How did you get bitten by the aviation-virus?
Currently I'm in pursuit of my dream to become an airline pilot. Finished the theoretical exams for dutch ATPL, and into PPL on the practical side. Looking forward to my first solo, due any moment now because my instructor's been telling me he'll send me off on my own one of these days...! (Excitement !!!)
How did all this start? and what made me give up my career as an engineer in construction?
I think it all started when I was about 10 or 11 yrs old, the days I used to read books by the dozen, and one day I stumbled across a paperback copy of one of Biggles' adventures. Need I say i read all of the copies i could get my hands on from the library, cover to cover and back again. And soon thereafter I was glueing & painting together airfix models...
At the time we were living abroad as my parents (dad was civil engineer and mum was a teacher) explored ex-pat life in the late 70's and early 80's. So I used to travel by air quite a bit those days. Quite impressing for a 10 yr old. The vibrations & accelleration on take-off, taking this huge machine aloft. Visiting the flightdeck was no issue those days on the long-haul flights, as most of the time we were invited by the stewardess to come and have a look in the cockpit. (Secretly i think they just wanted to keep us busy and prevent us from being a nuisance in case we would get bored).
Seeing the men in front, hapily answering any question that would spring to mind, who were actually in control of this machine, just made me sit there full of admiration as I gazed at the (in those days) panel full of lights, switches and indicators for hours on end.
I think i was 14 or 15 when I signed up to receive my weekly copy of Flight International. Reading the articles the aviation-speak made sense little by little as i learned to understand more and more about aircraft, engines, etc.,etc.
Also first thing to read in each received copy was Uncle Roger's section! Allthough I admit i didn't get a third of the jokes in there the first couple of years...
By 18 there were big choices to be made regarding the future... What to study next? University? or becoming pilot? I was all for the latter, but my parents insisted I get a 'proper' degree in something first 'just to be on the safe side in case pilot thing doesn't turn out to be the right stuff after all'.
So I studied and became an engineer in construction and even before (a few weeks)I graduated I was offered a job right away. I enjoyed being an engineer and began to make career in the construction business. But after 6 yrs in the business, working like a horse, the aviation virus struck back! Whenever I was outdoors on a construction site near an airport I couldn't resist looking up to see what was overflying us!
I quit the job, went back to the books, studied for a year and a half and passed the ATPL theoreticals. The well earnt money saved over the years come in handy and seem to evaporate right now as I'm now learning to fly. The feeling is absolutely fabuleous!
I'd like to hear your stories, just out of curiosity, my fellow wannabees!
OBS
(Edited to correct spelling mistakes)
[ 05 August 2001: Message edited by: Old_Belgian_Student ]