By Tristan da Cunha
Monday, July 17, 2023, is a day I vividly remember. The VFR flight conditions were textbook perfect. It was on this day that I flew my first solo in a general aviation aircraft, a 1978 Cessna 152 (C-GMZW). I completed my solo at Pitt Meadows Regional Airport (CYPK) in the lower mainland of British Columbia. This day was several years in the making; from attending multiple aviation and ground school courses through the Air Cadets and doing a lot of self-study, I was ready to take to the sky by myself.
Unlike the near utopian conditions of my first solo flight, getting to this point was certainly fraught with many challenges, and lots of uncertainty, all of which increased my resolve and determination to go for it! Rather than being a final destination, July 17 marked a waypoint in my long journey to earn my airline transport pilot license.
Becoming an airline pilot has always been a dream of mine. I had my first taste of flight when I was 6 months old, flying on a British Airways Boeing 777-200 (G-VIIN) between Toronto (CYYZ) and London Heathrow (EGLL). Several hundred flights later, I experienced the exhilaration of flight in a general aviation aircraft when I participated in my EAA Young Eagles flight with Mr. Bob Schauber and his classic 1967 Piper Arrow (C-GYWD). We took off from Brampton-Caledon Airport (CNC3) and flew circuits around the field for about 30 minutes. Mr. Schauber even allowed me to take control and perform simple manoeuvres. My Young Eagles flight was the catalyst to make my dream of flying a reality, and joining the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, my dream began to take flight. The Air Cadets, along with the EAA AeroEducate program, and Sporty’s private pilot ground school, provided me with the knowledge foundation to help me achieve my goal of becoming a pilot. Through commitment, effort, and a lot of hard work, I earned both my Transport Canada glider and private pilot licenses.
Through their generosity, mentorship, gems of wisdom, and positive examples as role models, many people in the aviation community have encouraged me to achieve my dream of becoming a pilot. For example, I will always remember my first ground school instructor’s sage words. After reassuring the class that it takes “more than just magic” for aircraft to fly, he went on to describe that “flying is a lifelong adventure of learning and discovery.” I took my ground school instructor’s words to heart, and in many ways, it has helped me to develop the skills, and more importantly, the attitude toward flight training. I learned about prioritizing activities, planning and anticipating “what if” situations, and to apply introspection with a goal of continuously improving my decision-making abilities and aviator skills. Always being prepared is the simple adage I try to follow whenever I fly. Additionally, from my career as an Air Cadet, I developed my attention to detail, learned the importance of teamwork, improved my self discipline, and problem-solving skills.
“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return,” wrote John H. Secondari, in a 1965 film that fictionalized the life of Leonardo da Vinci. This quotation aptly sums up what aviation means to me. Aviation is my passion. It has grounded me on the importance of never taking anything or anyone for granted, provided me transferable skills such as time management, self-discipline, and situational awareness. These building blocks have all helped guide me through life’s challenges. Additionally, aviation has provided me with the confidence and resolve to believe in myself, and just as important, in others because safe and efficient flight is a team effort.
Whenever I fly in a general aviation aircraft, I feel like a giant, slowly moving across the terrain below. I am awestruck by the beauty and variety of the scenery around me; something that a select few get to experience. While nothing replaces actual flight time, in order to gain additional practice, especially with instrument flying, I improve my flying skills at home using Microsoft Flight Simulator and other aeronautical software. I have started flying “under the hood” to simulate as best as possible IFR conditions. I am also very much interested in learning how to avoid, or at least being aware of, the human factor elements that come into play while flying. To do so, I regularly watch AOPA, and others, safety videos and read up about incidents involving aircraft with a focus on continuously improving my safety and airmanship skills.
My journey as an aviator thus far has been amazing, and I look forward to achieving the next waypoints! Onward and upward, where the sky isn’t just the limit, but the beginning of endless possibilities!