Training Options and Gaining Success

Nothing is for free

I am fortunate to have flown aircraft, some very cool ones at that, all my life and been paid to do it. It is a dream for a lot of people out there, to make a career of flying. There are sometimes unclimbable obstacles such as failed medicals, and I sympathise for those people. But there are a lot of people who say they want a career in aviation, though don’t follow through with it. I hear a lot of reasons why this is, so I thought I would talk about how I was able to develop my career, and hopefully people can think about if this is really their desire… a career in aviation, and what they are prepared to sacrifice to have it.

I grew up on a small property, and was in love with flying from a young age due to my father’s involvement as a GA pilot. My favourite times were on weekends at the gliding club at Warkworth, now known as Hunter Valley Gliding Club. My dad would go there and tow gliders in, early on, an Auster, and then a Pawnee. I would ride along with him whenever possible. My dad also started gliding, so I would be put in the back seat of a Blaník, K7 or K13 glider and ride the thermals until I started feeling sick in the back!