Dear Air Asia blog team,

I'm Surendran Nicholas. I am also one of those bloggers who did not make it to the 35 selected list. I have to admit that I am VERY much saddened by this news. However, I wish to thank the team for instigating the urge and determination to pursue in my dream of becoming a pilot.

I stated in my blog previously that I tried for MAS but was rejected at the final interview without providing me a reason. Well, the truth is, that MAS was not my only choice. I also tried for SIA, but due to their economic situation, was declined. I tried in Air Asia 2 years back but got rejected in the first test. It was a written examination basically, science, English and maths. I do not know why I couldn't qualify as I got A2 for physics, add maths, A1 for maths and English. I continued to send in applications for MAS and Air Asia but was not even called or selected. Where did my resume fall to? Slipped off or went missing in transit? Still then, I didn't give up, I went to private institutions, if I could manage to do the license privately. Its just to expensive. I tried to go to Australia, that was not possible either. I tried finding for sponsors, logically, who would?! I tried seeking political help, but to no avail.

That was it, my last nerve wrecked, and I could not go on. So I stopped seeking and continued as a banker.
For two years I had almost given up all my hope and dream of becoming a pilot. I left it......
...but THIS blog contest, and all these bloggers have rekindled the spirit in me again. I had lost hope but was reborn again. Reading all the posts of how much they want to be pilots have encouraged me to keep on trying. The passion, the determinations of everyone brought me to realization.

My dad was more effected than I was, because he knew how much I wanted to be a pilot. So we made a major decision that's gonna change the life of my whole family. My dad decided to sell our house, get a rental and send me to get a pilot license privately. Its gonna cost, but its worth it. So I have quit my job in the bank and will be enrolling soon. I just can't take my chances by waiting anymore as my age is catching up.
With regards to this, I wanna thank each and every1 of you individually, because I read most of your blags and it inspired me. Thanks yo Air Asia team as well. To all who did not make it, try your very best till you know that that's your last drop of sweat, before you decide to give up.

Finally, I know that the competition is over, but I most humble request for the blogteam, to post my entry and all those you still think is good, since you said it was a tough choice. Its not for another chance, but to post it gradually, not only to appreciate their efforts, but it may be an inspiration to many as it did to me, personally. Also as a token of gratitude that these people have taken the effort to send in their post to the best of their ability and creativity.

Regards,

1 voice

GREAT! What a delight! Air Asia cadet pilot intake for this year is not frozen after all!
This is a perfect opportunity to realize my childhood ambition to fly as a pilot. To fly for such a promising airline like Air Asia is a big bonus. All I have to do is to blog. Although I never blogged before, I am here to take the chance. I am here to make my dream come true. AIR ASIA, HERE I COME...

I want to become a pilot. Piloting is the best job in the world. I do believe it crossed everyone’s mind to become a pilot. What making the difference is that some are adventurous enough to venture into this field and some not. Undoubtedly I belong to the former group. What makes piloting such an obsession to me? Is it the high salary? Undeniably it is part of it. For me piloting is a very unique job, pilots fly high above the sky, above the crowds. Pilots are well honored and respected, simply because of their contribution to the society, their role to fly people to all over the world, to where they are supposed to be, which keeps the world going. It’s a professional and challenging job, with great responsibility. A doctor handles one life at a time; a pilot, hundreds. I believe that’s why they are highly paid, not only with money but also in the form of great feeling called satisfaction (in which I seek). Furthermore, flying alone is already a very fun and interesting thing to do, people pay to fly, but pilots fly to get paid… what can be possibly better than this??

WHY ?

1.Just like what everybody says, Air Asia is the BEST AIRLINE. Affordable fares and high quality of service is the ultimate weapon an airline can offer. That’s why it grows so fast. I want to work in this kind of airline, because pretty soon I will be flying to all over the world.

2.It is very stable and resilient despite current recession. Over 30 airlines have ceased operation, but not Air Asia. Under the mastermind of Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, Air Asia is unstoppable. Solution? CREATIVITY+COURAGES. In which I truly admire.

3.To be able to work for a respectful person like Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes is a bonus. He is AMAZING. He is the best example of successful entrepreneur. Single handedly, he raised Air Asia just into a famous award winning airline, immerging out to the world market, with great global influence. This surely makes Malaysian proud! Keep up the good job Air Asia!

4.Under the philosophy of “EVERYONE CAN FLY”, Air Asia is serving literally everyone; rich or poor. This is a very BIG CONTRIBUTION to the society. And I know how important air travel is to everyone, simply because I am a frequent air traveler too. I want to fly for everyone. Most of my friends are Air Asia travelers. GEE.. who knows I will to be their captain one day! “ERherm… Welcome onboard, this is your captain speaking…” haha.

5.Air Asia is a big happy family. Every staff of Air Asia looks so happy working! I want to be a part of them too!

6.ReD Airplanes are GORGEOUS AND EYE CATCHING!

7.Last but not least…I am a BIG FAN OF MANCHESTER UNITED!!!

Usually called Ben, my full name is Chin Vun Ben. My hometown is Kota Kinabalu (BKI), Sabah. Currently 19 years old, turning 20 on this coming September. I am a student of Aircraft Maintenance at PSA (Politeknik Shah Alam). I am the type of person who loves sports, especially soccer, basketball and swimming. They are a part of my life. Personally I judge myself as a strong positive character. I do not have heavy regrets as I always live my life full, to the way I want. My dream to become a pilot is the fuel that gets me going all the time, especially in my studies. One of the things that I am very grateful about is that I have the best family and girlfriend in the world. They are always supportive in this dream of mine and I am very grateful about it. I live with my parents my big sister, and a twin brother of mine. It is so lucky of me to have such a sweet girlfriend, Reenah. In fact she was the one who encouraged me to take part in this competition. One thing in common about them is that they enjoy traveling. When i become a pilot one day i will take them to travel to all the nice and interesting places in the world. I will make sure i win this! I want to make them proud!!!

I was exposed to airplanes since i was in a tender age. As my dad belongs to Sandakan and my mum, Lahad Datu, we visited our relatives almost every year as a tradition. Sometimes we traveled by car, and sometimes airplane;. And of course like everyone else, I preferred to fly. Of course car journeys had always been tiring and time consuming, but the main real reason behind my choice was the luxury to indulge the sensational experience of flying. As a young boy back then, I wasn’t much depressed when it comes to departure at the airport. That’s because I would be looking forward to the flight. I wanted get into the aircraft and start flying, as soon as possible. I wanted to fly and I simply liked the feeling very much. From the window, the view up there was breathtaking. The world looked so simple, yet so intricate. Miniature cars and buildings arranged in a neat pattern along the web of roads and rivers. Branching out, they link almost everything together. The forests served perfectly as the background, coloring the earth lively green. The world is an art. Our Creator is a true artist. Flying is the perfect way to admire His ‘painting’. In fact that’s the beauty of visual flight, the view is always amazing. Maybe this is why most aircraft are designed with so many windows. Every second in the flights was precious, every detail caught my admiration. I still remember how my dad liked to share us about the beauty of aircraft; I can easily picture the way he showed us the landing gears and flaps movements during take offs and landings, with us sitting on the Fokker-50 window seats near the wing. As I grew older, so does my passion for aviation. I knew I fell in love with it, it is so beautiful.

At one point, I started to put my attention to the art of piloting, the art of flying the aircraft. As a passenger, I tended to observe the way the aircraft was flown, especially during take offs and landings. They play a big role in the overall flight quality. In a special way, neat flights satisfy my soul, I believe same goes to the pilots. I wished that I can get involved too…

As I matured up, I naturally knew that is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to become a pilot, a successful CAPTAIN. Indirectly Air Asia also has a part in nurturing up my dream. With cheaper air fares, I was able to fly more often and to admire it even more. Carrying the motto “everyone can fly”, Air Asia redefined air travel business in Malaysia. It is an airline that serves the whole community with smart and simple strategy- affordable and reasonable airfare for everybody. It also means that when I become an Air Asia pilot one day, I will be flying for EVERYONE!!!

During my secondary school days, it never took me long to write out my ambition when asked-a PILOT. To give oneself a goal to strive for is a good idea. Along with my family support, my ambition provides me the thrust I need in my studies. To succeed in a good mindset was my main priority. My efforts paid off, I earned myself 12As(6A16A2) in the SPM examination, along with a “Pelajar Cemerlang” award. I was really happy. I earned myself a step closer to goal at the same time! Of course, co-curriculum activities are just as important. They played a big part in my school life. They built up my character and help me to unveil my true potentials. Most importantly, they are fun. As an outgoing person, I was active in participating in competitions, for instance, my favorites, the soccer league competition (Champion) and the Sabah state invention competition. As my school’s brass band member, I had the chance to compete and perform in various occasions(especially Sabah State competition) where I gained precious experiences and great friendships. Also, serving as my school prefect sharpened up my discipline and leadership quality. And currently, i am enjoying sport as a PSA basketball player. personally I love team games, be it basketball, soccer or even ping pong. It feels superb to win or achieve something as a team. It is about the art of teamwork, on how you perform as a team, instead of an individual. It is fascinating how people associate with each other neatly to achieve a common goal. That’s where the strength is multiplied. Same with the good triumphal feeling when the goal is achieved, it is multiplied. It feels really good. This applies to the job of piloting too. Professional pilots work together perfectly to fly the aircraft to its destination on time and safely. As mentioned before, it is really the kind of job that is really satisfying at the end of the day. Landing hundreds of people to their destination everyday, you what I mean… It is a hero’s job. I see myself as one. I want to be a pilot.

After SPM, I wanted to go for flying school. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so as my family could not afford the expensive training fee. I searched the news day after day but there were no Air Asia cadet pilot recruitment. It was a little bit frustrating for me. Eager to become a pilot and looking at the bigger picture, I decided that my next step was to find an appropriate stepping stone and to learn deeper into aviation. After all, I was still very young. A wider knowledge in this field would definitely prove an advantage in the future. So I did survey on aviation related courses. As a result of my survey, I decided that a Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance of PSA (Politeknik Shah Alam) was the best package for me. It is a government subsidized 2.5year course, with hands-on maintenance training on aircraft (using MAS facilities). Why not? 2.5 years as an aircraft mechanic! How interesting. I believe most car mechanics are good drivers. Theoretically same should go with aircraft. So I applied for the course. Weeks later I was shortlisted for the tests, then the interviews. And finally, I was accepted into the course. It was a joy. I started the course on July 2007 and will be completing it at the end of this year. So far, this diploma course benefited me hugely. From theory to hands-on training on aircraft, I acquired useful knowledge about aircraft and aviation field. I know they are precious experiences. Not everybody has the opportunity to work close up with these majestic flying machines. I love my life. Realizing how amazing an airplane is, and how high it flies in the sky above, even touching the aircraft is a great thrill for me… So far I have landed my hands on B737, B747, B777, A320 and even A330. They are superb aircraft. Airplanes are ingeniously designed; taking all plausible factors into account, they are made to operate with optimum efficiency and optimum safety level, which is not an easy job. Each and every part of the aircraft serves its very own purpose. They went through centuries of evolution to become what we see in the sky today. Taking Antonov 225 as an example, sometimes you can really get stunned when you realize that how big an aircraft can be.. Does it matter? YES! Because it FLIES!

During my training days, I used to visit the cockpits whenever I was free. Sitting on the pilot seats feels awesome. They are not ordinary seats; they are seats for the chosen ones. I promised myself I will someday sit on one officially. Through Air Asia, I can do it because:

-I SAY I CAN!
Yes I can!

-I LOVE AIR ASIA!
I want to fly for Air Asia!

-I BELIEVE IN MY DREAM!
That's why i am here!

-I AM COMPETENT!
I have met the requirements to become a good pilot!

-I AM RESPONSIBLE!
Flying multimillion dollars flying machines carrying hundreds of people is definitely not something to be taken lightly. Responsibility is the most important trait in a pilots. As greater power comes greater responsibility, everything is under your hands. A so-called "small mistake" can be catastrophic. For everything little thing i do, i take full responsiblity! That's me!

-I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE!
Good pilots have full self-confidence. With everything under your decision, flying through the thick clouds of uncertainties is certainly not an easy task without strong self belief. I am a very confident person. I have strong belief in my capabilities!

-I HAVE THE PASSION!
The passion to fly high in the sky is my source of power. I strive hard to achieve my dream 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 12 months a year, in another word, all the time! I want to become a PILOT!

-I HAVE THE PERSEVERENCE!
Perseverence is somehow linked aviation field naturally. Pioneers of aircraft were the best examples. Years and years of experiments and trials, falls and failures, they never gave up. That's the key for their succeess! Perseverence! That's what i am trying to prove in this competition. I hope i have convinced you!
(My motto: DO OR NOT DO, THERE IS NO TRY!)

AND MOST OF ALL....

-JUST LIKE AIR ASIA, I DARE TO DREAM!!!
With all these great attributes, they are worthless if you are do not even dare to dream at the first place! Not all companies dare to penetrate the market with new ideas, even with great ones. But Air Asia did. Brave, daring to dream and to be different, Air Asia has what it takes to be successful. I know i this is the key to be a winner in life!

ONE MORE SPOT LEFT! PLEASE PICK ME SIR!!

P/S: Thanks to Air Asia,
I have discovered the fun of blogging and I love it very much!!!
I have to praise Air Asia for this creative way to take in fresh aspiring pilots!
A good way to promote the art of blogging.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY BLOG,

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

AND I HOPE I WON YOUR ATTENTION! :)

Yes, I would give up my life just to be a pilot. Haha not literally, but I have a strong desire to achieve my dream on becoming a pilot before I leave this very world. With strong determination and faith, I believe I can. Well, I hope I’m not too late in posting my blog, but they always say, ‘Save the best for last.’ :)

Every story has its humble beginnings. When I was only 3 feet tall, I boarded my first ever commercial flight to the United States, it was complimentary as my dad was given free tickets from the company he was working with. I was considered VERY lucky by then to be able to travel on an airplane at such a young age. Unlike every other kid who would gaze at the clear blue skies during their flight, I took the liberty to venture around the aircraft from one end to the other, from the door of the cockpit to the rear end of the passenger sit. Out of curiosity, I kept reiterating my silly little adventure 20,000 feet above sea level. Nevertheless, I naively thought to myself; this is where I want to live for the rest of my life. This is home…
When the plane had landed on the runway of its destination, I felt a reluctant urge to leave the aircraft. Eventually, my dad had to carry me off the airplane and I cried profusely. As tears were drooling down my cheeks, my mother whispered to me: “Don’t worry boy, you will get the chance to see the aeroplane again”, such soothing words finally calmed me down. As I took my final glimpse of the airplane, I smiled in serene. Since then, I’ve always wanted to fly on one of those magnificent machines, the aeroplane. Little did I know that the person behind the wheel is a man made out of steel, a pilot. That was how I got to know my ambition and it was the best day of my life.

Due to my profound interest and obsession in aviation, I collected myself a set of toy airplanes to play with and I often imagine myself as the captain. I even taught myself the appropriate way to take off and land using the toy airplanes and my imagination of course.(Yes I have an extraordinary imagination):) As a child, it was the only moment I enjoyed doing most during my free time. My late grandfather who knew the amount admiration that I have in piloting, bought me a soft toy which very much resembles a pilot; It is a teddy bear dressed in a pilot’s uniform. My new friend here was named captain bear. :D Captain bear has been my company through thick and thin during my adolescence. Never once, I fail to keep captain bear under my embracement wherever I go. It was a perfect scenario of me having my dream in my very own hands. Spending a day with captain bear was like a privilege, it meant the whole world to me.

As I mature, everything that I once treasure most was held back. Entertainment and amusement were number one in my everyday’s list. I refused to study, neglected them and ultimately disregarded my dream of becoming a pilot. What was I thinking? It was the last thing that I would ever want to do. Needless to say, my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia grades were merely satisfactory . Upon graduating from high school, I followed my dad’s advocate without a rational basis, which is to take up Architecture. Life hasn’t been at its best, I tried to adopt architecture as my ambition, I really tried but it was to no avail. Getting distinctions for assignments and exams were never noted as an accomplishment by me. I was not content with what I am doing, never was. As time flies, I started to doubt my actions. Feeling lost and confounded I knew this was not my desire for my future, there was something more than this. A state of despair I was in, I wanted to quit the course. It was then one of the hardest moments of my life, I prayed really hard for guidance, everyday…

It’s been a while since I last tidied up my room, my dad told me to clear up the “old stuffs”, that’s what they say. I succumbed and started cleaning up the space. While I was doing so, I stumbled across something I once held dear most. I saw a brown cardboard box sitting still on top of my dusty cupboard. Regardless the dust, I grabbed the box with my slightest of strength and opened it. There it was, my toy airplanes, a picture of me in 1st ever commercial flight and my good old friend captain bear seats silently in that brown little box. I took a light stare at my childhood friend, remembering the same old look on his face, that old guiltless look. These were my personal treasures, my childhood memories, my silly pilot moments... my inspiration. I miss them a lot... I was tinged with sadness but i kept myself strong. Knowing that this was once my dream, my life, my ambition and not just a mere passion but the world to me. This was what I wanted to be when I grow up. What have I come into?
Am I too late? No! It’s never too late. I have been wanting this so much when I was a child and I am going to see it through, I will finish what I started. This is my future. Pilot, here I come!

Countless nights I researched and my enthusiasm has brought me to a forum for aspiring pilots. Something miraculous caught my attention, a miracle on the headlines of the forum page “Blog to become a pilot”, this is an opportunity of a lifetime i thought to myself, i cannot miss this.. The pilot adrenaline is gushing through my nerve stream, it won’t stop. I will do this for this is my only hope, I know I can.
Here I am, typing my heart out on this very blog, I am unfashionably late. My final exam has just ended a day ago(a huge sigh of relief) and I quickly rushed home to do the finishing touches on my only entry(mind you I started writing this blog on the very day this competition started ;]). I am confident that this one and only entry will speak up for me, have faith.

There, having written my life journey concisely. Not the best essay here nor an optimistic entry, but just a young boy 18 years of age who found back his long lost passion in flying.
No TVB dramas or flight simulators to enlighten me but yet I still love everything about pilot tremendously and it has all been from the heart since the day I learned to walk, deep down inside of me knows it. I will do what it takes to reach for my dream and goal and nothing will stop me from doing so. I am ready to take the route of a pilot. I love this occupation very much… I love my future job. :) Yes, I want to be a pilot!

---

So why do I want to be a pilot?
WHY not? I get paid to do what I love most. I get to travel around the world not annually but weekly. I get to taste a tiny bit of heaven (admire the resplendent scenery 20,000 feet in the air). I’ve got the cockpit to myself which is not only an amazing office but one the best. Engineers, doctors, lawyers and accountants are working their asses off down on ground while I’m up in the air fiddling with ‘joysticks’. I get to take off and land for real this time and furthermore experience the glorious moments of a sweet landing, no more hallucinations or day dreams. I get to step onto other nation’s soil and experience their culture(feed kangaroos). I get to meet chicks, *ahem* I mean air stewardesses, hehe. I get to enjoy the better side of life. (BMWs, Bangalow, luxuries etc) And the best part about this job is that my family gets a gratis travel to overseas. All these blatant welfares puts pilot as one of the best jobs in the world. Being part of a fast growing airline (Air Asia) too is what makes this job a little more worthwhile as a whole, your day completes mine. Not to forget, PASSION is what drives me into this occupation and it has been with me for 11 years now.

You know, whenever we see a group of pilots walking down the hallway of an airport, we do not only respect the hell out of them but we worship them, because we know that these are the people who will be holding our lives, they get to play God for a moment. It is their duty to bring us to safety and I very much want to hold that huge responsibility, not as a seer or a supreme being but as a human being, as a pilot.

I do not have any families or relatives who are working in the aviation industry (the closest I’ve known is my inconspicuous little buddy, captain bear) ;), therefore I want to be the first person to live to tell the experience of a pilot, not only to them but to my friends as well. It’s more than just flying around connecting people, I will be embarking on a journey of immense adventure and sure enough there are lots to share about once I’m down on ground. I want to be an inspiration as well as an example to the people around me and finally give myself a pat on the back for being able to make it through, I want to feel proud for myself for the very first time.

I’ve been breathing physics, eating physics, dreaming physics and admiring aircraft models ever since this blog competition started. Ok not to exaggerate, I have been studying physics very hard and loving it for almost a month now just to prepare myself in the event if I am selected. Knowing that the chances of me getting pick is very slim(having two spots left and certain uncertainties) but strong motivation and desire is what brings me here today. I believe I can make it even if it’s an uphill battle, i will not give up on myself.
Just so you know, I’ve failed Additional Math, barely gotten myself a credit for both Physics and Chemistry, failed Moral and failed History in my SPM trials examination. Hope is not lost I thought to myself, I studied really hard for a month before the real thing and I gave my all. I wanted to prove to everyone that there's no dead ends in life and its never to late to change. Although I used to be a slacker during my schooling days, I have changed and it’s not really that hard. If anyone can do it, so can I! :)

So right now, I’m clinging onto the steepest step of my life, hoping that Air Asia would give me the green light just so I can move forward. All I need is a fortunate chance from a team that believes in equal opportunities, a team that goes beyond the impossible, dreams the incredible and not to forget, a team with the best slogan ever. :D I pray, hope and wait every single day and hour for the greatest call. You may ask what do I see myself in the next 15 years? A captain of the B-747.

Thank you Air Asia for letting me pour out my thoughts. :) You’ve been the best airline team the world has to offer. See you soon.

P/s: There are 3 spots left and I am trying my best to not sound nervous but I actually REALLY am nervous and anxious. My hands are shaking and my heart is pounding in an unusual beat. This is really nerve-racking and it’s killing me. :( Air Asia pick me!

Okay, I know I am very late…..very very late and there is a very high possibility that my post will not even be read by AirAsia blog team. Two hours ago, I was lying on my bed trying my best to keep my eyelids shut and three minutes later I was now in front of the PC. Okay, so I can’t sleep. Why? My mind just keeps wandering off by itself. Thanks to AirAsia “So you wanna be a pilot” blog competition. It’d been haunting me for countless night. I couldn’t count how many sleepless nights I had been through since the day I knew about this competition and also how many times I stared blankly at the screen rewriting and erasing this blog post of mine. This is why I’m so late.

Well, I had been struggling with the decision weather to send or not send this post because I knew that there are tons of peoples out there who have more qualification then I do. Anyway, enough with the bragging and let me begin my story.

First of all, I must admit that I do not have a very strong background in this field or a high school degree if compared to the others shortlisted candidates but that doesn’t mean that my passion to be successful in the aviation field as a pilot is weaker than anyone of them. I had been reading every single post of the shortlisted candidates and I have to say I envy them all because even during their childhood, they already have theirs own ambition for their future career.

To be honest, my dream of becoming a pilot only began to flourish after I joined the workforce and realizing for the very first time in my life that it is not as easy as its seem like to become a successful person in life. I came from a small kampong where majority of the peoples here are still very narrow-minded and think that education is not important. As long as you got your butt out of Form 5, you are considering being good enough and no longer needs to further your study anymore.

Growing up in this kampong, I follow the way like most of the kids did.

First things you do after school,
throw your bag into the house.

Second things you do,
take off your shoes and put on a slipper.

Last things you do,
run up the hills.

And~~~

The things you never do,
HOMEWORK.

When I was still a kid, I love to play around and probably won’t be home on time if my dad dint brought out his “rotan” to chase me back. This explained why I excel in sport especially 100m short runs.

I go to school like every other kids does but instead of studying harder at school I went the opposite way and ended up flunking every single test of mine. I grew up into a naughty kid and the advice my dad had told me is let slip from the memory.

Sleeping in class while the teacher is teaching and escaping from school are something I did best that time, not forgetting my bloody red results(all red color hahaha). I only started to change when one day i slept in my history class and suddenly the principal came(not good), saw me sleeping and without hesitation poured the whole bottle of water down my face just to wake me up. I woke up immediately and was then brought to the principal office for a good lecture. The next few hours, I became the center of attraction because of the big paper hanging down my neck with the written message by that monster. “Saya pelajar malas.”

Well, since that day onward, i started focus more on my study just to prove him wrong. Now come to think of it, I really should thank him for what he had done to me. If it is not because of this monster, I’ll won’t be able to fulfill the basic requirements for becoming a pilot.

Anyway, I still cannot forgive him for embarrassing me in front of the whole school. Because bashing people up is forbidden so I joined the softball club and played the role of a pitcher. (btw, i'm not a violent person)

So, after my SPM exam I was one of the lucky one to be chosen to join the National Service. At my time in the camp, I was highly active and i took part in many activities. I was then selected by the trainees and become the platoon leader of my team.

That’s me….

My responsibilities included leading my fellow platoon members and to stay 100% alert to ensure that someone is not lost somewhere or gone somewhere else. As a team leader, I had learned to become someone more responsible and analytical because of all the decisions I had to make when dealing with problems I had never encounter before. Beside that, discipline is something they strengthen very much in the camp and because of this reason I had grew to become a more obedient and self-disciplined person in life. I had also learned to work with peoples as a team because most of the times we are asked to complete tasks involving a large sum of peoples and good teamwork.

After the National Service, I gained my result and entered form 6.

Sadly, not long after that a bad news befell my mum. She was diagnosed with leucopenia which accordingly to the doctor might lead to serious cases like cancer. She fired her boss and stayed at home to rest then. So, with only my dad working, his salary is not enough to cover the expenses for a family of 6. I have no choice but to sacrifice my revision times and started working part time to help cover the household expenses. It is a long long story and finally I make the decision to quit my form 6 and joined the workforce. I was 18 years old that time.

With nothing and as a freshly graduate, I moved out to town and started working as a sales assistance at one of the shoe store in a shopping mall. I worked from 9am in the morning to 10pm in the night. Whenever I have a day off, I’ll work for Hotlink as a promoter. Handling out flyers and trying to get peoples to buy my plans. I worked hard but I barely earn Rm650 a month. It is not enough to save even a penny from it. My entire salary was spent on the household expenses and also for my mother treatment.

I know this is all grandmother story and it is boring but please do read on.

So, what peoples always said of “studying hard for a better future”, I think it should be corrected to “work hard to earn more for the sake of having a future”. With nothing it is really hard for a SPM holder to have a good start. My dream to fly began to blossom when one day I was surfing the internet and I came across with this

Okay, so this is what got me hooked in the first place because during that time in my life, financial issue is the major priority of mine. After seeing this, I goes wa~~~wa~~~wa~~~~Wa~~~and immediately went to do more research on this job.

My jaw dropped open in disbelief when I saw the news about this Thai AirAsia Female Pilot.

So, female pilot does existed in this world.

I then came across this forum “flydamnit” and met a lot of young inspire pilot wannabe there. Okay it is not really met, just knew that these peoples are somewhere in this earth breathing the same airs and sharing the same dream as I did. Reading theirs stories, I quickly learned that becoming a pilot is not as easy as I though it was.

It’s a long journey requires continues learning and a great pool of knowledge to be in this professional field(and also lot of money). It is very challenging. Responsibility and dedication to the job is what matter the most. Mistake is not tolerated. You make a mistake and you are out. Most importantly, the chances of becoming one are very thin.

After spending months doing researching, my interests toward piloting become deeper and deeper. Funny how thing turn out sometimes but I swear that high pay is no longer the main concern to me anymore.

I want to become a pilot because I can see myself having a future in it. First of all, it brings me one step closer to become someone successful in life. To me pilot is someone very successful in life and I adore them. In my opinion, when someone is successful, they gave inspiration to the younger generation. Who agree with me now that pilot is someone who inspires peoples around them?

Yes, I want to become a pilot and bring inspiration to the younger generation. It will be a great pleasure to have someone looking at you as a role model. Well, is not that i want to become a super hero or what but I’m having this thought in my mind mainly because I came from the kampung where there is no standing appealing shinning role model to look at as an example to the young’s. It will be a great honour for me to shows to peoples that if you think you can, YOU CAN! No matter where you are from, no matter who you are and how things just not turning out the way you wanted it to be. There is still chances if you keep your dream alive.

What I’m doing now is not what I’d expected. I had never expected myself to end up as a sales assistance or promoter. I didn’t blame my parents for not being able to support my study. They already did their best and is all up to me now to change my own destiny.

So, did I apply for the cadet pilot sponsorship programme?

Of course I did……..and after months of waiting i got an email reply from Captain Subramaniam. I didn't get through but I told myself that it is a good experience and I just have to try harder the next time. Failure once doesn’t mean failure forever right...?

Yes, you may say that my passion toward piloting is not as high as the other candidates because i just want to be someone who is successful in life and get the rid out of my current situation. Oh yeah! It is true and i am not afraid to admit it. Who don't want a chance in life to change their destiny and who don't want to be successful in life?

I dont care the way you judge me but like i mentioned just now i did have a heart for piloting. I must say that i am not someone who can use all the bombastic word to express my feeling and putting it all out in words form. I also know that i will not be able to convince AirAsia blog team that i deserve a place in the last 3 slots if i do not try to at least tell them what i feel inside.

But all i can say is i felt the same way as all the aspiring pilot wannabe did. I shared the same dream as they are and would definately try my very best to get to the point i wanna be at. If i were to be given this golden opportunity, i'll definately strived my very best to be the best of the best. It is my deepest commitmment coming right out of my heart.

So, here something that i had done so far to bring myself one step closer to my goal.

I start to read more articles related to the aviation field in order to gain more knowledge about aircraft and so on.

Oh, this is a magazine called “Airways” which I had bought for Rm2 at a pasar malam. It is sold at a cheaper prices despite the fact that it is already expired. Yet, you still can get a lot of useful information from it. It is something i looked forwad to now.

I also travel more by flight. (Thanks to AirAsia!!!) This last 2 years, i had been saving up money to travel around Malaysia. So far i had been to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Singapore, Miri, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Melaka, and soon Langkawi. I always fly with AirAsia Airbus A320. I travel a lot whenever i had the free times simply because i likes aircraft. Being in the airplane, you get to hear the sound of the engins so loud that it gives me the adrenaline rush and i did agree with what Henry had said in his blog post(sorry i'm borrowing without asking)

I purposely opt for the seat further then the middle seat so that I can have a good view on the wing. Whenever the plane is banking either to the right or left, I managed to glimpse on the movement of aileron which reflected back the lessons I learned in the game. The moment I love the most is during the approaching phase where I can observe the flap of the wing being extended out and immediately you will feel the transition speed to slower. When the landing gear started to drop, I can hear the sound too. At that time, I will start imagining that the captain must be now trimming and aligning the airplane and slowly controlling the throttle to descend towards the runway

Anyway, the best part i love in an airplane is when the captain annouched "Take off" and the feeling of the airplane being lifted up into the air. It is something i couldn't describe and it never failed to drives my spirit up throughout the whole journey to the destination.

This is taken at Johor airport.

And this on flight.

I also picked up a new language which i think might be useful to me someday. So, i had enrolled myself for Japanese Language courses and had successfully completed level 1. Ahahahaha~~~~!!! I'm so happy.

And most importantly I always keep a positive mind believing in myself that I will one day spread my wings and soar high up to the sky.

So you wanna become a pilot?

Yes!!!! Yes!!!! Yes!!!! Yes!!!

Because I want to be like him………….

Erm....spot what the different with this pilot?

I will definitely love to pursue a successful career as a pilot in the aviation industry and make my parents proud. I hope that AirAsia will give me a chance to change my destiny and bring me one step closer upon reaching for the skies.

Becoming a pilot….i could! So please airasia wake me up with your morning call and tell me the good news.

HomaiGOD!!!it is earth shattering!!!now you guys making me more insane!not insane as going siao..but i'm going crazy hearing that there is 5 spots still available!there's still hopes for me!That's why I again editing my post for countless time!at least there’s still a chance for me to take a step closer to my dream. So, let’s start from the beginning. I’m a female material engineering student who is trying her luck to slip herself in the 5 spots left. The chances here is very low. Not even 1% I guess. Hm..Got la 1%.. But I guess why not give it another try. I think I can write better than last time. Em, let’s see why do I deserve to be among the final 5?I also can’t think of the reason right now. But today when I woke up at 7.00am I walked down my block and lie down on the ‘kerusi batu’ ( I don’t know what they call it in English..hahaha) then I asked God, ‘Am I actually gonna be a real airline pilot one day?’ I waited for a signal or some sort of clue for about a minute. While I was lying down looking up the sky, my ears suddenly caught a very powerful sound coming and I open my eyes I saw one of the AirAsia fleet is flying above me. It feels damn good everytime I open my eyes and just look at the plane soaring up there, the great blue sky and everytime I did this I feel like I’m so energetic after that. My point is that, I really believe that I really am going to be a pilot one day but whether is now or soon it’s all up to you guys to give me a chance or not to step closer towards my dream. If I’m among those rich family like some other people, sure I would have be a pilot by now. I won’t steal this opportunity for those who share the same dream as mine. But now, I’m left with no choice but to hope for a shot from you guys to pursue my dream. My family has always been there for me in whatever I did. However this time I can’t blame them for not letting me to enroll myself in any flying academy cuz I know they really can’t afford that much. So here I am doing nothing I like just to pass the time til I graduate and earn some money so that I can pay for the flying academy fees one day and achieve my GOAL of life. Why again you guys should pick me? For a simple reason, I really want to be an airline pilot! I can’t picture myself doing anything else in the future except this! I really love everything has to do with aircraft and piloting. Hm. If you ask me how would you like your ideal date? And my answer would definitely will be this. “ I just want to go to any airport, buy some drinks and snacks park my car or his where I can see the runaway and the aeroplanes fly, just lie down and look up through the sky. Yes, that would be just it. Why an airline pilot? For me, I like the most is the part where I can where the smart white uniform with a black tie and the big pilot’s hat. Yup, that’s it. I think it’s the most coolest and smart uniform! I really want to be in that suit! Imagine myself pulling the pilot’s luggage and wearing the uniform really makes me proud to even just think of it. For me, pilot is actually a lifestyle, and I like all the thing has to do with it. From the aircraft, to the attire, travels, new place, new culture, money ( of cuz I have to mention this!cuz this is my driving force!hahaha), girls? (oh..NO NO NO..for boys yes..one of the reason for them wana be a pilot.hahhaa..but for me a BIG NO!) Last time I was very active in school. I was in the marching squad. Top player for my school’s hand ball team. I was the head of the RED team during the sport’s day. Joined few camping trips. I became the head of all the contingents during the National day celebration at my school. And all of these activity I have joined proved that I have a good leadership. As to be an airline pilot I need to have that. Hm. as I mentioned before, I’m still an undergradute student. Everytime me and my friends went to the library to borrow some books for the assignment purpose I always end up taking books non-related to what I’m supposed to do. I always end up borrow books from library only about aircraft and aviation field, cuz that’s the only thing interest me. I really dream to become an airline pilot one day. But I never wanted this dream to remain only as a dream. I really want to make it happen. All my family sure be proud if one day, the last daughther of my family is called a pilot one day…

I don't want to sound desperate, but I really cannot lose this opportunity. As this is the only chance left for me to make a step closer to my dream. I know there are many people who need this and they have their own stories and experience to share. My story is very simple, I dream of becoming an airline pilot but my family can't afford to send me to any flying academy. So here I am editing my post again so that you guys can have a little confidence in me. I saw all the previous posts and they all did great in it. I don't know how to play with words and stuff like they all did. But I know what I write or here comes straight from a heart which only reserve for the passion of becoming a pilot. I am doing degree in material engineering, and what im doing now is not something that I want. I'm doing this only cuz last time i don't have any choice and i ddnt know about this pilot sponsorship stuff. So i just enrolled myself doing this course which i found so unrelated to what i have ever wanted all this while. I pushed myself very hard to the limit so that i won't let down my parents. But now, I'm at my wits end..I cannot take it anymore. I really cannot do this anymore. I'm a person which only do things if I have a passion in it. I will excell in everything which i have passion in it. But right now im seriously in a deep shit. I know i cant go further. I know. My passion of becoming pilot is growing stronger and stronger each day. I don't mind losing all my 2 years of learning just to get myself in the right path which i was aiming since the day i know this is what i wanna do in my future life. Some people will say what im doing is a waste. But they don't know if this continue, i will waste more of my time doing nothing but failing. Pilot is not my childhood dream like most of the pilots now or pilot wannabe. I just discovered this dream when I was back in Matriculation. Well, maybe this sounds a bit childish but I'm not ashamed to admit that my dream as a pilot started after I watched this Japanese drama called 'Good Luck'. Well, maybe some people might think that I'm not serious about my dream. But, those around me, my family and my best friend knows how much I'm serious about it. I don't mind what others might think of my reason to be a pilot. All I know, that is my dream and I want to live it. Though it sounds a bit silly, but it is my dream. I can't deny that. Since that day, all what I aimed before this has changed. I admired this job so much till today. I started to do research about aircraft and things that are related to it. My main focus is Air Asia. I study a lot about Air Asia's role in aviation industry. But still, I have so many things to learn. I joined this 'Flydamnit Forum' as a way to get close and gain more knowledge about piloting. Back to the main point, 'So You Wanna be a Pilot'?, I only have a reason why I want to be a pilot. First, it's my dream. I seriously think that this job is awesome and is the coolest of all! Get to wear a very smart uniform and I feel so proud if I'm wearing that suit. I don't know why I felt so, but I really love everything about this job. Passion of flying, traveling around the world, the money (I must admit that, because that's my driving force when I'm doing something.), and the life as a pilot itself are the main reasons I wanted to live up my dreams. I know being a pilot especially an airline pilot we need to carry a huge responsibility of hundreds and thousands of lives. However, I don't see this is something that will give me pressure. I'm willing to handle all the responsibility with all my care and try my best to give all the passengers a great experience when flying with me and all the other cabin crews. I don't know how others tell about their passion of flying and this job. But for me, I don't need to have any explanation for what I love and what I want. However, if I'm still need to give some, I'll save it for my interview session. I don't need so many reason to tell me what I want to be in the future. I'm a person who will follow her dreams regardless whatever it takes to achieve it. Once I have set up my mind that I want to be a pilot ( Air Asia pilot to be more specific) then there's nothing that can stop me from achieving it. Every time, I heard the sound of a plane in the sky, I will find it and watched it till it disappear from my sight. I always wish that someday, I will be up there soaring through the sky with a different view from up there. My passion of becoming a pilot can't be explain more. Why I deserve to be in 1 of the 10 spots? The only concrete reason I have is because I really love it! I'm a very responsible and committed young lady which is so passionate of her only one dream. For that only reason, I'm confident enough that I can handle what it takes to fulfill my dream as an airline pilot. My dream is to be among the Air Asia's pilots and become the best pilot of all! Becoming a pilot only is not enough for me. I want to be the best pilot! That's my dream!
I'm willing to take up any challenge ahead. Just give me the chance and I'll prove it. Please PICK ME SIR!!!!

~i love sky~

my first aircraft model

flight from kb to lcct

flight from lcct to kb

view up above the sky which i snapped during flight

another aircraft model collection of mine

since my laptop is having problem uploading picture..this is the only picture i managed to upload..and i'm having exam in 1 hr more..but still i want to try make you guys pick me for this opportunity..really hoping for it..=(