Greetings fellow bloggers and Air Asia blog crew. My Name is Ian Chenel and I live in Mauritius. I measure 190cm in height and weigh 85kg. Becoming a pilot has been my dream for a long time now, however, this passion for aviation started some time before I knew what I wanted to do. Let me explain. I was still in my early days of primary school when I used any spare time I had to draw planes on a piece of paper. That was my hobby. My mother actually kept a couple of my drawings and looking at them now makes me imagine the situation if planes actually looked like that...We'd be in a serious pickle let me tell you that!!!!

I really found out that I wanted to become a pilot at age 9 when I saw a movie about planes. After this the passion for aviation has never left me and its safe to say it never will. I got my first computer at age 11 and my first game was Flight simulator 2000. My parents were really supportive and did everything they could to help me pursue my dream. The next year, when I was 12, my mother offered me a joy flight in a small aircraft, a Socata TB-9. That was the first time I flew. I taxied the aircraft, the instructor helped me take-off and gave me the controls during the flight then took over for landing. I was overwhelmed by joy and that flight really buried the aviation 'virus', as i like to call it, deep in my blood. That was the first chapter of my real-life flying experiences. Since we could not afford going there often, my mum paid for an hour of flight for my birthday once or twice after that.

I successfully received my International Baccalaureate Bi-Lingual Diploma in 2006 with passes in all subjects including Maths HL and Physics HL. I then decided to go to Australia to study. I clocked up about 27 hours on a Cessna 172R before financial reasons stopped me from going on. My instructors were very impressed with my performances. I averaged 95% in all class exams and was declared ready to go solo after only 7 hours of flight. I actually went solo after 12 hours though because I had to wait for my Student Pilot License. Even with that delay I was the first to go solo in my class and I was way ahead of everybody else before I had to stop. I have to thank flight simulator and my Pilot friends for my performance. I bought a couple of add-ons for flight simulator to take my Flight sim experience to another level. I can now fly the 747-400,400F , the 767-300ER, the ATR 72-500 with skill and regard for real-life procedures. I had one of my friends who is type rated on the ATR, 767, A320,A330/340 and who is now a Training Captain to check on me if I was doing things right and he was amazed at the amount of realism those add-ons brought to Flight Simulator. I believe I was born to become a pilot and if you would give me the chance I can prove that to you. I am very harsh with myself when it comes to flying, I never settle for less.I always try to find how I can improve that approach, that flare, that crosswing landing, anything!! I am also a senior member and Junior Instructor in my local Radio Control Aircraft Club. I am Fluent in English and French both written and spoken and I am fluent in Creole, spoken only. This is my story and I am hoping you will give me the chance to realise my dream. I may not satisfy all the criteria but I am damn sure I can make a very good pilot. I am willing to settle in Malaysia and am very comfortable with working with people of different ethnicities. I am a very easy going person and very pleasant to hang out and work with. Good luck to you all who, like me, are trying to make your dreams come true. I hope it works out for you. Thank you very much Air Asia for that opportunity, I would be honored to form part of your Flight Deck Crew. I definitely want to have P-I-L-O-T in my job column and I definitely say YES to an opportunity to change my life.

Many thanks and regards

Ian Chenel