vary, therefore it is important for those less senior to find someone whose style they aspire to adapt to their own behaviour, hence acting as their role model. With school visits by both male and female easyJet pilots, hopefully the younger generations can find role models to aspire to.

Did you experience some difficulties on your way to becoming a pilot? 

The main issue the vast majority of trainee pilots face (whether male or female, younger or older) is financing their training. It costs a lot to become a commercial airline pilot and many of us take out a loan in order to pursue our dream. Aspiring pilots have raised their concern with me regarding this issue and I share my view with them. Whilst the financial commitment is large, the long term gain is worth the investment. One thing my father always said to me was an education is worth investing in because it is something no one can take away from you. As a twenty-three year old, my starting salary is one of the best ones available and it will only improve as time passes and I gain seniority. The rate of salary increase is good compared with other careers and we know when we will reach the next pay rise as it is based on time in the company / hours flown. If I had gone to university in the UK, I would also be in debt; whilst the value would be less, it would take me longer to pay off, unless I was fortunate to obtain the few well paid first jobs available to graduates. Choosing that route would not necessarily position me with the same opportunities I now have as a fully qualified airline pilot.

What would you like to achieve in your carrier? If you were one of the first female pilots to fly, which milestone would you be proud of achieving (for example, being the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic ocean)?

When I was an athlete, I used to have very fixed goals in mind and I think it resulted in me being too focused on achieving them. Now I approach life with a ‘live in the moment’ attitude and take each day as it comes, which is great. Whilst eventually I know I would like to become a Captain and hopefully move into training other pilots, I am just enjoying being a First Officer at the moment and learning new things all the time! One thing I mentioned when I was being interviewed by easyJet for my job was that my long term goal was to make a difference somehow. Hopefully by sharing my experiences as both an athlete, pilot and the transition from one to the other, I can begin to make a difference and help others, giving them a story they can relate to or feel encouraged by.

I think for all pilots, our most significant milestone of which we are all proud to achieve is our first solo. When you complete it, you experiences this amazing sensation and feel pure happiness because you realise you have flown an aeroplane entirely by yourself. But if I was one of the first female pilots to fly, I think I would have liked to have flown over the Alps in a bi-plane, if that is even possible!

Have you ever experienced any unpleasant situations from passengers when they discovered the pilot of the flight was a woman? Did you experience some positive reactions for the same reason?

I’ve actually had very positive remarks from a fair few passengers now when I’ve had the opportunity to say goodbye to them as they disembark the aircraft. In fact not so long ago I even had a lady mention she actually prefers the idea of a female flying, which made me chuckle. Those that do mention it mostly congratulate me and some are more amazed by my age than my gender! As mentioned earlier, I have flown with two remarkable female Captains and the passengers expressed how it was a pleasure to have two ladies flying the plane together.

I imagine it must be tough to find balance between work and personal life when you have to travel often for your job. How do you manage? 

Working for easyJet actually makes the balance between work and personal life easier, ironically! We rarely do night stops, unlike legacy airlines, which means we are home every night. I prefer this idea as I would much rather be in the comfort of my own bed in my own home than in a hotel room somewhere! The low-cost life style also suits family life better. At the moment, due to living away from my friends, family and loved ones, I do spend time traveling to see them and value the time I get with them as it is precious. I try to live each day to the fullest and enjoy the opportunities available to me due to working in the aviation industry. 

Did you ever experience any unpleasant behaviour from a work colleague for being a female pilot? 

Not at all, my colleagues are indifferent to my gender. Pilot selection for easyJet does not differentiate between gender, age and background, it is based on ability and suitability for the job in hand. Throughout the training process to becoming an easyJet pilot the focus is developing a safe operator of the A320 family who meets the required standard set out by the company. The attitude within the company is equal, I am just an average First Officer no different to anyone else and we all work together as one team. In fact, easyJet has a positive attitude towards gender equality and is actively encouraging women to become pilots though their Amy Johnson Flying Initiative, which aims to increase the proportion of female pilots in the company to 20% by 2020.

Did you ever visit a school to talk about your job? If so, what was the reaction of girls attending your talk?

I had the pleasure of going back to my old school and talking to the 14 and 15 year old students about my pilot training, which was really great to do. It was hard to gauge their reaction but I’m guessing by the large number of questions at the end they found it interesting. If even one of them considers becoming a pilot, then that is making a difference. 

What is the major change you expect to see in your profession? How do you think the aviation sector can get there?

I think very interesting times lie ahead in the aviation industry as we cope with expanding numbers, changes in technology and adaptations of regulations. Currently, easyJet is working with a company who are researching and developing an electrically powered commercial aircraft so that’s quite an exciting prospect for the future! Another aspect of the industry is the forecast growth, will it reach this or will it peak at a maximum capacity? We will see!

What is the best way to get more women in the cockpit and encourage them to join the aviation world?

I think the key going forward is to continue to obtain more role models, the work easyJet is doing through the Amy Johnson Flying Initiative is a positive force for this to occur. In addition to providing some financial support, the Initiative aims to recruit more pilot ambassadors, both male and female, from within easyJet’s pilot community, looking at how the company can reach out to more young people and engage with women of all ages to educate them about the profession. The whole industry is becoming more supportive and aiming to improve the current global statistic of only 4% of pilots being female. 

——

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As a trainee cadet pilot in flight school, I never truly knew exactly what being an airline pilot would involve. I did not grow up in the era where you were able to visit the flight deck during a trip and observe the work of the two people at the front of the aircraft. All I knew as I began my commercial flight training was that I loved flying and thoroughly enjoyed every flight in the PA28 and DA42 in Jerez. For me, it was only as I started working in the flight deck of a commercial airliner that I began to understand what being in the right hand seat entails. Hence I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some aspects I love about flying the big jets!

1. Landing

This is something I have always loved from the very first flying lesson I had back in May 2015. From my early landings, the one which remains to this day vivid in my mind was my first solo. When my instructor Anthony got out of G-RAAM and I taxied to the runway, it suddenly hit me what I was about to do. There I was, sitting in this aircraft, waiting for Jamie up in the tower to give me a “take off at your discretion” radio call, realising it was only me in there now. Just me. I would have to land this aircraft back on the runway at Blackbushe in about five to ten minutes all by myself! With my heart racing, I pushed the throttle fully forward and started to accelerate down the runway. I rotated, climbed to circuit height, turned downwind, did my checks and radio call, then began to turn base and prepare myself for the landing. The adrenaline and levels of concentration were similar to when I have been in the start gate of a competition “in the zone” ready to give one of my best performances. As I descended on final approach, I remember saying to myself “allez Rachelle…allez Rachou” as my coaches and team mates used to say to me back in the day. I gritted my teeth, selected the final stage of flap and began to descend through the last 200ft. I flew over the threshold, continued down, initiated the flare and did the best landing I had done to date! The happiness and elation I felt was instant, this massive smile spread across my face as I reduced the flap setting, set the throttle to full and went hurtling down the runway for a second circuit. I was hooked! These days, I still get that same satisfactory feeling when I do a really good landing and if I was a little puppy, I’d be wagging my tail to my heart’s content!

2. Take Off

The sensation you get when you bring the thrust levers forward to FLEX or TOGA on the airbus, hearing the engines spool up and feeling them produce the take off thrust setting is a very unique feeling. At your finger tips are the controls for engines which are capable of producing around 25,000 horse power each! As take of thrust is reached, suddenly you are hurtling down the runway, gaining speed and feel the forces trying to push you back into your seat as you look towards the end of the runway. Your colleague calls “V1…Rotate” and you initiate a pitch up movement on the side stick and see the nose of the aircraft peel off the runway as the remainder of the tarmac strip gradually disappears from sight. Your eyes then drop inside to the PFD and you continue with the Standard Operating Procedures for the take off and initial climb sectors away from your place of departure.

3. Working with different people every day

When I was younger, I was definitely more of an introvert but as I came to the end of my teenage years, my self confidence grew and gradually I developed the ability to talk to anyone and everyone about anything! I always try and make some sort of conversation with people I encounter on the plane, train or bus and in daily life. I even make conversation in queues at the gates when boarding begins. Being able to work with different people everyday to me is an opportunity. It gives me the chance to encounter colleagues with a whole range of backgrounds and experiences which I ask about, listen to and learn from. An important consideration is you never know who you are next to! So why not take the chance to discover who somebody just passing by in your life is? I have met some very good friends who would have just passed me by if I hadn’t spoken to them. I view meeting so many different people as an opportunity to share experiences, opinions and discuss various subjects promoting learning.

4. Working as a team

Despite my background being an individual sporting activity, I prefer working as a team as I find it far more satisfying accomplishing something with other people than I do on my own. I love being able to help each other, share the work load, delegate tasks and tackle problem solving together; it is very rewarding, especially after a challenging day.

5. Problem solving

Similar to working as a team, when you are faced with problems and you overcome them together, it is really satisfying. Flying teaches you a lot of skills, one is being able to problem solve effectively and efficiently whilst remaining calm, analysing the situation in a logical manner. This transitions into your daily life. For example, a while ago, I had just set off the washing machine and walked down the corridor, after closing the door behind me, when suddenly I heard a loud clatter. I knew exactly what had happened. I headed back to my bathroom and tried to open the door. Alas, it would not budge. The ironing board had fallen down and was lying flat between the washing machine and the door, preventing me from opening it. I immediately knew I needed some sort of stick to try and move the legs so I sourced my mop! I then video called a good friend of mine (who happens to be a pilot) and popped my phone through the door so he could see what was happening. He guided me but the leg would not move. I knew I then needed a hook. I went straight to my room, detached a hook from a coat hanger, used cling film to secure it to the mop and once again tried to move the ironing board. This time, with the guidance of my friend, I managed to lift the leg up and clear the way for the door to open. All this took about 10 – simples! It really is a great skill to have and means anything I face in life, I know I can resolve through logical steps.

6. Sunrises…and sunsets

The views you get out of the flight deck are second to none. There is something quite special about taking off from CDG and heading east early in the morning, watching the sun rise, the beautiful colours and the calmness of witnessing it from the skies. The same applies to sunsets, seeing a day disappear and fade in the twilight as the night approaches and the stars start to come out. The colours are fantastic, particularly if the sun catches the clouds with it’s beams of light.

7. Continuous improvement and personal development

I have always enjoyed learning and been enthusiastic to improve. With flying, I strive to continuously improve and appreciate looking back at my progress to see how far I have come. I like how as a pilot, I can strive to do my best and become more competent as I gain more experience, rather than having to be the best, as was the case when I was skiing. There is always some studying I can be doing whether it’s reading up on technical information relating to the A320, studying new procedures or looking at the charts for a new airport. A perfect opportunity to get out my coloured pens!!

8. Appreciating the convenience of air travel

I used to think a two hour car journey or a flight from the UK to Spain for example was long, but now to me that is no time at all. Since I have begun flying round Europe, it seems to have shrunk and thanks to my employer’s extensive network, it feels far more accessible. Whilst these first few months have very much been a case of settling into my new career, I have managed to visit Amsterdam, Manchester, Lausanne and Split. I hope in the near future I can explore Corsica, Nice and a few other European cities during time off.

9. A good work / life balance

As briefly touched on in my previous point, being a commercial airline pilot allows for a good work/life balance. If you are on early duties for example and only have two sectors, you may finish your day at 12:30 and if it’s four sectors you finish around 15:00-16:00, which means you get some time to relax in the afternoon. Additionally we tend to get 2, 3, or 4 days off between blocks of work which is really great as it allows us to spend time with friends and family. Longer term, as we become more senior, it is possible to work part time, which again assists in promoting a sound work/ life balance.

10. Languages

Having learnt to speak French to a bilingual proficiency at a young age, I enjoy trying to learn other languages and picking up phrases. When talking to ATC, I strive to greet  and say goodbye to them in their native languages. Every now and again I might say “bon weekend” or “arrividerci” and receive something similar in return which always makes me smile. I think I can now say good day in French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, German, Portuguese and Polish!

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“What does the future hold for me? Who knows!” …what I do know is I would like to make a difference.

Their passion, energy and enthusiasm for their work is motivating. This team of pioneers and innovators are constantly evolving the concept of the Youth Olympic Games and making sure those involved with the unique environment have life changing experiences through empowerment and inspiration. Their work is not just about delivering an Olympic Games for young people, they have many other projects and initiatives surrounding the events themselves. These include Learn & Share, Young Ambassadors, Athlete Role Models, Young Reporters, Young Change Maker Plus…to name a few! I particularly find the work of the Young Change Maker Plus programme amazing; here are some links to a small sample of the incredible work these young people are doing in their local communities:

• IOC celebrates second successful year for its Young Change Makers programme 
• IOC Young Change Makers continue to make a difference around the world
• Valery de Falbaire fighting diabetes in the gym 
• Samantha Miranda African girl power 
• Kate Anderson building a brighter future 

When I knew I was going to compete in the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games, I thought the purpose of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) was to introduce us to the Olympic environment in order to prepare us for competing in future Olympic Games. But I was wrong. Whilst to a small extent that is true, only approximately 10% of Youth Olympians grow to become Olympians. What happens to the other 90%?

Looking back, the YOG is an opportunity for all those involved (athletes, volunteers, reporters, local children, etc) to learn skills which will allow them to become professionals and leaders in the world beyond their sporting endeavours. I’d like to take a moment to thank the YOG Team at the IOC for all their work over the years to ensure the YOG editions were a success and the work they continue to do to touch young people’s with the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games and the power of sport. It was a real pleasure to talk to some of you and I feel inspired to find a way to make a difference to young people around me in the future, as that is a long term goal of mine.

Whilst in Lausanne, I had the opportunity to explore the city which will host the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020. Set in a stunning environment with a beautiful old centre, I cannot wait to see what the Lausanne 2020 Games will have in store! From cobbled lively streets on rolling terrain to a peaceful walk along the shores of Lac Leman, Lausanne is certainly a charming place! In addition, if you are passionate about sport and/or a fan of the Olympic Games, it is definitely worth visiting the Olympic Museum where you can learn about the ancient origins of the Olympics, the development of equipment through the years, the Olympic symbols and the spread of the Olympic Movement. Visiting the museum created a few emotional moments watching the video clips and immersing myself once more in the atmosphere of the Games.

“Olympism is not a system, it is a state of mind. The most widely divergent approaches can be accommodated in it, and no race or time can hold an exclusive monopoly on it.” Pierre de Coubertin, 1918

Citius, Altius, Fortius!

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As I have had some time off from work recently, I have managed to watch most of the Olympic Games on TV and I have been listening to what the commentators have said about each athlete: their backgrounds, their expectations and their performances. I’ve also been closely watching their reactions; were they happy, devastated or satisfied? Everyone goes to the Olympics to give their best effort whilst having the honour of representing their country and being in a unique environment where people from all over the world come together to embrace the Olympic values, to become ambassadors for the Olympic Movement. It’s quite remarkable and those of you who watched the Opening Ceremony may have felt a little wave of emotion when you watched the North and South Koreans walk out into the arena under the same flag as part of a unified team. That moment really touched me because to me it symbolises what the Olympism is all about. The Olympics is where we put politics aside and no matter where we are from or who we are (athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, spectators), we are able to watch sport at its very best and respect the performances and achievements of every athlete. Some highlights for me so far have been Lizzie Yarnold & Laura Deas’s medals in the Skeleton, Andrew Musgrave’s 7th place in the Skiathon, Ester Ledecka’s victory in the Super-G, Mark McMorris delivering a strong performance in the Snowboard Slopestyle after having previously suffered some severe injuries…the list goes on.

Whilst I have just mentioned mostly performances of those who have achieved a podium position in the Olympics, winning can be more than just a trophy, medal or some sort of prize. ‘Winning’ is defined as gaining, resulting in, or relating to a victory in a contest or competition. But I think that is just the tip of the iceberg!

Lets explore the very best, the elite of the elite, the obvious winners: the Olympic & World Champions amongst us! Those who win on the world stage have sacrificed a lot to get to where they are, so much more than we perhaps could ever imagine or come to comprehend unless we have been there ourselves. To attain and maintain world domination in their sport, they don’t just win; they win at all costs. To me, this means making absolutely everything you do be solely for the purpose of benefiting your athletic career to bring about success. Often, when you read articles or listen to interviews about what makes those top athletes so exceptionally good, phrases along the lines of “I work my hardest”, “He/She sets the bar high for his/herself”, “He/She’s very intrinsically motivated”, “I always try and do better” may be used to describe them. Additionally, some will say winning at all costs means working the hardest; whilst that may be true, I can’t quite fully agree with the notion.

If you, like me, are a dedicated athlete, you can apply the above descriptions to yourself. However, most of us cannot sacrifce absolutely everything and entirelty engross ourselves in our training and prepartion for compeittions, which is why we cannot win in the way the very best perceive the concept of winning. Looking at the 2018 Olympians, it is very easy for me to say ‘well that could have been me’. Yes, perhaps it could, but fundamentally I was unable to win at all costs, otherwise I would be in South Korea right now instead of Paris. In the perspective of winning at all costs, I lost, I failed in achieving my childhood dreams. Nonetheless, I still won, just in a different way; let’s explore.

The last season I did before retiring as an athlete was the toughest. I worked incredibly hard over the summer, beginning the European winter at the fittest level I had ever been. I made very good progress in training in Giant Slalom and found new speed in Slalom, but for some reason I couldn’t transfer that into two runs of a race. This led me to believe even if you work hard, it doesn’t always pay off. When I was deciding whether to continue my ski racing career just under three years ago, I came up with the idea of a parachute. A parachute is composed of many strings and I drew one out on a sheet of A3 paper, using a different coloured pen to label each string with a factor or circumstance I believed was holding me back from being the best I could be. To reach the next level, I would have to let go of all of those strings; to cut them lose. Otherwise all the drag created by the parachute would prevent me from skiing fast. I reviewed each string and decided they were not things I could remove. I would always have my parachute holding me back and I would be unable to ski to my full, fastest potential, no matter how hard I worked or how much I may have wanted to. I was unable to win at all costs. Hence I decided to swap my lycra ski suit for a pilot uniform, shortly after I began learning to fly during some time off in the pre-season training period.

Although I did not achieve my childhood dream and win in that sense, I won in many other ways. I am part of the first generation of Youth Olympians and that is an achievement I shall never lose. Those of us who have the privilege of being a part of the YOG family (whether athletes, volunteers, etc) are exposed to a unique environment where we are immersed in a learning culture, having opportunities to network with role models, champions and most importantly young people from all over the world. Only a very small number of Youth Olympians progress to the Olympic Games (6 to 10%) but we are all winners. In the closing ceremony of the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games, Jacques Rogge (the former president of the IOC) addressed us with the following words:

“Dear athletes, we have been inspired by your conduct, not only on the snow and ice, but also during the Culture and Education Programme. You embody the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. More than anyone, you are responsible for the great success of these Games and now it is up to you to take the spirit of Innsbruck back to your countries. By earning the title Youth Olympian, you are role models for your generation and you have started something special in Innsbruck. No matter what happens in your sports career, from this point all of you are equipped to become future leaders.”

Despite not delivering the performances I had hoped for in my events at Innsbruck, I took away with me far more than any medal is worth. I won tools and perspectives which would grow to be the foundations of who I am today. From my sporting career, I learnt what it means to work hard, to be patient, to be graceful in both moments of success and failure, to overcome any challenge life throws at me and to remain true to myself and who I am no matter what.

Whilst deciding to retire from my athletic career is still to this day the hardest decision I have had to make in my life, I would not change the choice I made and the fact I failed at achieving my dreams. Reflecting back, I now appreciate I failed at ski racing because it was those failures and short-comings which have moulded me into who I am today. I can reflect on my time as a ski racer with no regrets. It would be very easy for me to feel disappointed and wish I had become an Olympian, fulfilling my childhood dream. However, I have really begun to appreciate just how valuable the twelve years of my ski racing career have been. I don’t think an athletic career should be measured by statistics, I think the true measure of success is what you learn from the experience, the challenges you overcame, the battles you won and how competitive sport has enabled you to take the non-technical skills developed as an athlete into the world beyond elite sport. Hence why I now see my failures in skiing as successes and for me, the biggest achievement from my sporting career is who it made me, not how many medals or trophies I won.

Over the last few weeks I have seen some of the Olympians in PyeongChang experience moments of pure joy and some of utter despair, others displaying emotions somewhere in between. Each athlete has reacted differently to their performances based on their expectations, hopes and dreams. I see the medallists and wonder if they were satisfied? Those who win bronze or silver, do they think ‘I could have won gold’? Those who win gold, do they think ‘I could have won by more’? When is enough enough? Wherever they have finished, whether their results are what they were aspiring to achieve or not, every single athlete competing in PyeongChang is a winner. Every Olympian comes home from the Olympic Games with the honour of having represented their country in the most prestigious sporting event. If they achieved their goals then that is fantastic and very admirable, if however they did not, they are still winners as it is failing which teaches us the most about ourselves.

Failure can therefore be turned into success if we accept it, learn from it and become better individuals because of it. Winning in the conventional sense only lasts for a very small amount of time on one day. That’s it. All you get is a medal or a trophy. An athlete’s career is so short compared to the average life span of a human being and can end at any moment, which is why we should live in the moment and make the most of it whilst it last; giving our best efforts but also graciously accepting defeat and use it to make us stronger. We should be able to look back at our accomplishments, both failures and successes, with pride and with no feelings of regret.

When we all reach the end of our athletic careers, regardless of what we have or have not achieved, we are all winners. We all come away with essential non-technical skills which can be applied to any career in the working world beyond our sports. That is the key. We should take these skills, adapt them to our new professions and use our athletic backgrounds to bring something extra to the world of work. We can transfer our passion, skills and values developed from our sporting careers to give back to our communities and embody the use of sport to create responsible, active and engaging citizens.

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Very short post from me, currently working on a larger piece linking to the Olympic Games. However thought I would share the following with you.

I was walking around Paris this week and I came across the Korean Culutre Centre. They have a display about the Olympic Games in PyeongChang and the Webtoons. I also met the Olympic and Paralympic mascots!

It is quite incredible and a lot of work has gone into producing this display, with some stories written especially for the Games. I always say a picture speaks a thousand words… see if you can guess which picture is my favourite!

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The last 6 weeks have been an adventure and it all started with a phone call one early September Friday morning. I had my head buried in a print out of a large spreadsheet, busy cross checking the data, when I saw the screen of my phone flash… someone was calling me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t answer but I could see ‘Luton, England’ written underneath the number and was pretty sure I knew who was calling…

I went to see my boss and asked if I could pop outside and return the call. A short while later I was back in her office asking if today could be my last day because I’d been asked if I could start my Type Rating for the A320 on Monday! Luckily, she was very supportive and said I could go. I was delighted by the news. The rest of the day was spent balancing the tasks I had to finish off at work and making all the arrangements for the LMC (last minute change) to my Type Rating date. Those helping me were fantastic and we managed to get everything arranged by the end of the working day.

Soon, I found myself walking up to the departures floor at Gatwick’s North Terminal experiencing easyJet’s auto bag drop for the very first time. I was impressed with it. It was easy and took me about a minute to complete the tasks on the screen. Very efficient! I then said goodbye to my parents and off I went to the departure lounge, a place where I have spent a lot of time over the years of my skiing career. My flight to Schiphol was due to leave from Gate 57 and I made my way over there once it appeared on the board. I was one of the first to get there and sat down near the gate. The fact I was off to finally start my Type Rating started to sink in and I couldn’t hide my excitement, which grew when I saw some flight crew arrive at the gate. One of them was a female First Officer and I just sat there thinking ‘that’s going to be me…. I can’t believe that’s going to be me!’

Once at Schiphol, I followed the signs to the hotel shuttle buses. Luckily one of the easyJet staff kindly advised me to look out for the orange bus…I was a little surprised to discover this one was missing a pair of wings, two jet engines, landing gear and an APU! I checked into the hotel and was ready to begin the next chapter in my pilot training at CAE Amsterdam.

The first two and a half weeks were very busy filled with many hours of Computer Based Training where I learnt about all the systems of the A320 and learning the Standard Operating Procedures. This phase finished with a technical exam, similar to EASA Theoretical Knowledge exams. We all passed and were ready to begin the sims the following Monday. Type Rating was my first experience of a full motion simulator, and I have to say it’s pretty amazing!

Although Type Rating was very busy and I worked hard, I did manage to find the time to explore the area a little (and opened the Health app on my phone for the first time to discover it counts your steps)! I spent most of the lunch times on my days off at Schiphol airport and became a regular customer at the La Place restaurant in the Plaza. Their sandwiches were very yummy and the smoothies were lovely. I also spent a fair amount of time up on the panoramic terrace where there just happens to be a plane on the roof! I found it interesting just standing there watching the ground and flight crew do a turn around because I’ve never actually taken the opportunity to just observe all the work that goes on.

At the beginning of October, my parents came out to visit me one weekend and we walked around Amsterdam. We started the day with a boat tour round all the canals. This is probably one of the better ways to see all the city as it is relaxing and with a good tour guide, you learn a fair amount. The innovation and infrastructure on which Amsterdam was built is very impressive. I found it fascinating. My favourite story the guide told us was about how at the end of their studies, the students throw their bikes in the canals as part of their celebrations and the bikes are later fished out, cleaned up and sold to the new generation of students….recycling in a very literal sense! Upon completion of the boat tour, it had unfortunately started raining. Nonetheless, we continued exploring the city and we came across a rubber duck shop which had an incredible assortment of ducks…you name it, it was there!! Of course, I couldn’t resist getting the airline pilot rubber duck! Additionally, I think we went into almost every cheese shop along the Tulip Market street! Something very cheesy going on around there… In between two cheese shops was a little pancake cafe where we stopped to have lunch. You can’t go to Holland without having a pancake! Our day finished with an evening meal in an Indonesian restaurant. I think it was possibly one of the best meals I have ever had. The flavours were delicious and unlike anything I have had before.

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Being abroad for 6 weeks meant I eventually had to find somewhere to do my laundry and I ended up making a fair number of trips to a place called Haarlem to the North West of Schiphol airport. Whilst I liked Amsterdam, I preferred Haarlem as it’s a lot less touristy but still has the traditional, historic Dutch architecture. There are also many parks and a beautiful canal walk just the other side of the train station, hidden behind some buildings. As the weeks went by, Autumn set in and the leaves turned a deep orange, which was beautiful set against the still canal water. Haarlem has many great places to eat with a wide variety of food on offer. My favourite was a pancake place just up the road from the train station. Asides my usual pancake preference of Nutella, I gave the Hosin Duck one a try and it was a good choice!

A multi storey bike park in Haarlem

To the west of Haarlem is a place called Zandvoort, accessible by a quick 10 minute train journey. The town is surrounded by the Dutch dunes to the south and the Zuid-Kennermerland National Park to the north. I walked along the beach for a couple of hours and just enjoying listening to the sound of the waves breaking on the sand and watching the tide come in. Despite the fact it was the end of October, it wasn’t cold.

Last Monday, my Type Rating course came to an end as it was time to sit my A320 Skills Test. My parter and I had a busy 4 hours in the simulator as there is a lot to fit in. Asides the usual elements being assessed, we had to also completed the LVO assessment. All of my course passed and are ready to begin the next stage of our professional development…induction into the company! What made passing the Skills Test extra special was two years ago almost to the day, I passed my PPL skills test, so to have gone from that to completing my A320 Type Rating course two years down the line is a pretty good feeling!

Disembarking at a sunny LGW

I now have about ten days off, towards the end of this block of time off, I will be spending a day at the Sofitel Hotel at London Heathrow for the Pilot Careers Live event representing FTE. Hopefully see some of you there!

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For Part 1, please click here.

6. Which Flight Training Organisation is right for me?

Another question which can be hard to find the answer to! Let me tell you why I chose FTE Jerez to help you see how just one pilot came to the decision. My whole search for a FTO began when I contacted an alumni of my senior school, she went to Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA) so naturally that was the first place I looked at. When I visited Oxford, I generally had no clue about anything. When you’re new, it’s easy to just jump straight into something without properly doing your research. Whilst I liked the look of OAA, I knew I couldn’t apply without having looked elsewhere first.

Soon after visiting OAA, I learnt about CTC through some fellow pilots at Air First flight school, Blackbushe and hence discovered the existence of airline schemes. My next step was attending a CTC Open Day where the Generation easyJet MPL scheme was advertised as opening up. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and the highlight was of course getting to land one of the simulators at London Gatwick. Following on from my visit, I decided to apply to the easyJet scheme and was disappointed to learn a few weeks later that my application didn’t even make it through the first stage! Having flown with easyJet on and off since about the age of 7, I thought it would be amazing to have the opportunity to fly for the airline, especially considering my year of birth being the same year easyJet was founded. However, me being me, I am not one to give up easily!

Not long after, if I remember correctly, Virgin Atlantic were speaking at a CTC Open Day to promote their FFP training scheme, so I decided to attend yet another Open Day. This gave me another opportunity to have a look at the facilities CTC have to offer and ask more questions. I ended up having quite a long chat with the Virgin Atlantic pilot and decided to apply to the scheme.

Meanwhile, I was continuing my training for my PPL at Blackbushe and was given the email address of one of their old students who had gone the self sponsored route at FTE Jerez. Before that day I had never heard of the place! Being the open-minded person I am, I decided to investigate by getting in contact with him. After some correspondence, I decided to have a ‘why not?’ approach and apply. The Flight Deck Event (assessment process) was free of charge, unlike other FTOs. Additionally, the experience gave you the opportunity to stay on campus and was in Southern Spain…who would say no to a-few-day-get-away to a warm, sunny country?

Shortly before flying out to Jerez at the end of November 2015, I went along to the Pilot Careers Live event at London Heathrow. My father found out about this online and we decided it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the industry. It was hear I had a long conversation with the Head of Training at FTE Jerez (not that I knew what that meant at the time, nor that one day he would be teaching me how to fly a Piper Warrior…) and a young lady pilot from FlyBe, who was there representing the airline. She was very lovely and a huge help, I cannot thank her enough for taking the time to talk to me like she did. Hearing the reasons why she chose FTE started to swing my choice of FTO towards them.

Nonetheless, it wasn’t until I made it to their Flight Deck Event that I finalised my decision. When the Head of Groundschool asked me in my interview “why do I want to go to FTE?”, I just sat there with this huge grin on my face, to which he said something along the lines of no need to give me a response, I can see you want to go here. I went to the Flight Deck Event to gain experience of pilot selection processes before hopefully undergoing an airline scheme one. I was successful in the FTE assessments and accepted a place there-and-then to start in January 2016, despite hearing from CTC that very day I had made it past the first round of the assessment process.

So why did I chose FTE? Well at Pilot Careers Live, what sold it to me was the fact all costs were included in the price (so course costs, accommodation, food, electricity, internet, etc all included), unlike other FTOs. Additionally, I liked the idea of everyone from all stages of training being on the same campus as I thought it would be a real benefit knowing the cadets ahead of you. As an extension to that point, even in the early days of groundschool you can backseat a cadet in the single engine and multi engine phase of flight training, should you wish to do so and see some of the concepts you’ve been learning about in the classroom in action. Another selling point was out of the main three integrated FTOs offering the UK CAA qualification, it was the only FTO using Piper Warriors for their single engine phase, an aircraft with which I love and am confident flying. However, what really finalised my decision was going to the campus itself and experiencing life at FTE…it just felt right!

7. Airline Schemes or Self Sponsored / Whitetail?

Generally, most prospective students will apply to an airline scheme of some sort and then go down the ‘self sponsored’ / ‘whitetail’ path if unsuccessful after several attempts. Although I applied to a few, personally it didn’t appeal to me. However I respect some people like the comfort of having a contract before starting training and the bonding schemes (where the airline cover your training but as a consequence you are tied to them for a certain period of time and on a reduced salary, not dissimilar to a salary sacrifice scheme).

Nonetheless, I am a firm supporter of the ‘self sponsored’ / ‘whitetail’ route. As a ‘self sponsored’ student (I’ll use that term as it is the one I am familiar with), you are in control of your own finances and your management of covering the costs. You also have your options kept open in terms of employment and when the industry is good with lots of jobs on offer, to some extent you can chose who you want to work for. In addition, you will generally start on a higher salary than those on a reduced salary and unlike theirs, yours will benefit from increments.

Returning to the airline schemes, it is important to remember it is merely a contract, you still have to work very hard in training to make sure you meet their minimum requirement in terms of performance at various stages of the course. Otherwise you may find the job at the end is no longer there. Also it is worth taking note of the recent increase in ‘mentored’ rather than ‘sponsored’ scheme, which is basically where you pay for it yourself like the self sponsored students do. The only difference is you have a job offer prior to commencing training and will have support from the airline, such as being able to liaise with a pilot currently working for them, which is very helpful.

In conclusion, consider all factors and be open minded! I think if there is an airline you really want to work for it is worth applying to the schemes. Additionally, by doing this you gain experience in the selection / interview process pilots have to undergo for most jobs, regardless of their experience. However, bear in mind these schemes are fiercely competitive and sometimes you need to apply several times before you are successful! If you chose the‘self sponsored route, you’ve got to make sure you achieve a standard on the course that puts you in the best possible position to be employed by an airline, as this will keep your options open.

8. What do airlines look for in a candidate?

This varies from airline to airline, nonetheless it is a more common trend for airlines to focus on ‘soft skills’ (aka non-technical skills). Due to the increasingly automated cockpit of a modern airliner, companies assess a candidate’s ability to work in a multi-crew environment as flying does not only require good piloting skills, but there are also the human factors to consider. In other words, they evaluate your competencies and whether you will fit into the company. Additionally, many airlines are looking for both the team player and the team leader when recruiting for First Officers because FOs are the captains of tomorrow! Here is a list of some of the key competencies:

• Teamwork & Leadership – As mentioned above, a pilot needs to both act as a team player, but also be capable of taking the lead. Airlines tend to assess a pilot’s ability to work in a team by having a group exercise session where a candidate’s behaviour will be observed in a group environment.
• Motivation & Determination – Training to become a pilot is very demanding and requires a lot of dedication to the course. It is intensive and I’m not exaggerating when I say my theoretical knowledge books / notes reached hip height by the time I had finished all of my exams! In addition, being an airline pilot is a continuous learning process. Throughout a pilot’s career, they will constantly undergo training and acquiring new knowledge as the industry evolves.
• Decision Making & Problem Solving – The nature of the job means you will always be having to make choices when faced with certain situations and problems. In an ideal world, every flight would run smoothly from A to B, but in reality, you never know what will happen, and that’s all part of the excitement! I personally achieve a certain level of satisfaction when I have faced challenges and found an effective solution.
• Flexible & Patient – Due to delays, schedule changes, diversions, extended duty, missing departure slots, etc. etc. a pilot needs to remain calm and not let such things bother them! Therefore, they must be flexible and patient. I’ll give you an example, on my IR exam, I was not cleared for the approach due to other traffic having priority. This was unexpected and caused my exam to overrun by about 30 minutes! It doesn’t sound a lot but when you are doing a phantom waypoint hold on raw data with asymmetric thrust, it’s a long time. However, I did not let it affect my flying, I stayed relaxed & unphased by a situation which was beyond my control anyway and maintained a high level of accuracy throughout, which was noticed by the examiner. Flexibility also relates to being able to work with everyone and anyone. With an airline, particularly at a large base, you will potentially be working with a new team every single day and must be able to work in a professional, friendly manner to help ensure a safe and efficient operation.

9. How do I apply to a course or airline scheme?

Self sponsored courses run by FTOs are generally open all year round as intake occurs at regular intervals throughout the year. For example at FTE, there is a Flight Deck Event and new course every month. Airline schemes are a bit different and as soon as they appear, you need to be quite quick on your feet as they tend to be open for a short period only. The best way to stay in the loop of schemes opening up is to follow the FTOs, Pilot Career News and airlines on social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) as this is a good way of staying updated.

10. Where can I find out more?

The best way to figure out what is right for you is to network. Ask people who have been there and done that! This is the best way to find out about the options and which one you would like to go for. The benefit qualified pilots will have over you is hindsight and experience. Asking an ex-student why they chose the FTO they did and why they decided to go modular / integrated is by far the most beneficial way of gaining knowledge of the training process. A good place to do this is at any Pilot Careers Live event across Europe, as all the key players in the pilot training world are there with staff and students (past and present) available to answer any questions you have. Going to one of the events opened my eyes and really helped me. I cannot recommend it enough. Additionally, visiting the FTOs themselves is so helpful as it’s the only way to get a feel of the facilities and what’s on offer.

To all my readers, I hope you found this very thorough, honest and helpful. I know it’s a long one (hence why I split it in two!). The purpose is to provide an insight into how you decide what training to go for. Please feel free to share the link, like my tweet and provide me with any positive feedback.

Happy flying everyone!

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1. Is it the career for me, how can I be sure?

The answer to this one is you can never be 100% sure! This not only applies to becoming a pilot, but to life in general. I started flying in May 2015 in response to a suggestion made by my father. Whilst I enjoyed my first few lessons, I wasn’t entirely sure it was exactly what I wanted to do. What I did know is I wanted a career in aviation and was exploring the possibility of becoming an air traffic controller, as well as a pilot. However, the moment I made up my mind was after my first solo, which was in a PA28 out of Blackbushe Airport. The level of happiness I felt after this accomplishment compared to nothing I had felt before. It was quite simply the happiest moment of my life! Hence, my recommendation would be the classic advice of “you don’t know until you try”, so why not give it a go if you haven’t already? Pop to your nearest aerodrome and see if you can book a trial flight.

2. What previous experience is required?

Surprisingly, for integrated training (more on that later), none is required. However, I think, considering the cost of the course, it’s worth having a go beforehand as at least you know, during the initial months of your training studying for your theoretical knowledge exams, you can be reassured by the fact you are capable of flying a plane. I have heard of the rare circumstance where a cadet pilot achieves respectable marks in the theoretical knowledge exams but struggles with the flying. Bearing in mind the financial commitment, it’s best to be safe than sorry!

3. What qualifications do you need prior to commencing flight training?

As a rule of thumb (pilots like that term), airlines and flight schools (or Flight Training Organisations) tend to ask for the following as a minimum requirement:

5 GCSEs grade C or above, generally this needs to include Maths, English and Physics

AND : 2 A levels at Grace C or above (or equivalent qualification)

OR : Degree at 2:2 or above

Additional requirements tend to include fluent English, to be over the age of 17.5 and have the required level of health to obtain a Class 1 Medical Certificate. If your first language isn’t English, you will be required to obtain a certain level of language proficiency. To obtain the requirements for a specific scheme or course you will have to look at each one individually, as they may vary.

4. What are the options?

There is a whole range of options out there for any aspiring pilot to chose from. Initially it can be overwhelming and you can feel a bit lost, especially if you have no previous exposure to the aviation industry or haven’t grown up around pilots. Writing from the prospective of a UK applicant, there are several options available.

There are two main routes: modular or integrated:

• Modular training works out a lot cheaper and can be done at your own pace. It is growing increasingly popular, especially as more modular providers are forming links with airlines. Modular training breaks down into some key phases: groundschool for 14 theoretical knowledge exams, Private Pilot Licence, hour building and Commercial Pilot Licence / Instrument Rating. Modular training can be done with several Flight Training Organisations (FTO) and it is worth considering completing your Commercial Pilot Licence / Instrument Rating with an integrated FTO provider, as this will open up links with airlines regarding employment prospects.
• Integrated training is more expensive and is completed on-site at a FTO. Three of the well known UK FTOs are Oxford Aviation Academy, L3 Training Academy and FTE Jerez. As you may be aware, I went to FTE Jerez and although in Spain, the qualifications are all regulated through the UK CAA. Integrated training is on a full time basis and broken down into phases. The order in which the various elements of becoming an airline pilot are carried out varies from FTO to FTO.

However, not everyone wants to become airline pilots and there are many other job opportunities out there. It’s not uncommon for aspiring pilots to apply to the military first, as this not only offers the prospects of many once-in-a-life-time opportunities and it is fully funded, which is rare to come by these days! It also leaves the door open for the airline route later on, should you wish to do so. It should be noted integrated training is designed for the purpose to produce airline pilots, so if this is not what you would like to do, save yourself some money and go modular! Other career options as a pilot include business jets, bush flying, surveillance, search & rescue, cargo / postal services and instructing. Many of these are much more suited to someone who likes to do a lot of hands on flying rather than procedural operations.

5. Modular or Integrated?

Now this is the big question! With so many options available to you it is hard to know what to go for and it’s easy to be hesitant especially because of the financial commitment of either route. There are pros and cons to both routes, therefore fundamentally you’ve got to decide which is best for you, which one you feel happiest doing. Here is a quick list of the positives and negatives for each:

INTEGRATED

Pros:

• FTOs have strong, well-established relationships with airlines.
• You benefit from being fully immersed in an aviation environment 24/7.
• The studying takes a lot less time than the modular route so you’re career will take off quicker
• You will be training at a purpose built facility with experienced groundschool and flight instructors on site ready to answer any questions or help you with anything you are struggling with.
• Your training has consistency as it’s carried out by only one FTO.

Cons

• It costs a lot more than modular.

MODULAR

Pros

• You can mange the training at your own pace.
• You can fit it in around a job, thanks to the part-time aspect.
• More airlines are recruiting modular students, notably BA Cityflyer.
• With the right choice of FTO, the standard of training can be equal to integrated. As previously mentioned, some integrated FTOs offer CPL/IR courses for modular students, opening up doors to employment with an airline.

Cons

• Some airlines don’t accept modular intake.
• Fitting it around a job can result in inconsistency and gaps between parts of your training.
• Being left to get on with it yourself can prove challenging, as it can be hard to motivate yourself to work when you’re at home, compared to being in a training environment where there are fewer distractions.

To find out more, here’s a good article on the Pilot Career News website: https://www.pilotcareernews.com/pilot-training-integrated-vs-modular/ I highly recommend having a browse on this website as there is a lot of useful information on there.

Hope you’ve found this informative so far. For part 2, please click here.

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