In the footsteps of...: A career as a Pilot
Written by New Straits Time Wednesday, 06 October 2010 00:00
Q : So what do you want to be when you grow older?
A: Er... I don’t quite know.
For those of us who aren’t quite sure what kind of an occupation we would like to end up in, Niexter will feature a career each fortnight to help us decide. Today, walk in the footsteps of a pilot.
EVERY time you go to the airport, you will inevitably catch the sight of smart looking guys in tailored uniform walking in a group, while holding their briefcases, walking with such resolution and poise as though they rule the airport. Metaphorically, they do. Who else could have the power to draw people in like them? Girls want to marry them, boys want to be them. Pilots are considered the greatest among the best.
Somewhere in the sea of pilots, you might just catch Datuk Captain Mohd Fauzi Aziz. For a girl who has always been on the outside looking in, having an opportunity to interview a pilot is an experience like no other. I’ve always thought pilots are very private and do not talk much but Fauzi proved me wrong.
Friendly and always smiling, you can tell how much he loves his work.
Since he was a kid, he had always wanted to be a pilot. He desired to be free but as he was just a kampung boy from Alor Setar, he thought he was better off as a doctor. However, that did not extinguish his passion. Right after SPM, he tried his luck and applied for the MAS (Malaysia Airlines) Cadetship. As it turned out, luck was on his side. He was sent to Scotland straight away to start training. Adapting to the atmosphere in Scotland was hard but he managed to get through. At the tender age of 19, Fauzi made his mother and father proud by returning to Malaysia with a flying licence.
If you think piloting is all about field work, you are sadly misguided. In addition to field work, 920 hour of classroom time is also included where basic aeronautical subjects are studied. There is no easy way out either. You need to maintain average marks of 75% in all examinations. While Fauzi admits that it is tough, the burning passion for flying kept him going. Having a passion is very important in order to become a pilot. Otherwise, you’ll just do the job for the sake of doing it and you will deny yourself any fun. Fauzi bought his first car at the age of 19 and his first house when he was 21 years old. While being a pilot means being paid a substantial amount of money, he feels it is important to work hard. Mastering the English language is also very important, he says.
Upon graduating with a Flying Licence, Fauzi was sent to the Flight Training Center for conversion training where he was trained to handle different types of aeroplanes from a B737 to the Airbus A330. The purpose of this conversion training is to train cadets to skillfully handle the planes and to make sure they are prepared for whatever situation that might arise. The training process takes about 6 to 9 months to complete, and upon graduation, the cadet will become a Second Officer (equivalent to a Co-Pilot).
By the age of 22, Fauzi was already a co-pilot. Then, he spent nine years going up the career path to becoming a Captain. The career path to becoming a pilot goes from becoming a co-pilot for a Boeing 737 and then converting to an Airbus A330 to a Boeing B777 before returning to a Boeing 737 as a Captain. The duration depends on the vacancy of the position, seniority and one’s overall performance.
Fauzi had a smooth ride as when he was 32 years old, he was promoted to the rank of Pilot. He was also given the opportunity to be an instructor at the Flying Academy for a year. During the year, he was an authorized examiner for 6 months. He trains cadets and becomes a flight-safety pilot.
A flight-safety pilot’s job is more about fact finding. As it is a MAS culture to put Safety First, He needs to ensure the safety of all the passengers and to oversee the pilot on duty. In case any accident occurs, a fight-safety pilot needs to figure out what went wrong and try to work out a better plan to avoid the situation in the future.
Ever since then, Fauzi works in the office. When asked if he prefers the field job or the office job, he says he likes both equally. One does not have to worry about not flying anymore if chosen for an office job because a pilot must do a ‘fly and landing’ every 35 days or the flying licence would be lapsed.
While field jobs allow you to travel the world, office job gives you more time to spend with family. He does love a good challenge though. As a pilot, he believes that whenever you are given a task, take it. Consider it a challenge.
So how is an average day for a pilot? Fauzi says he divides his life as a pilot into three category: Life in the aircraft, life at home and life in hotel rooms. He does not have anything to complain though. With two beautiful children and a loving wife, life is as good as it gets. In addition to the travelling, a MAS pilot is also given free tickets every year to anywhere in the world. The offer is extended to their immediate family and children below the age of 21.
Fauzi looks forward to the blooming future of aviation in Malaysia and he hopes that future pilots will try to make a better future, for everyone. His advice to aspiring pilots is for them to choose the job for the passion, not for the perks.
MAS Cadetship is a scholarship awarded to chosen aspiring pilots between the ages 18 to 26 years old. Upon completion of training, pilots are bonded to work with Malaysia Airlines for a minimum period of 15 years. Okay, bye. I’m going to fill in my form now.
