Why I fly

The thought of taking to the clouds in an airplane stirs something deep within my soul. It's a feeling of freedom, adventure, and exploration unlike anything else I have ever experienced. I became fascinated with aviation and aeronautical engineering and started to learn everything I could about the design of the plane, from the airframe to the spars.

When I first stepped into the cockpit of a Cessna 172 and turned the ignition key, I immediately fell in love. I remember the way it felt to be in that cockpit, my hands on the controls and the scenery racing by at an incredible speed. I felt like I was in control of something much bigger than myself, and it gave me a euphoric sense of joy and purpose that I had never experienced before.

The WWII warbirds play a big role in this interest for me and take me back to a past era when pilots were true heroes who had a deep understanding of the principles of flight. I recently had the opportunity to fly the PT-17 Stearman, which felt like I had stepped onto a page in history. The open cockpit immersed me in the full force of wind and sound. My heart raced when I climbed into the front seat, and I was overcome with a wave of excitement when the massive radial engine ignited. The feeling I get is an inexplicable love of every bit of the airplane, and when flying it, I felt a very intimate connection with the craft and my dreams.

I am not just fascinated with airplanes anymore; I have a deep-rooted desire to understand their design, fly them and restore them. I am driven by the idea of being able to experience the world from a new perspective, explore the clouds, and come back with stories to tell. This is why I want to become a pilot and an aeronautical engineer: so that I can continue my journey of exploration and discovery, whilst delving deeper into my passion for aviation.

This scholarship will allow me the continued exploration of the world of aviation and become a part of history. Nothing could be more thrilling than taking to the skies in planes that have been restored or even designed by me, and it is this thought that fuels my ambition. Being a pilot enables me to know what I'm designing and allows the design process to become more intuitive. I want to be familiar with every aspect of aviation so I can take it into the future at full throttle.

In addition to that, having the funding to reach the end of my required hours will allow me to take flight purely into my hands. Not only is flying a way to reach my end goal, but it’s absolutely therapeutic. The feeling of freedom I get from flying is exactly what pulls me for another ride, adding more hours to my logbook. I can’t recall a single time I didn’t enjoy myself during a flight, and I am always excited to learn more skills in the cockpit.

The current demand for pilots makes me eager to explore aviation-related careers. There’s a lot to be explored in being a private pilot, and completing my pilot's license is the key to that. All of these factors make aviation the perfect field to explore, and very worthwhile to invest in. While I’m attracted to the pay of these careers, it is ultimately something I love. And having a career you love is essential for happiness and stability in this world.