About the author : toby
What was your introduction to flying?
My introduction was definitely from my parents.
My mom was a flight attendant, my dad was a pilot for Continental before it became United, and my dad wanted me to at least experience it. So I started training when I was about 15. And then I did my my first solo on my 16th birthday. I’d flown a plane on before I drove a car alone.
And I really enjoyed it, but just got busy with school and playing football in college. It kind of fell away from me. I started in college as a computer engineer, did that for about two years.
Then I said, “Well, I don’t want to stare at a computer for my whole career.” So I switched over to economics with a minor in entrepreneurship. When college was done, I started applying to jobs. I was sending resumes and applications and doing interviews, and I just hated it. It really wasn’t for me. And so I thought about it for a bit and said, “Well, you know, my parents had always said you can always be a pilot.”
And so I took those words to heart and decided to become a pilot. My parents were ecstatic, of course.
Where did you do your training?
I started looking into programs and ended up going with ATP down in Long Island, MacArthur (ISP). So I went down there and I spent seven to eight months down there getting everything from my private pilot up through certified flight instructor, instrument instructor and my multi engine instructor. I was considering working for them, but they’re a big corporation. They were great for what I wanted to get out of them; all my certifications really fast. Got it all done. But as far as a work environment, they just seemed too big. You know, I really had learned that while making that transition to being a pilot, it was the people at the specific location that really made me love being a student.
How did you find and make the move to Avier?
I started putting in resumes kind of everywhere. And then eventually, it was my mom that actually suggested being near Boston would be nice. So I started looking into flight schools and I found you know, the AVIER website, and thought – hold on, this place is really nice. And the team here – a Delta Captain, Express pilot… decades of experience in aviation.
Was there anything that drew you to joining the team at Avier?
Absolutely. Paul and Esteban as people – just their energy and how passionate they are about everything.
And the training mentality here – the more I looked at the more it just made perfect sense. Each week, I have to have say at least four or five times: “I can’t believe a place like this exists.” The level of community that’s here, spending time with the students and all of the experience the team has. It’s the community and the learning environment that really benefits students.
Finally – what do you like doing when you’re not flying?
Hmm… well …. I like to play Microsoft Flight Simulator. 🙂
