Cadet Jamil's pilot diary: from dreams to first flight

2024-06-13 09:26

Dreams are just dreams until they become reality. Now at the SkyFly aviation club, cadet Jamil is making his long-standing dream come true. Here he learns and tries new things, and with each flight he becomes closer to the sky that he so wanted to conquer. After all, learning is not just about technique and skills, but also about inspiration that gives us new strength in our endeavors.

Why did Jamil decide to become a pilot?

Aviation was his childhood dream, but his father wanted him to become a doctor. So, Jamil studied at the Medical University in Grodno, graduated with honors, and then worked as a doctor for many years. But all that time he couldn’t stop dreaming of airplanes.

Aviation is not just a profession, but a way of life, an intelligent, beautiful one. Aviation has always attracted people with its romanticism, the opportunity to travel to different countries and learn about other cultures.

When did he decide it was time to take action and make his dream come true?

After graduating from university, Jamil first worked in the cardiology department in Grodno, then in the rehabilitation center in Rakov, and then for another three years in the emergency department in Bahrain. However, Belarus always felt like home for him, so he returned, and now works in Minsk for Doctors Without Borders.

However, all this time Jamil knew for sure that he wanted to devote his life to aviation, and in 2024 he decided to go for it.

I fulfilled my father's dream, and it was time to fulfill the dream of my own.

So where does pilot training begin, other than just having a desire? With the search for a pilot school, of course. And this turned out to be an interesting story for our cadet.

About two years ago, Jamil and his friend were discussing aviation while chatting in a cafe. Jamil was thinking about doing this abroad, because he was sure that there were simply no pilot schools in Belarus and there couldn’t be. In 2002, when he came to Belarus from Syria, there was really no place to learn to fly. But his friend argued that 20 years later, the small aircraft market had changed and expanded significantly (this is what actually happened). Thus, one was convinced that there were no flight schools in Belarus, and the other was adamant that they exist, you just need to look for them. So, they had a bet. They bet on a professional tennis racket, since both play this sport. That same evening, the friend sent Jamil the contacts of the manager of the SkyFly school near Minsk, where you can learn to be a pilot. So Jamil lost the racket to his tennis friend but found a place where he made his dream come true.

What inspires the cadet in his endeavor?

My friends usually look forward to the weekends to go out. But I'm waiting for the weekends, because these are the days I have training. And every weekend I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to realizing my dream.

Jamil devotes every free minute to his main hobby - aviation. He reads books on this topic, watches videos on YouTube, and is actively searching for places where he can buy any aviation-related products. He already has a small collection of pilot jackets, bags, and lots of books.

How is the training going? Any difficulties so far?

SkyFly has a convenient and flexible training schedule, where you can choose either a short course with daily classes or a longer course with training only on weekends. Since Jamil still works for the UN and is also training to become a pilot, he chose the weekend group.

Let’s just say that if I didn’t have a job, I would go to the pilot school every day, because for me it’s really interesting, even more interesting than my current job. We work in the humanitarian field, and we have our interesting moments, too, but when I come here, it’s an unforgettable feeling, to be honest.

With such a thirst for knowledge, it’s even easier for him to study now than when he studied at the Medical University, which, by the way, he graduated with honors. There, students were taught exact sciences like physics and maths, and much of this knowledge is still active, so it’s not so difficult for him to absorb large amounts of information.

Since Russian is not Jamil’s native language, he usually records lectures on a dictaphone to listen to at home, and also takes notes in English during classes.

What are the future plans after completing PPL?

For Jamil, aviation is, first of all, a cherished dream. At the SkyFly pilot school, he took the first steps towards its realization. This is just the beginning, but he’s already set specific goals and is making plans for the future.

Having received the Private Pilot License in Belarus and having flown a certain number of hours, Jamil plans to continue on this path. He will be building up his flight hours in St. Petersburg, so that he can apply for training to work in commercial civil aviation. And then - piloting civil aviation aircrafts, his most desired and final step. Perhaps he can start with smaller companies.

I chose aviation because of the beautiful views, intelligence and travel. And the pilot salaries are much higher than those of doctors.

Having a Private Pilot License not only allows you to fulfill your dream of flying, but also opens up many opportunities and prospects. For example, the ability to fly an airplane can be used not only for pleasure, but also for travel, scenic flights with loved ones, or business meetings. Or you can deepen your knowledge of aviation, gain additional qualifications and advance your career in this field. Many PPL licensees decide to go for a commercial CPL license.

For Jamil, the appeal of aviation is not only the opportunity to learn something new and enhance his career prospects, but also romanticism and the opportunity to truly conquer the skies.

Coming to my work at the airline, I’ll have the best view from my "office" ever.