Why I Fly: It started with a 7:00 AM news report
A lot of people think if you’re a pilot, you must be from a rich family or your father is a Captain. For me, that wasn’t the case at all. My obsession didn’t start at some fancy airshow. It started on the news.
When I was still a kid, I saw a clip of a Boeing 777 cockpit. I was just staring at all the buttons and screens. Then 2007 came, the year the SIA A380 was launching. I remember waking up early just to watch the live news of that “Superjumbo” taking off. There was just something about seeing that massive thing leave the ground that made me think, “Okay, one day I want to be the one doing that.”
The reality check
But wanting to fly and actually getting into the seat are two very different things in Malaysia. Let’s be real, flying is expensive. During my time it was RM350,000. May not sound a lot to you but it was a hefty sum for my family. My family and I weren’t rich, not even close. We didn’t have that kind of cash lying around, so we had to fight just to get a high-interest study loan.
It took us a long time and a lot of headache just to get the “green light” to start. I’ll probably write a whole separate post about the financial struggle later on, because it was a real struggle. Because of that, I don’t take any flight for granted. Every time I push the throttles, I know exactly how much it cost to get there.
The “Baby Butt” Landing
People always ask why I love it. Honestly, it’s the sense of control. There is no better feeling than nailing the landing. In my world, I call it a “baby butt” landing when it’s so smooth you can’t even feel the wheels touch the tarmac. When I get one of those, I’m happy the whole day.
From the Cockpit to Real Estate
The funny thing is that being a pilot actually helped me during my “ground” job. During the COVID days, I was doing real estate to survive. Most people find the rules and SOPs boring, but as a pilot, I’m already used to going by the book. I became very sensitive to regulations. Whether I was selling a house or flying a plane, I realized that if you just follow the rules, everything goes a lot smoother, and your clients would trust you better.
What I’d miss
If someone told me I could never fly again tomorrow, I’d definitely miss the night stops and the nice places. But more than that, I’d miss being at the controls. There’s nothing like the challenge of being the one in charge and knowing you got the job done right.
I’m just a guy who saw a plane on the news in 2007 and didn’t let the money issue stop him. It wasn’t an easy takeoff, but the view from here is definitely worth it.