My ‘love’ for flying is recent. I went from just sitting in the airport waiting area bored, to actually enjoying watching airplanes take off and land; from being scared and anxious about all those ‘pre-flight rituals’, to being excited; these days I do not hesitate asking for a widow seat right at the gate.
During my last flight to Helsinki, a few feet off the ground, I suddenly remembered that I had a friend who is training to become a pilot and that it would be very interesting to interview him for DUNIA Magazine.
His name is João Melo, he is a 23 year-old Portuguese young man and is now finishing his studies at Gestair Flying Academy, in Lisbon. João graciously agreed to speak with us.
Tell me João, was there any particular event in your life which made you choose aviation?
João Melo: According to my family, when I was a child, as soon as started talking, I couldn’t take my eyes off the skies, mesmerized by airplanes – talking and shouting at them. I remember my first travel by air, I was 9 years old and I had a chance to visit the cockpit; I was amazed, I asked myself how anyone could possibly manage so many buttons; I couldn’t imagine I would one day become a pilot.
Some years later, during a school trip to London, I became fascinated with everything happening in that flight — that was maybe the first time I considered this career. After that trip, came the computer game Flight Simulator; I spent several hours playing this and became completely addicted to airplanes and flights.
Meanwhile, to make sure I wasn’t making a mistake in choosing this field, I went on to try flying in a small aircraft and, I found myself completely submitting to its ‘majesty’, thinking to myself “how could anybody be afraid of flying?!” At that moment, it was just impossible to imagine myself doing anything else.
What do you like most about the 2 year course you are now about to conclude? What has been your biggest challenge?
João Melo: Yes, I complete my course in about two weeks. It’s difficult to pin point what I’ve liked most but I simply loved the experience of flying in the cabin for the first time, it was an absolutely awesome moment! The biggest challenge for me was no doubt my ‘starting flight’, I mean, the first time I flew on my own. It was really special. I didn’t feel really comfortable in the beginning, but a few minutes into the experience, all the stress and anxiety was gone! It was really challenging mainly because you don’t want to get hurt, you don’t want to disappoint your instructor, who is trusting you really much, and lastly, you want to make a good landing (which means keep the airplane intact!…).
What are the characteristics you consider to be most important in a good pilot?
João Melo: My experience is approximately zero. However, in my opinion, a pilot should be a very alert person, with a high sense of responsibility and, overall, with a very clear sense of his limits, since some aviation accidents occur due to the overconfidence of the pilot and the obvious limits they exceed.
Is there any particular moment so far you would like to share with us?
João Melo: Definitely, the first time I landed in an international airport (Sevilla, Spain)! The runway was huge, compared to the ones I was used to. I was excited; I actually landed with a Boeing 737 in front of me, which made me feel like I was piloting a big aircraft too! Moreover, after landing, they had a car waiting to guide me to the parking gate! But when I really felt important was while crossing the airport terminal doors to the “crew only” area! Probably, people noticed and thought, “Look at that freshman!” It was a really interesting day.
Is there any airline in particular you would like to work for?
João Melo: TAP Portugal, not only because it’s Portuguese but also because it is one of the best in the world. However, I also would also love to work for Emirates.
Is there any route you wish to do the most? And any passenger you would like to transport the most?
João Melo: I would love to fly to Alaska! Even though I don’t know exactly why. The passenger I would enjoy the most to transport would definitely be my grandmother, whom I’ve promised to take to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – if that journey happens, it would mean that I’m already flying long distance and that my grandmother is still healthy enough to fly with me!
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