I always get a wee buzz when one of Sounds Air's pocket rockets fly overhead on approach to Christchurch Airport. There's a lot of mana being a single pilot operating a scheduled passenger service. This is a fabulous second job on your way to large airline flying. Why rush your way to large airline flying when there are so many good and exciting flights to do with a small airline first?

Gravel runways, EXTREMELY dodgy weather conditions and teeny tiny populations scattered far and wide: why and how do you fly jets around the arctic - especially when there isn't an airbridge available for hundreds of miles!

Captain Jeremy Burfoot (veteran aviation novelist) has provided a thought provoking article for us to share. If it wasn’t for his wicked laugh out loud humour and wit - it could have been one of those dry biscuit offerings we referred to last week. Instead, we have a hilarious read for you this week describing the skills and attitudes that an airline pilot requires for a successful career.

What do we remember most when progressing through an aviation career? The information in dry biscuit manuals or the brilliantly told elaborate stories of near misses, local knowledge or lessons learnt that we hear from our peers?

Exactly! We tend to learn more from being told stories than being dictated to by carefully written (as in liability proofed) manuals.

If you are a pilot (helicopter, propellor, jet), have more than 5000 hours and 30 years old, chances are you have begun to lose your hearing. It’s irreversible, will only get worse the more hours you fly, and the end result can depend on what noise exposure your ears were subjected to as a teenager (i.e loud music). Knowledge is Power according to Sir Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626) – So this should be an essential read.

Here’s Part Two of a series of entertaining stories from some of our crew contributors.

Just the thing to make a chilly day warmer and set your mood alight!

I reckon this article will be quite controversial. In places, your jaw will drop and in others you will cringe. Some readers will say “Yeah, that’s my story’. Some will say ‘I wish I had it that good’ and (I feel) a larger group will say ‘Nah, doesn’t happen’ To those in the last group, I ask - ‘Really? How do you know?’ There are parts to this story that make my blood boil!

Oh! and… you’re going to need a coffee and muffin for this read – it’s a long ‘un. Probably feet up on the desk too.

Most of us can remember our first flight and all pilots can remember the moment they knew they were going to be a pilot.

But I bet my bottom dollar that no one reading this article had either memory formed whilst shackled, wrist and ankle, between two burly guards at the tender age of 15.

We are proud to support Dilan and share his remarkable story. A story of resilience and determination and a strong desire to help others.

In Part Two, we hear from A380 Captain Morris Tull on why he went overseas for work and our intrepid (and anonymous) contributor continues to tell us abut the recruitment processes of overseas airlines. If you enjoyed last week’s selection, you’re sure to find these equally interesting!

As a newly trained CPL, you just might have a goal of working for the National Carrier but too many pilots graduate in New Zealand for that goal to be a reality for many - so maybe it’s time to seriously consider moving overseas to find work - either your first role in the industry, or as a well seasoned ATPL with many hours under your belt?

If your goal is to be an airline pilot, it’s rather important to realise that airlines wont look at you when you first graduate from Flight Training. You need to build hours first.

Two low hour employers have contributed to this article with what they are looking for when brand new CPL pilots come door knocking and/or emailing.

Air NZ Captain Joe Mathieson is our writer today. His journey to the airline was no rose petal scattered stroll. There were some big body blows to deal with on the way, but he made it and has some brilliant advice to give to those who are rising up the much needed flight hours ladder.

First Officer Alex Griffin writes for us today.

A common theme coming through via those who apply for our Mentor programme is trying to choose which route to take after they complete flight training.

Alex tells us what he did after completing his flight training to get to the right seat of an Air New Zealand Q300.

There’s a common misapprehension that pilots think they are gods. That they spend all day strutting around looking (and feeling) cool. Nah! They’re just like everybody else - but their work stories are cool and way different to those of us in the ground bound echelon.

Here’s a selection of funny recollections from some of our crew contributors to brighten your day.

It’s always fun and thrilling to learn to fly an aircraft - when you’re in the aircraft! But all learning, both classroom based and flight lessons, needs to be tested to see if you are retaining the new knowledge. To that end, the dreaded exams have to attempted and passed.

Just how are the exams put together? Captain Arthur Gatland (ASPEQ SME) will tell us in this article.

Have you given any thought to how 1300 flights a day over a vast, stormy and cold ocean are monitored and conflicts averted? Wonder no more! John and I visited Nav Canada’s Gander Oceanic Control Centre a few years back and here is the approved report of the visit.

We are being asked more often for John to speak at events and that gave us an idea.

Today, we give you the inaugural speech. The speech that launched the Scholarship.

It’s definitely a coffee and muffin read, so put your feet up somewhere in the warm sun and relax as you read stories from a long airline career.

In New Zealand, most aspiring airline pilots take the tried and true flight Instructor route to get to their dream job. Today, we meet a new contributor, Captain Finn Zweger, whose journey to the airlines was flying in East Africa. Concentrating on keeping himself alive as he dealt with the challenges of war, genocide and warlords. He writes wonderfully and with a dry wit. We look forward to reading more articles from Finn in the future.

Any young person who is serious about becoming a pilot ought to attempt to attend this two week camp.

Matthew Youssef attended this year’s camp and has written about his experience for us.

Today, we wind right back to the very genesis of every pilot’s career. That very first thought of “I could be a pilot!” It’s a big journey from that first thought to finding yourself at the controls of an aircraft. Make that journey in small steps to have a good understanding of what it is you are about to commit to if you want to be a pilot.