Sunday, October 24, 2010

Don't Stop, Get It Get It

this month marks one year since i actually laid my ass in an actual A320 co-pilot seat. this day would be exactly a year and a week of me sitting on the right hand seat.

i do feel proud. i never expected or dreamed to reach this far. sometimes, it still feels out of this world. all the early part of your life you spent studying, and look forward to the day you're actually worth something to society, and not just a wasted sperm. here i am now, one year into it, and loving it.



this is the autopilot, dear readers.
we still have to "manipulate" it. it makes life easier,
but that doesn't mean it requires zero brains to work it ;)


i know i whine about going to work a helluva lot of times. but honestly, when i'm the seat, i do enjoy the work. i like it when i'm introduced in the announcements as the co-pilot. just to reaffirm that my existence counts, you know? and the uniform, in the words of will smith, "i make this look good". lmao.

it's no full-fledged airline, and we don't aim to be. a lot of things we do here, all the knowledge we learn and use, i do appreciate. i don't think i'd get this much exposure and experience anywhere else. maybe in future i'll get bored of it, but for now, i'm savouring it.



time flies, and i don't feel like it's been a year at all. but recounting back the experience, i do feel i've learnt a lot. just last week i encountered wake turbulence during landing from a fellow A320 aircraft. i never expected that.

a lot of people think that flying is like driving. you get the keys and head out. but our "job" looks easy because what many don't understand, is that a lot of the work is done on ground. we don't just take off and head to our destinations. weather, notices, aircraft performances, flight plans (routes and fuel) needs to checked and calculated. in the aircraft, certificates, safety equipment, cockpit checks will be carried out. and a whole lot of other things, i won't bore you with the details.

the thing is, i used to get frustrated when people say my job is so nice. yes it is. but don't give me a trying-to-be-tear-jerker story that your life sucks. you've had your opportunities, mine came a little later. while you enjoyed your life initially, i did not. it's the choices we make that make the difference. the things i've had to put up with, wasn't easy. as my cousin always says, nobody will know what you're going through except yourself. i've never shared them with you, doesn't mean it never happened. i opted this.

i've met a lot of people in recent times. most have so much to say negatively. while i appreciate their opinions and right to individualism, as such i hold back my own comments because i choose to be this individual instead, i think the root of the problem would be your outlook on life. we've got our priorities on odds i think. so now, i don't bother getting my frustration levels riding high. i just sit and smile. least i can do.

moving on, while the company celebrates its phenomenal feat of 1,000,000,000th guest, i'm nearing my 1000 flying hours. one thousand hours in an airplane making haley williams wish come true. one thousand hours of having peoples' lives in my hand. one thousand hours of having a dream come true, and possibly making dreams realized for others too. may not be much of a feat for some, but for someone who was once climbing trees, it makes a difference.

my life is here and now. as cliche as it sounds, i'd do it over again, not one bit different.

14 comments:

la.leche said...

Glad to know that you enjoy your job. Surviving a year (and a week) through it calls for a celebration, doesn't it?

Ignore people when they say what your job isn't, carpe diem! :)

p/s: That photo of PEN ahhhh. Tempting.

Foxy Frangipani said...

Congratulations Mr Pilot! And thank you for those safe flights home :)

hummingbird said...

Dun bluff. You wished you'd known me earlier right?? :D

sharman said...

la leche: it does call for a celebration! but it's been a hectic month, and now that i've got my day off, i'm sick! what a bummer. oh well, there's next month's long annual leave coming up :D delayed celebration perhaps?

p/s: bila balik pen?

foxy: lmao. nama tak boleh blah!!! and thank you!

kak jen: oh yes. in the words of haley williams, you are the only exception. thanks for reminding ;)

Tharish said...

Why give a flying fuck about what others say, especially when you're happy? Their comments are probably a reflection of their miserable lives anyway ;)

Congrats on the one year and the 1000 hours abang pilot!

sharman said...

it's just my so called 'caring' nature i guess. sometimes the words take effect. sometimes la. not always.

terima kasih kak lawyer!

sharman said...

foxy: ops i think i got a case of mistaken identity with u... thank u again!

Foxy Frangipani said...

Lol.. that explains the ?? when I read your comments ;)

sharman said...

i'm really really sorry for that comment. i honestly thought u were someone else. there is resemblance in the name. my apologies!

and thx for visiting my blog! really appreciate it... btw if you don't mind, where's home?

Foxy Frangipani said...

No biggie really, just had a pretty good chuckle over it ;)

Home is where you get the beach and laksa / hokkien mee / char koay teow - Penang hehe.

And Happy Deepavali! Hope the throat is better now.

sharman said...

ooo orang penang! but you're working in kl?

happy deepavali to you too! the throat isn't all that well :( just got my dose of antibiotics again...

Foxy Frangipani said...

orang penang.. working in penang too.. but the mind and soul is everywhere else hahaha.

by now should be ok kot the throat? else chew some basil? (i probably can hear "eeewwwwwww" from ya?)

sharman said...

oooo. orang suka merantau eh? hehe... flying anytime soon?

throat is wayyy better. thanks for the concern :)

but basil? really? never knew that. but, i dont even know where to get basil from! hahaha... i live alone. not much of a grocery shopper except for simple stuff :p

Foxy Frangipani said...

Mentally sangat suka merantau hahaha.
Next Mar - to Bkk, you flying captain? ;)

Aiya, local Tesco when you stock up on beer and chips? Assuming you're the typical single bloke la :P