From a Nobody to a Pilot with Chimes Aviation Academy

From a Nobody to a Pilot

My last flight to Mumbai was a turning point in my life. No, not because it was hijacked or had an unexpected passenger hiding in the plane’s toilet, but because of my co-passenger, who was sitting beside me.

He was around 35 years, well built and one of the few people in the world who have ever challenged me vertically (well I am 6 feet 3 inches tall)! He claimed to have six packs, not of abs, but of kaju and badam and like yours truly, was very talkative. But what set him apart was the fact that he flew metallic birds and was a pilot with a renowned airline carrier.

With me always being in awe of planes and pilots, we hit off very well. We chatted throughout the journey about his job, his experiences and the thrill one gets from flying. Some more interaction told me that he was a byproduct of Chimes Aviation Academy (www.caaindia.com), which is one of the best pilot training academies in India.

Not divulging much into his bio-data, I managed to convince him to show me the cock pit, though it required a lot of persistence. But the marketer in me finally got the better of him. Once I entered the cock pit, I didn’t feel like getting out. It was an amazing experience. Two uniformed men sat there, with micro phones on and having access to so many different buttons. In my short life, I have managed to see many control rooms, but this was a different room altogether. Seeing the clouds right in front of you and guiding the plane like a spaceship was surely an experience which cannot be described in words.

The entire journey made me rethink my career path. From being among the lakhs of MBA aspirants following the herd, now I wanted to be among the few adventurers and become a pilot. With some more research, and a brief yet encouraging interaction with my pilot friend I found out that famed actor Kunal Kapoor was also a student at Chimes Aviation Academy. This motivated me further to join my co-passenger’s alma mater at Dhana in Madhya Pradesh.

My first day at Chimes Aviation Academy was an eventful one. Not only did I get my first session in flying, but also saw Jyoti Randhawa, the Indian Tiger Woods from close quarters (though I hope that our Tiger is tiger in only one sport). But then who followed him … any guesses? Chitrangda Singh, the Bollywood actor. Boy! She is beautiful, much prettier than what I saw on the idiot box. Apparently they both are constant visitors at Chimes Aviation Academy for sky diving.

In the next few days, I laid my hands on the ultimate flying machine, the Cessna 172. Though I had goose bumps initially, but then it was a smooth transition from land to air. The entire process was like flying to Pandora on an exploration of a whole new world. No wonder, Madam President was so eager to fly in the Indian skies.

Coming to the present, I have finished my training and obtained my Commercial Pilot License. My entire stay at Chimes Aviation Academy has been one of great learnings. Not only I have found life long friends, both in students and instructors, but I am now capable of flying any aircraft in the world. Thus, my competencies gained at the academy have landed me in a job with one of the leading international air carriers in the world.

Article written by a student who graduated as a Commercial Pilot License holder from Chimes Aviation Academy (http://www.caaindia.com)