VENICE, Fla. -- The Boeing Corporation announced a new forecast that shows 38,000 new aircraft will enter service over the next twenty years. Some of those pilots may come from the Suncoast, at the Venice Flight Training Center.
Flight instructor Jeffrey Budney says becoming a pilot is a lengthy process.
"You have to go through three stages,” says Budney, 21. “You have our private pilot certificate, you have an instrument rating then you go for your commercial pilot’s license or certificate."
Budney enrolled in the training academy straight out of high school. He has dreams of becoming a commercial airline pilot himself. He needs 1500 flight hours to become a commercial pilot.
Students come from around the world to follow their dream of navigating an aircraft. Europe’s strict flying regulations prompted German-native Omur Celek to come to the US and work on his commercial pilot’s license.
"In the USA you have much more freedom than in Germany and you can fly around. You have much better weather than in Germany."
Learning to fly a commercial plane is not as simple as getting into an aircraft and taking off. Venice Flight Training Center requires students to study 14 difficult subjects. Knowledge of these subjects makes for a successful pilot.
Outside of the classroom, there are many skills that cannot be learned from a textbook.
"You have to be able to feel responsible for passengers and your crew,” says Budney.
For some, aircraft navigation is not only a career, but a passion.
"For me it's something special. When I'm up in the air I forget about everything and I can just enjoy the flight and enjoy my life," says Celek. "At the end of the day I am now one step closer to my dream so it's good."
Source: http://www.mysuncoast.com
No comments:
Post a Comment