This feeling of floating in the air fascinated me even as a child. When I was 14, I took a trial flight at the Schaffhausen gliding airfield. Afterwards, I immediately signed up for gliding training. By the age of 16, I not only had my gliding licence in my pocket, but had also gained valuable experience.
Embarking on this training is a commitment; it is expensive and requires perseverance.
The responsibility of flying with passengers, handling the equipment and staying calm in stressful situations: all of this was covered during the two-year training programme. The additional motorised flight training allowed me to immerse myself even more deeply in the craft of flying and led me to helicopter flying.
Studying as a Plan B
Undertaking this training is a commitment; it is expensive and requires perseverance. I completed my private helicopter training while studying for my master's degree in «Atmosphere and Climate». My studies help me to interpret the weather correctly and offer me a Plan B should I no longer be able to fly for health reasons.
But being a professional helicopter pilot is definitely Plan A. The possible applications range from transport missions and rescue flights to disaster relief, such as extinguishing forest fires. I'm not allowed to fly commercially yet; that requires 185 hours of flying experience and advanced theory exams.
When I sit in the cockpit, I feel what I only dreamed of as a child. Then I would love to press a pause button so I could enjoy the overwhelming view for longer.
