This past summer, I utilized STEP funding towards flight training to become a professional pilot. I flew daily out of the OSU airport with an instructor and earned my instrument rating and progressed halfway through my commercial pilot’s license. My instrument rating allows me to fly when I am unable to see visual references outside the aircraft, and my commercial license will allow me to get paid to fly. Both of these are necessary to have in order to work for an airline.
Earning your instrument rating is considered to be one of the hardest tests that a pilot will take in their career. The test involved a 60-question written test, an extensive oral exam, and then a practical exam in the aircraft. Furthermore, a pilot should not have more than one failure on one of these tests if they want to go and work for an airline. I learned to be confident in myself and not be doubtful of what I am capable of. I tend to be a nervous test taker and find myself to be very stressed, but I learned that I should think positively.
Flying through the summer was very beneficial to me because I was able to log a lot of flight hours as compared to the semester. Frequent flying has proven to be beneficial towards me because I am constantly seeing similar material over and over again. This helps me retain the information and apply it to flights where I fly solo. Learning how to fly an instrument approach in conditions where you can’t see the runway until you are only 200 feet above the ground changed my view of the aviation industry. There is a lot of risk associated with this profession, but learning the curriculum through Ohio State has taught me that I am capable of whatever comes my way.
Some of the most notable interactions that I experienced during my STEP Signature Project came from communication with ATC. ATC consists of the Air Traffic Controllers that watch our plane on radar and tell us which direction to fly and at what speed. They are also in charge of clearing a pilot to land and approach the runway. I was frequently communicating with new controllers learning new terminology that is crucial to know in the aviation industry. Some controllers had more patience than others, but it was very important that I understood what they were telling me to do and returned the message back to them correctly. This taught me great multi-tasking skills, as I had to efficiently pilot the plane, navigate the route, and communicate with ATC simultaneously.
A relationship that I fostered during my STEP Signature Project was with my flight instructor. I learned a lot from him throughout the course of obtaining my instrument rating and beginning my commercial license. This is an important relationship that a flight student should have because it ultimately effects the outcome of your training. I was fortunate enough to be assigned to an instructor who I am able to co-pilot with efficiently and learn a great deal of information from. My instructor was very successful in teaching me how to successfully prepare myself for the test to earn my instrument rating.
The changes and transformations that I found myself experiencing this summer throughout my project are very important because they are determining factors for how my career will turn out. Pilots are tested very frequently on their capabilities to perform tasks, and learning from a good instructor on a consistent basis is how I find myself to retain the knowledge best. Being able to consistently fly and communicate with new air traffic controllers was one of the highlights of my project. It has been a dream of mine to be an airline pilot, and the opportunities that STEP provided me with throughout this project are very important to the successes in my life.
