Pilot’s blog: My Route to the Sky

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First of all, let me introduce myself.

I am Viktor, I have a Commercial Pilot License, and I recently moved to Canada. Currently I am looking for a pilot job.

My quick CV:

  • FAA CPL with ASEL, ASES, AMEL and IR ratings;
  • EASA CPL with SEP, MEP and IR ratings;
  • Total time: 340 flight hours;
  • PIC time: 120 flight hours;
  • Languages: English (C1), French (B2).

I finished the first step, and I totally understand that it is only the beginning of a long path. If you know somebody who is interested in a low hour pilot, regardless of terms and payment size, please let me know, I will greatly appreciate it.

In my blog I am describing how I answered the very popular question “how to be a pilot” for myself, and will describe my next steps like getting my first pilot job and my career progress. Sometimes I post my thoughts and doubts here.

I was always looking at the sky with interest and curiosity since I was a small kid. The sky is attractive, marvelous for me. There is an infinity and freedom…

The main idea of this blog is a description of my pilot’s route “from zero to hero”. I was 30 when I had decided to completely change my career, and I still keep going.

Please note that English is not my first language (probably you already noticed that), that’s why I highly appreciate if you state my mistakes in the comments. I will correct my posts to make them better. Nevertheless, my English is a little better than Google’s one, at least until Rise of the Machines 🙂

My first discovery about flying was made rather late, and at first it seemed simple: everybody can fly. Literally everybody, without exceptions, and all you need is just desire. For me it was a hang glider: it turned out that there is a great community in Moscow, and it is open to everybody. One does not need a huge amount of money, one should not start from the very early ages. I heard a lot of myths and stories around that community, and they prevented me to look closer, but they were just myths. Once more I realized the simple thing: I just have to start, and I just have to move on. Don’t give up. So, it seems that it was just the right moment, and I finally made a DECISION. I want to fly!

So, anything else was a matter of time and persistence. I did not have problems with motivation, but time… Yes, I live in Moscow, and lifestyle is very fast here. You never have enough time. Therefore, I could not expedite my progress. Then I changed my job, got married, changed some other aspects of my life, and was not being able to find enough time for flying. But the idea was always alive.

After some time I started working remotely, and turned towards my passion again. Finally I made my first solo flight in dynamic flow, and landed at the place where I took off. You can find it here: Viktor hanggliding in Crimea, it’s better to watch it from about 1:50.

Time was passing, and at some moment I got enough courage to start my airplane pilot route. I think that now it is the greatest adventure in my whole life. I was searching tons of information about flight schools, I was reading a lot of forums. Actually I made a huge research. Possibly even more than needed. And finally I decided that it is time to start. No doubt, no fear. Just do it. Just move on.

I started reading books and listening liveatc. I was still sitting in Moscow and waiting for the better moment to go somewhere and start flying. Some more months passed. And I realized again: I can wait the rest of my life. The best moment is NOW. I should just do it.

In fact, I did not know how it would be, and where it could go; and I did not have a really detailed plan. But I definitely knew that I want to move on. To be honest, even now I still do not have a detailed plan further than some months: I am looking for opportunities.

I started in Czech Republic, then moved to the US for training. That decision will be explained in my further posts. Basically I wanted richer experience.

I got my FAA CPL ASEL, AMEL, ASES and IR, and then EASA CPL SEP, MEP and IFR.

Currently I am in Canada converting my FAA license to a Canadian one.

I am still working, that’s why I cannot study full-time, and the progress is slower that it would be, but I definitely know that I will keep going.


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2 responses to “Pilot’s blog: My Route to the Sky”

  1. agree Avatar
    agree

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  2. furtdso linopv Avatar
    furtdso linopv

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Milestones

04/09/2017: My First Flight
04/25/2017: EASA PPL written exam (6 exams passed)
05/21/2017: Radio Operator Certificate (Europe VFR)
05/22/2017: EASA PPL written exam (all passed)
05/26/2017: The First Solo!
05/28/2017: Solo cross-country >270 km
05/31/2017: EASA PPL check-ride
07/22/2017: EASA IFR English
08/03/2017: 100 hours TT
12/04/2017: The first IFR flight
12/28/2017: FAA IR written
02/16/2018: FAA IR check-ride
05/28/2018: FAA Tailwheel endorsement
06/04/2018: FAA CPL long cross-country
06/07/2018: FAA CPL written
07/16/2018: FAA CPL check-ride
07/28/2018: FAA CPL ME rating
08/03/2018: FAA HP endorsement
06/03/2019: EASA ATPL theory (6/14)
07/03/2019: EASA ATPL theory (11/14)
07/15/2019: FAA IR IPC
07/18/2019: FAA CPL SES rating
08/07/2019: EASA ATPL theory (done)
10/10/2019: EASA NVFR
10/13/2019: EASA IR/PBN SE
11/19/2019: Solo XC > 540 km
12/06/2019: EASA CPL
12/10/2019: EASA AMEL
02/20/2020: Cessna 210 endorsement
08/30/2021: FAVT validation
05/27/2022: TCCA CPL/IR written
05/31/2022: Radio Operator Certificate Canada