Pilot’s blog: My Route to the Sky

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• The best place for flight training: discussion
• Flight time logging and terminology
• Private Pilot training in Europe: PPL
• Commercial Pilot training (Europe and USA): CPL
• Flight training in Europe
• Flight training in the US
• Instrument Rating training
• EASA ATPL theory: exams and studying
• Canada
• Medical in different countries
• Posts about FAA and EASA differences

First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Viktor, and I hold Commercial Pilot Licenses (Transport Canada, FAA and EASA). In 2022 I moved to Canada, flew skydivers for one season, and now I am instructing in a local flight school.

My quick CV:

• Transport Canada CPL ASEL, AMEL, ASES with Group 1 IFR;
• FAA CPL with ASEL, ASES, AMEL and IR ratings;
• EASA CPL with SEP, MEP and IR ratings;
• Total time: 750 flight hours;
• PIC time: 550 flight hours;
• Languages: English (fluent), French (B2), Spanish (A2).

It’s been a while since I got my first pilot license, but I fully understand that I am still in the beginning of a long journey. If you happen to know of anyone who may be interested in networking, need a pilot or interested in flight lessons, please let me know, I will be happy to talk. I would greatly appreciate any leads you can provide.

In my blog, I am describing how I answered the very popular question “how to become a pilot” for myself. You can follow all my steps, such as getting my first pilot license, and my career progress. I also post my thoughts and doubts here from time to time.

Since I was a small kid, I have always been interested in the sky and looked at it with curiosity. It is attractive and marvelous to me, with its infinite and free nature.

The main idea of this blog was to describe my journey as a pilot, “from zero to hero”, but now it transformed a little, and sometimes I write some tips and tricks for student pilots. I decided to completely change my career when I was 30, and I am still pursuing my goal.

I discovered my passion for flying relatively late, and at first it seemed simple: anyone can fly, regardless of age or background, as long as they have the desire to do so. For me, it started with hang gliding. I discovered that there was a great community in Moscow that welcomed anyone who was interested. I learned that it didn’t require a huge amount of money, nor did I need to start at a very young age.

I had heard many myths and stories about the community, but they turned out to be just that – myths. Once again, I realized that the most important thing was to just start and keep moving forward, without giving up. It was the right moment for me, and I finally made the decision to pursue my dream of flying.

After making the decision to pursue my passion for flying, I knew that time and persistence would be the key to success. Motivation was not an issue for me, but finding the time was challenging. Living in Moscow, where the pace of life is fast and hectic, made it difficult to make progress. Despite this, I did not give up on my dream.

Over time, I experienced various life changes, such as changing my job, getting married, and adjusting other aspects of my life. These changes made it even harder to find time for flying, but I never let go of the idea. It remained alive in my mind, and I knew that one day, I would find a way to make it a reality.

After some time, I transitioned to remote work, which gave me more flexibility to pursue my passion for flying. I resumed my training and eventually made my first solo flight in dynamic flow, landing back where I took off. You can find a video of it here“. I recommend watching it from about 1:50 to get the best view.

As time passed, I gained the courage to pursue my dream of becoming an airplane pilot. I consider this to be the greatest adventure of my life. I spent countless hours researching flight schools and reading forums. In fact, I may have done more research than necessary. However, I finally reached a decision to start my pilot training. I did not let any doubts or fears hold me back, and I simply decided to just do it and keep moving forward.

I began to read books and listen to LiveATC while still in Moscow, waiting for the perfect moment to travel somewhere and start my flying training. However, a few more months passed and I came to the realization that I could spend my entire life waiting for the “right” moment. I finally decided that the best time to pursue my dream was now, and I should take action without further delay.

To be honest, I did not know what to expect or where my journey would lead me. I did not have a detailed plan in place, but I was certain that I wanted to keep moving forward. Even now, I still do not have a concrete plan for the long-term future beyond a few months. I am constantly seeking new opportunities and possibilities to further my career as a pilot.

In my blog, I will be sharing a detailed account of my journey towards becoming a pilot, starting from my initial discovery of my passion for flying and first steps in hang gliding, to my decision to pursue a career in aviation, my research on flight schools, and my training experiences in different countries, including the Czech Republic, the US, and Canada.

I began my pilot training in the Czech Republic, where I got my first Private Pilot License.

As a next step I moved to the US for enriching my experience, which I am explaining in detail in this blog. I successfully obtained my FAA CPL ASEL, AMEL, ASES, and IR.

Then I enrolled into the EASA ATPL theory course in Poland, and passed the written exams.

I completed my European route with obtaining the EASA Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License, and Multi-Engine Rating in the Czech Republic.

After a couple of pandemic years I permanently moved to Canada, and converted my FAA license to the Canadian one. Although I had a non-flying nearly full time job, I was still determined to pursue my passion for flying, despite the fact that my progress may be slower than if I were studying full-time.

Now things changed. I am finally flying not only for fun but also for living! But it is definitely not the final mark, it is a life long journey. But it is already a success story of career change after 30 🙂

Remember, your journey to becoming a pilot may have its ups and downs, but with determination and a passion for flying, the sky’s the limit!