To Pilot Wannabe : Update 1

Referring to previous post..

Laluan Ke Angkasaraya..

There were few pilot wannabe contacted me regarding various issue on how to become pilot especially regarding the procedures..

These are some new info..

1. MARA Loan for Pilot Programme
The status of pilot loan is ON HOLD.. MARA are out of budget to give out loans for private pilot. The last interview conducted for pilot loan was on February 2009. Since then, there were no news of upcoming interview.

MARA officers said that the Pilot Loan are on discussion. The Pilot Loan may or may not continue, it all depends on the minister and MARA (for this, we can only wait). If the Pilot Loan continue, I will update about it here. So, keep in touch!

2. Medical Check-up (Vision Test)
For those who might ask what is this.. The test consist of several tests.

Vision Test : You stand up about 3 meters away from the alphabet chart (the one that have letters, big one on top until small one at the bottom. If you can read the smallest one without spectacle, you pass!!

Color Blind Test : A book consist of color dots. You will be ask to read out numbers or objects in the dots. If you can read them all correctly, you pass!!

Eye Test : It's not a test actually. The doctor will look into your eyes. He/She will determine that your eyes is healthy (no glaucoma, no catarac). This one is the easiest test.. Just sit back and relax.. you pass if the doctor says you pass!!

3. Bank Loan
Surely, if MARA don't give out loan. We'll be heading to banks.. be it MAYBANK, PUBLICK BANK or what so ever.. but please consider these factors before you make bank loan.

a) pay on the dot : you must pay the monthly installment starts from the first month you got the loan.

b) how much you can loan : depend on your 'penjamin'.. if he/she have an income around RM2500 and age below 45years old, you might get a loan of RM50000..The idea is, the more income you have, the more loan you can get (the more installment each month too)

c) try to avoid bank loan : mortgage or sell house, car, gold, land.. (depend on your family).. be sure to take them back after you have work..

4. FlyDamnIt.com
FlyDamnIt.com is currently closed forever.. due to some people think that the info provided by the website is too deep (kind of leaking out company secret info and data)..

There are another choice of information about aviation..

Just About Aviation
FlyLah
Malaysian Wing

The path to become a pilot is not that easy..
Try to keep up your spirit..
Try your best..
This is not the end.. You get to the cockpit as the result..
That is the place where your journey begins..

Those above are few updates that are available for now..
All info are collected until 19/6/2009

Simulator : My first one

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Flying an aircraft.. the wide one is my dream..

For most people that don’t know, my name is muhaimin..

That’s why I enter the “So You Wanna Be A Pilot?” competition on early May 2009..

I tracked on new info about the competition..

Suddenly there’s an entry about AirAsia having a carnival..

And the biggest attraction for me is that they will be

having a Lucky Draw to ride the Simulator.

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This is a huge opportunity for me, a chance, a test.. My test for flying on home simulator..

The day before the carnival, all I do was stick on to the computer and flew my simulator.. Study from radio call, taxiing, take-off, navigating using VFR, VOR, and landing..

I even practice on my own to talk to the ‘ground’ and ‘tower’ personnel..

normally I use Mike India November Eight Sixer (MIN86),

only this time I used Alpha Kilo (AK – co-sign name for AirAsia for radio call)..

The journey from my home to the AirAsia Academy is about 45 minutes..

Along the way, I keep on remembering the Checklist of A320..

the step-by-step manual.. reading my pilot note book..

I have 100% hope as if I am the lucky one to ride the simulator..

The booth for Simulator Lucky Draw was the first thing I looked for..

Then, suddenly a girl shouted out

“Simulator, Luck Draw for Simulator!!”..

I quickly walked straight to her and fill out the form and

put it inside a slotted box along with my name card..

With hopes and prayers in my heart.. I even asked her

“Can I put two name cards? Please..”

“No cannot, have to be equal to everyone”

“Please.. Please..”

“Pray hard, you might be the lucky one.. (wink..wink.. with smiling face)”

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a pic with the CEO.. we have the same smile.. ngee..

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And the lucky draw took place on the centre stage.. there he was, calling out

“Princess, come on to the stage”..

I think her real name was Putri..

“I'll pick 9 lucky peoples now”..

I stood still and listen carefully, hope my name was on the list..

First one.. bla bla bla (not my name).. okay, there still 8/9 chance..

Second, bla bla bla (not me, again).. 7/9 chance..

the third person is, MOHD MUHAIMIN..

I raised my hand as high as I could, from the back of the hall..

“There’s Muhaimin back there”..

“So, the next names should raise their hand too, it’s easier for us to notice you”

Then, a captain came and introduced himself as Captain Sukdavesing

(hope I spell it correct) the instructor of the simulator..

He lead us to the simulator.. The first glance of the simulator really hit my nerve.

Feeling happy to see the gigantic machine live in front of me..

I jumped up so high until I hit the roof of the 2 storey building (in my imagination la)..

I give it a flying kiss for real (the macho way ofcourse)..

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there are 5 simulator at AirAsia Academy

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My love, here I come.. the captain was giving us all the explanation while

I was ‘falling in love’.. He explained to us as if we are his new FO (First Officer)..

Stepping inside the, simulator made me feel like stepping into the future..

I sit at the right sit, the FO’s seat.. Never to seat at the captain’s seat until I’m one..

or being forced to seat there..

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this is the one that I 'fly'

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Captain Sukdavesing explained about the cockpit and few of the instruments..

Informing that we’ll be flying from WMKK to WMKK,

meaning that we’ll be flying the A320 from KLIA to KLIA.. Just fly above KL area..

before taking-off, I talked to the ‘captain’,

Haansel on the headset as if we were really pilot..

Haansel is the ‘captain’ and I’m his FO..

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"You have control, I have communication.."

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The take-off was good.. smooth and steady..

I knew that he has experienced the home simulator

from the way he handled the joystick and the throttle.. I called out the

“100 knot.. V1.. Rotate..”

“I think you’ve done your homework man”

During the flight, I asked the captain a lot of questions.. Even I can’t remember them.. when he explained it to me, I helped him to translated them for Jack Kee’s mom.. Captain Sukdavesing was using pilot language, I made it easier for her to understand since she always crooked her forehead for co-sign that the captain said.. for example

“Here you can see the ILS on the runway. It is much clearer in the night”..

I translated for her

“ILS is those color dots on the runway and

at the left and right side.

Helps pilot to maneuver the aircraft in line for landing”

and then she goes “Ooo”

During level flight (fly in same altitude – zero incline), I took the control of the aircraft.. Catain Sukdavesing said, you control now and bank in around the KLCC building..

then I replied

“I have control”..

The feeling as so tremendous.. Laying my hand on the joystick..

banking the aircraft 30 degrees to the left, using semi-autopilot

(computer giving guide using the instrument panel, I follow that given direction)..

Saw the KLCC and Kuala Lumpur from above inside a cockpit..

Amazing feeling.. I asked the captain

“So, sir.. Can I come here every weekend and practice in this?”

“That, you should ask the management”

After a while, then I switched place with Hansel brother.. He seem to be funny on controlling not like his brother.. The the captain goes

“Relax a bit la maccha, don’t get nervous”..

We all laughed when we heard that, the standard English speaker turned

out to use Tinglish (tamil +english).. Who ever thought of that thing would happen..

Then, Jack Kee have the control for landing..

The hardest part for a flight, the captain became his FO and

helped him to do the landing.. The landing part was for Jack Kee to be done.

A bit bumpy landing, but no skid.. That’s a good news for him for his first flight..

I clapped my hands for him, bringing us down safely..

And that was the end of our simulator session,

and I asked for the captain to do the evaluation.. He said this

“You and you can go for pilot, you both have good control”

while pointing at me and Haansel..

“You not good enough because a bit tense”

pointing to Haansel’s brother..

“And you can go for pilot in 3-4 years to come, need some practice”..

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Before leaving the simulator..

I thanked the captain for the experience and the knowledge that he gave to me,

it might be a 45 minute flight but for me it’s a pusher..

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Captain Sukdavesing and me (pilot wannabe)

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Pushing me to chase for my dream to become pilot..

I hug him for his sincerity to teach me and answer all of my questions.

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Part 1

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Part 2

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It’s good to ave new experience and at the same

time meet new friend who wanna be pilot too..

We did a little chat and changing contact number and emails..

Hopefully Haansel (No. 23) and I (No. 7) got through “So You Wanna Be A Pilot?” competition..

we even studies for physics, additional math and English as a preparation for the interview (our guess)..

Please have another Lucky Draw for Simulator in the AirAsia Culture Carnival 2010.. hmmm.. And that’s the story of AirAsia A320 simulator that I experienced..

Thanks to AirAsia for the chance that you gave me..

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you've read my piece, let me hear your opinion.. comment..

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Nota PPL

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(28/5/2009 - Khamis)

Dua hari lepas aku berjanji dengan sorang kawan + senior masa komander dulu..
Nama dia manja dia Am, nama betol dia Ihram..
aku berjanji nak jumpa Am untuk amek nota-nota PPL hari ini jam 10 pagi..
Apakah itu nota2 PPL..????
PPL ialah Private Pilot License (Lesen Juruterbang Peribadi)..
Hmm.. Sejenis lesen memandu yang dikeluarkan oleh DCA (Department Of Aviation)
Lesen ni membolehkan pemegangnya membawa kapal terbang yang bersaiz kecil..
Contohnye cam Piper Warrior, Eagle 150B.. yang satu dua enjin la kirenyer..
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Eagle 150B
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Piper Warrior
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boleh bawak kapal terbang yang bukan komersil, bukan airline (MAS/AirAsia)
atau kargo (DHL/FeDex) punyer kapal terbang.. Lebih kepada recreational purpose la..
Makan angin, nak tengok pemandangan ke..

Nota PPL ni merangkumi sujek-subjek yang perlu diambil untuk ujian bertulis DCA..
Bile dah lulus ujian bertulis ni, baru la boleh belajar untuk bawak kapal terbang..
Nak kena lulus jer ujian DCA ni.. Hmm.. Cam ujian JPJ nak amek lesen L..
Markah lulus cume 75 jer daripada 100%.. sikit jer kan???

Walopon belum masuk FA (Flying Academy), aku pinjam jer buku-buku ni..
Leh aku menambah pengetahuan aku..
Semenjak hujung Part 5 diploma dulu aku jadik suker membaca,
believe it or not aku telah membaca sebanyak 2 buah buku
(How do DELL do it?? / Rahsia Bisnes Cina) dalam tahun 2008 (tak banyak pon)..
Tapi untuk orang cam aku dah kire banyak ler tu..
baca pon time masa lapang je iaitu masa kat bilik termenung (you know where?)
And in 2009 ni dah baca 5 buku..
(How To Get Pilot License / Aircrat Flight /
Professional Pilot's Career Guide / Your Pilot's License)
Dari muka depan sampai muka belakang tau.. bukan baca kulit jer..
Bukan nak blagak baca banyak2 buku,
aku membaca pon sebab subjek yang aku baca tu aku minat iaitu pasal pilot
(ayat coverline supaya orang tak pikir aku ni dah buang tebiat jadi ulat buku plak)

So, nota-nota PPL tu takde masalah untuk aku baca even masa kerja pon
(sebab kerja aku 50% ialah duduk dan menunggu customer datang)

Mungkin dalam bulan June 2009 aku kena pergi interview oleh orang2 AirAsia (if tepilih la)..
Jadik sebab tu pinjam nota2 PPL ni sume..
Bile dah baca tu, aku harap lebih outstanding la sket dari 34 candites yang lain
ada la pengetahuan yang asa nak jadik pilot ni..

Ape-ape hal pon.. sekarang dah subuh.. 6.10 pagi..
Lagi 4 jam aku jumpa dengan Am kat KL Sentral.. Kredit untuk Am yang sudi bersusah payah balik dari Sarawak (tempat FA dia) untuk bagi nota2 tu kat aku..
baik hati betul Am ni.. for the ladies at the moment Am ni not single and unavailable
(mesti sakit ati kan baca ni - "rugi gler tak dapat tackle future pilot ni")

Aku excited nak dapat notes tu sampai bangun awal-awal pagi ni..

Assola tu khoirum minal Blogging!!
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CV : the story

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(Rabu - 20/5/2009) Aku baru balik keje, then balik terus ke rumah.. Sampai rumah lebih kurang kol 10.00 mlm.. hari ni agak penat sebab last2 minute ramai customer datang.. hmmm.. bile sampai rumah, aku terus tenet.. bukak email sume.. pastu baru la aku pegi mandi.. segar sket.. Mula-mula aku check email, takde yang baru.. sume pasal update facebook dengan update blog.. Pastu aku check plak forum kat Flydamnit.com. Tibe2 aku terbaca sesuatu yang buat aku jadi terkedu..

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there's no official info yet..
but Derek from Air Asia did say..
"Hi all, just spoke to the captain in charge of
the programme and indicative timeline is
the third week of June.
All your CVs have been submitted for further action.
The pilots will be in touch shortly."..
So we're assuming it'll be around that particular date...
about the exams.. like the above..
no official statements as of yet..
but i'm sure there'll be exams
just like the normal intake too..
better be well prepared guys/ gals
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is it true? so, i started pouring lots and lots of question to these peoples..

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"I can't see any attachment button when i submit the blogpost"
"Is that a requirement to send in CV? Coz it's not stated in the rules"
"Why don't they told about this earlier?"
"Is it possible if I send the CV now?"
"Will my blogpost be terminated from the competition since I didn't send in the CV?" "Do you have any contact number of AirAsia blogteam?"
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?
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But none of my questions was answered.. That forummer probably had logged out.. That's why all my question are without answer.. it made my brain tangled up.. What to do? what to do?

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While thinking of that my blogpost is already out of the competition, I started to feel very very sad.. A very deep sadness.. Told ain about this and she said for me to be relax and don't get so sad.. If it is true, she said that I should start doing the Cv and send them to AirAsia..

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I'll do everything I could, start doing my CV.. Download samples from the internet, asking around where the AirAsia Academy is.. and Ain offers to me that she would take me and send me to AirAsia Academy.. Pick me at Nilai Komuter and directly send me to the academy.. How sweet of her (but its look better if it works the other way around)

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Tomorrow I'll go there, to send in my CV by hand.. It must be done.. Whatever the consequence is, I must make sure that my CV reaches the table of the blogteam.. and have the same chance like other 34 candidates.. I work all nite, went to 7E at 4.00am and photocopied all the necessary documents and certificates.. Work on the CV..

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"Why did't I send the CV in the first place.
How stupid of me that I didn't notice the requirement of CV"
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That is all that I had in my mind.. Sad and feeling bad, a single mistake slipped away my dream to become pilot. All I hope is to be given the chance to send in my CV..
That's all in my hope now..
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At last, the CV was finish almost at 5.00 am.. Still not sleeping yet, keep online to check whether the other candidates had the same problem as I am..
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Now suddenly my eyes getting smaller and smaller (than usual small size).. and I felt asleep, luckily the desktop is beside my bed and i la on my bed.. That was a good sleep for me.. sleep due to tiredness..
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the next morning I woke up and quickly check the forum for answers of my question.. and i got this..
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hey hajime shinkai.. (my nickname in the forum)
don't worry so much..
basically the CV cum Resume equates to all our
background info's + education/ work exp. info's, etc..
that we've already included in our blogpost..
which Air Asia Blog Team has filtered before
actually publishing the blogs on the web aite?..
They're not really attachments..
They're more or less 'included' as part of the post..
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By the way, which candidate are u hajime shinkai..
I'm sure Air Asia would've contacted u thru phone or email, if ure info's are missing, since they did state that they
need the 'info's prior to publishing the
selected blog posts.. So don't worry lorrr!!
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I called Ain and told her out about it.. She said to me
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"Kan saya dah kata dah, takdenye kena hantar CV tu..
Mana ada dalam syarat2 dia.. Awak tu yang tak nak dengar..
Nak risau2 jugak"
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I felt happy la..Walopon penat wat CV sume.. But it's worth to know the real story..
So, I don't have to go to AirAsia Academy.. Can still stay home and relax a bit,
because today is my off-day..
My super turbo charge heart is now becoming single piston engine..
Slow and steady..
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thanks to Ain for her shoulder to cry on.. :-)
I don't know what to say.. i become very fragile nowadays because of pilot..
about Mara loan, about AirAsia "So You Wanna Be A Pilot"..
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Official letter from MARA

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Officially MARA decided to postpone all application for pilot..

Yesterday I've the official letter..

Umi came to my work place and told me about it..

I don't feel sad because it was predicted already..

Because last few month since i had submit th aplication form,

I went bck forth to MARA to ask for the update of the application.

Not just that, I did call MARA and still calling MARA to do follow up of the application.

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Still have 10% of hope on MARA loan..

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Still waiting patiently..

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Still here to be in flying school..

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Still standing..

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MARA dan PTPTN

Khamis (7-5-2009)

Arini plan nak pegi Mara dengan PTPTN..

Mara - Nak update Placement Letter yang terbaru (intake June 2009)
PTPTN - Postpone bayaran pinjaman masa diploma dulu..

Pagi2 pegi ofis papa dulu.. Dekat2 kol 12.30 tengahari baru gerak pegi KL,
papa g MetalTech Exhibition..
Aku g sana jap pastu dah kol 2.30 petang aku pegi MARA..
Sampai je kat pejabat Mara tu,
aku tulis nama dalam buku log then terus jumpa Encik Malik..
Bile aku kata pasal nak update Placement Letter je..

Dia kata
"Tak dapat surat lagi ke?"
"Surat ape?"
"Surat bagitau pasal Loan Application untuk pilot la"
"Nape dengan surat tu?"
"Actually, kita dah confirm yang Mara dah bekukan pinjaman untuk pilot"
"Dana untuk pinjaman pilot memang dah habis.
Lagi pulak, penambahan dana tu tak tentu ada lagi"
"Cuba call kita balik lepas 3 bulan untuk confirmation
sama ada loan untuk pilot ni ada lagi atau terminate"

Tergamam aku bile dengar ape yang dia cakap..
Lagi 3 bulan kena tunggu..
Itupun tak confirm ada ke tak loan pilot ni..

Hmmm..

Aku bagi dia Placement letter yang baru untuk intake June 2009..
"Encik update ni dalam fail saya..
Dekat2 bulan june nanti saya update Placement letter yang baru lagi okay..
Takpe, lama mana pon saya tunggu loan MARA ni okay..
Encik jangan buang fail application saya dah la.."

Aku pon kuar dari pejabat Mara pastu pegi PTPTN kat KL Sentral..

Bile jumpa pegawai aku tanya kat dia
"Cik, saya dah buat pengangguhan bayaran pinjaman PTPTN"
"Tapi nape penangguhan saya ditolak"
"Penangguhan tu ditolak sebab bidang yang adik sambung tu ialah bidang profesional..
Bidang profesional ni ada dapat elaun sebab tu takleh tangguh bayaran PTPTN"
"Tapi, bidang saya ni takde elaun langsung.
Saya bukan bawah agensi kerajaan ke ape ke..
Memang takde elaun satu sen pon.."
"Camtu ke?"
" Camtu la cik, kalo cik fikir saya ni tipu,
cik telefon nombor En. Sonnie
(Student Admission Officer of GGIFA).
Dia akan explain sumenye pasal bidang
yang saya amek ni kat cik"
"Okay2.. Nanti saya mintak pegawai
yang handle ni telefon okay.."
"So, sekarang ni camne cik?"
"Isi je borang penangguhan ni, then submit kat kita. Tulis yang bidang ni tak dapat elaun okay"
"Balik umah, tulis surat rasmi yang explain
sumenye pasal bidang ni then submit kepada kita"
"Buat dua2 cara ni, maybe dapat penangguhan PTPTN tu"
"Maybe.."

Hmmm..

Aku isi borang dan submit kat pegawai tu..
Surat yang dia suruh buat dan send kat dia tu..
aku tak buat lagi.. esok lusa aku anta..

Dah setel kat PTPTN.. aku terus balik umah..

Aku rasa makin kecil

Simulator dan kisahnya...

Simulator ialah sejenis alat yang mengandungi hardware dan software..
kombinasi kedua-dua makhluk ni mewujudkan situasi yang menyerupai situasi sebenar.. bergantung pada kelengkapan hardware dan ke'detail'an software..

sebenarnye nak bagitau yang aku ada simulator aku sendiri.. tapi aku beli steering jer la.. nama dia CH Flight Yoke.. harga tak mahal cume RM500 yer.. Habis gaji aku gune untuk bayar menda nih.. tapi minat nak terbang punyer pasal.. Duit boleh dicari..



Simulator dengan sound sistem dan headphone
katas tu kapal terbang B747 dengan B777

Model ni digunakan oleh flying school untuk basic flying dorang, kata orang kedai tu la..
padahal x pon, flying school gune simulator yang 90% menyamai aircraft sebenar..
ni kire dia gebang je kata flying school pon pakai..
(moral of the story : jgn percaya sangat cakap orang yang menjual tu)

balik jer umah terus pasang menda tu.. tak sabar-sabar aku rasa nak bawak kapal terbang..
amek masa la jugak nak arrange the best position i could get..
akhirnya dah berjaya pasang.. then, install software plak..
ada macam-macam software simulator, tapi yang paling best
dan simulation yang paling tepat ialah Microsoft Flight Simulator X..
lama jugak nak install sebab ada dua DVD.. besar jugak saiz software ni..

paling best dan teruja bile mula-mula run software nih.. interface pon menarik..

So, mulakan dengan basic of flying.. take-off and landing.. mula dari kapal terbang Microlight yang cam rangka je tu hinggalah ke kapal terbang jumbo.. Terbang la ke mana saja yang aku rasa nak terbang selama ni.. aku ske bawak Boeing 737-400.. version lama B737.. Sebab all new pilot cadet yang masuk MAS akan bawak yang ni..

Bila dah 3-4 hari guna simulator tu, jadik gian plak.. balik keje je dengan tak mandi terus bawak kapal terbang.. bese la kan, nama pon bawak kapal terbang, pegi la tempat yang jauh sket.. Dari KLIA ke Penang..

"Flight MH5011, permission to fly as filed, to Penang airport"

tak la lama pon 45 minit jer.. tapi dari mula terbang sampai landing tu, dalam simulator, aku buat lebih kurang 2 jam.. mana tak nye, nak taxi dari gate pergi runway tu asek over throttle jer, terlajak dari landasan.. bile nak terbang dengan level flight senang la.. pastu auto-pilot jer.. tapi time landing tu, berpeluh-peluh.. nak kena handle throttle, nak descend perlahan-perlahan, nak bajet-bajet straight dengan runway.. nak turun landing gear, nak control flap lagi.. banyak gler nak kne control.. slame ni ingatkan senang jer.. bile dah bawak sendiri.. tau la gelabah giler..

Tapi paling best sebab dapat belajar sesuatu yang baru mengenai pilot.. walaupon cume sekadar simulator yang 20% real aircraft..

Tapi in the future nak beli flight simulator yang lebih lengkap.. nak beli set throttle, padels, plus another 3 monitor LCD saiz 21 inci.. baru la jadik 40% punyer simulator..

Throttle

Pedals

Set home simulator yang lengkap

Tapi wat masa nih aku cume boleh update new aircraft dan add-on jer.. banyakkan aircraft bermakna kena study checklist untuk aircraft.. kena tau handle situation kalo ada problem masa flight.. dalam beberapa hari lagi aku akan download dan install expansion pack plak.. tapi lepas aku dah terer la bawak kapal terbang commercial.. sebab expansion pack ni most fighter jets, race jets.. laju and susah nak handle compare dengan commercial jet..

Abis tu ape simulator yang 100% cam kapal terbang btol??

Jawapannye ialah simulator original la, bapak segala simulator.. contohnye yang ni.. Jangan kata gambar jer real, yang ni siap ada seat pastu sebijik cam dalam kokpit..

Lagi plak siap ada motion plak tu, boleh descend dengan incline.. best gler.. tapi yang ni punyer harga cume RM1.5 juta je.. Jadi pilot pon tak boleh beli jugak.. Itulah kisah simulator..

ngee.. i got through first level..

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alhamdulillah..
dah lepas first stage.. entry "So You Wanna Be A Pilot? (I Wanna Be!)" dah publish kat airasia punyer blog.. meaning that, i got a aspace to go for pilot.. next is going to the interview.. when? where? I don't know.. nanti dorang bagitau la kan.. sehingga saat ni dah ada 12 orang yang layak termasuk aku.. Maknenye setakat ni aku ada 11 pesaing.. tapi masih awal lagi untuk cakap ape2 pon.. sebab pertandingan ni still going on until15 may 2009.. lama lagi tu.. ada lebih kurang 43 hari lagi.. mungkin ada lebih kurang 100 orang yang akan terpilih kan? harap2 aku dapat jadik 10 orang yang terpilih..
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So You Wanna Be A Pilot?

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This is my story…

What is pilot? The first time, I can remember looking at pilot is when I was about 8 years old,
my uncle from Sabah arrived at Subang Airport.
While waiting for him to come out of the arrival area, I saw 2 people walking side by side with hat on their head wearing blazer with shiny gold lines on the sleeves.
I said to my mother, “Umi, tengok tu ada ketua askar”.
My mother corrected me and said that they are pilots not “ketua askar”.
She explains that they are the “driver” of the aeroplane. That’s the first time I knew, what is pilot.. “aeroplane driver”. As time goes by, when I was in highschool in Form 3,
my mother went to US for her medical operation, that’s the time I decided that I am kind of like to be a pilot after I saw pilots at KLIA.
They walk and dress properly and looking very smart with cap and blazer, they caught my eye thinking that their job must be joyful. And when my mother came back from the US, she represented me with 2 aircraft models, B747 and B777 that she bought during her visit to Boeing factory after her operation. I became more interested to become a pilot and thinking that maybe I can become a pilot someday.

The most important moment in my life was the day I decided to live my life as a pilot.
It happened before my first flight. It was from KLIA to Nagoya, Japan, Sunday night at 235 hours. That was my trip for a month of Hippo Family’s Homestay Programme at my penpal’s house.
My family members were not familiar traveling using aircraft, especially on my mother side. In fact, they haven’t board any aircraft before me.
When they heard about the news that I was going to Japan, one of my auntie said to me 2-3 weeks earlier, that it is very dangerous to fly because there are many air accidents happened. She highlighted the air crush in Sarawak few years earlier where a helicopter crushed into the rain forest, all the passenger and captain were found dead. She told me how terrified the condition of the corps. That thing could happen to me she said.
She also said that I better cancel the trip for my own safety. After all, that was only homestay it’s not like a thing I must do she told more. My mother doesn’t know about this because she might be seduced by my auntie’s word and cancel the trip. So, I keep it as a secret between us. At that time, the story she told me doesn’t bother me because I was really happy to go oversea for the first time of my life. The day I went to KLIA for my flight, I wait in the waiting lounge looking at the aircraft that I will board.

At that moment, my aunt’s story really haunts me. I was thinking of the movie Final Destination, where the aircraft blow and I was stuck in the middle explosion. I was thinking of going back home instead of board the aircraft and went to Japan. I really felt that aircraft was much more unsafe because that flight was at night – maybe the pilots don’t see other aircraft flying (that’s what on my mind). The worst thing was that I thought to quit my ambition to become a pilot.
All I thought was “I won’t go in. I don’t want to die like this”.
There was no one to talk to because most of the passenger is Japanese. I was so worried all by myself. And then the stewardess called for passenger to board the aircraft. Ofcourse I board the aircraft, if went back home and cancel the flight, I’ll waste the ticket that had been paid for me. My mother surely got angry, it is much better to take the risk and board the aircraft rather than got scold by my mother. That’s the worst thing ever. When I board the aircraft, I put my bag on my seat and I wait near the entrance, I was waiting for the pilot to enter the aircraft. I was still worry to fly in that aircraft. The stewardess tries to comfort me but it wasn’t enough, I stood still waiting for the pilots. When the pilots enter the door,
I go straight to one of them and ask him
“Is this aircraft safe to fly?”
“Will it explode in the sky?”
“Will it fall down during flight?”.
He asked me instead “Is this your first time?”.
“Yes” I replied.
He then told me this
“I fly this thing with full focus and I trained well,
your life are much more important to me than mine.
You’ll arrive safely, enjoy the flight”.



Suddenly my aunt’s horror story fade away and I feel so safe for the rest of the flight – I sleep most of the time. Thanks to that pilot. Maybe for others it was just a flight but for me that flight made me think that a job as a pilot is no ordinary job. The pilot was so calm even though I scratch his feeling by asking him stupid questions. He can even ignores me and ask the flight attendants to take care of me. Instead of doing that, he answers my questions. Showing that what he said comes form his heart, not a standard pilot-passenger guidebook phrases. But since then, I am very clear about my goal and there’s nothing hard enough to make me let go of my ambition as a pilot. I really look up to pilot with respect and I want to get in their shoes. My path to be a pilot.

As I get much more mature, I look the career of a pilot as something that is beyond career. Pilot is a lifestyle and becoming a pilot is not just passion, it is also involving high responsibilities and disciplines. So, I intended to be not just a pilot but a pilot with aerospace engineering knowledge. I want o become a pilot that have flying skills and also technical knowledge of aircraft and really understand the aircraft inside out. That’s the standard that I have for myself to become a pilot. For three years I devoted myself to study about aerospace.

The fundamentals of flying, the aerodynamics of aircraft, the aircraft maintenance and the aircraft systems are some of the subjects that I studied during my Diploma in Aerospace Mechanical Engineering back in UiTM Pulau Pinang (Dec 2005 – Nov 2008). Those precious 3 year paid off with crucial knowledge of aerospace engineering especially involving aircraft. Thus, now I am well prepared to be a pilot and I believe that it is the right time for me to become a pilot.

Beside knowledge, interpersonal skills and discipline also a requirement to become a pilot. For that reasons, I become an active student when I was studying diploma. I join student associations to learn to become a much more discipline person with interpersonal skills.


Through Majlis Perwakilan Komander Kesatria (MPKK) I earn discipline, the para-military association provide training such as marching and physical endurance. I earn discipline life through weekly and monthly trainings. I knew the important of time management, the responsibility I have for each duty given. Thus, working in a team as a leader or follower is a norm for me. I have conducted many activities and programmes when I was in Majlis Perwakilan Komander Kesatria such as Seminar on Organizing Association and Interpersonal Skill Seminar.

In class, I manage to come out with the idea to design own model aircraft base on the knowledge that I had learn during lectures. It’s not in the syllable to have such project, but for me, in order to really understand how aircraft fly, I must build one and learn from it.


So, I form a group of friends with the guidance of my Head of Aerospace Mechanical Engineering Programme – Mr. Iswadi. We manage to build and fly a model aircraft. The person in red is Mr. Iswadi.



I was given the honor to fly it among my friends since my ambition is to be a pilot. There were many hiccups and problems before the aircraft can fly smoothly. 6 times the aircraft had fall, crash and also burned. But, the effort to rebuild and redesign the aircraft was so valuable to me, I learn that it was a big responsibility to fly an aircraft. There’s no room for mistake. Much more than that, I learn the responsibilities that I had when I am operating the aircraft. I become much more understand what a pilot carry on their shoulders, it’s not the epaulette rank but the responsibilities the pilot have to take.



My basic knowledge about aviation is stronger since I met a flight engineer that happens to be my friend’s dad. He is Mr. Baharuddin a Flight Engineer of Transmile with more than 30 years of flying experiences. As much as I want to know about pilot, he thought me the fundamental skills and the theories of flying when ever I came to his house. With that, I bear in my mind that knowledge he gave me. He gave me the big picture of a pilot’s lifestyle, the working schedule, the responsibilities and the risks. It made me much more understand what pilot really means. Sadly, he refuses to let his picture in this entry because he doesn’t want it to be publish on the web.

I did all of these things to ensure that I am well prepared to become not just pilot but a very good high standard pilot. Even though it took me few years but it was worth enough for me since I become a better person. A person with much more knowledge and well prepared to become a pilot. The best one I hope. For now, even though I am not attending any flying school. The learning process is still on going, my passion to become a pilot always opens a wide view for me to learn to become a pilot. Since I graduated my diploma level in November 2008, I read few books on how to get Commercial Pilot License. Even if I can’t afford to buy those books, I borrowed them at a nearby library. I believe that if there a will there will always a way to gain knowledge before I become a pilot.

Sometime people ask me, “Why do you want to be pilot?” "Why don't you go for pilot after SPM?"“Isn’t it wasting your time studying engineering” I answer them. I do everything with my pride. Pilot is my ambition, a job dedicated for people that have passion to fly, people with responsibility at heart, people who have discipline and self control. People who put their reputation to the ultimate challenge. I fit those criteria, I wanna go for pilot. I want to become the best pilot I could, so I have to really be prepared before I study as cadet pilot. If anything goes wrong, my pride is the price, I’ll lose them. I don’t want that to happen, my pride is the quality to be respect by other peoples. If I become pilot with lack of knowledge, I had crushed my reputation and pride. That’s the reason, I studied aerospace engineering earlier before I become a pilot. It’s not wasting time because the knowledge is useful for all my life time as pilot. I made them understand this noble career. Fly with pride.

The first thing to do when I knew I wanted to become a pilot is that I asked myself “Am I eligible to be a pilot?” “Do I qualify to wear the white uniform and the epaulette on my shoulder?” I search down through the internet and knew about a website that provide with information to become a pilot. With forums provided, I spoke to pilots and cadet pilots on the topics of “How can I become a pilot?”. They all helped me a lot and generously share their information and teach me. First of all, I sent letter to Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Putrajaya asking them whether I can study as cadet pilot in local flying academy or not. Few weeks after, they told me through formal letter saying that I was granted the permission to study in flying academy since my SPM result meets DCA standard. Then, I went for medical check ups. There are stages of check up to be done. The Visibility Test, Physical Test, x-ray, Audio Test, Electrocardiogram (ECG) Test and Blood Test. The time when the doctor gave me the tests result.

He said that, for most of the test I’m doing well but the ECG test was bad because my heart beat is higher than the normal heart beat and it will go higher if I am flying. Too bad he said to me while giving me a piece of paper, I feel so sad about it hearing that my ambition is over before it even begin. Thinking that the paper was bill I walk toward the room’s door. I almost cry, my eye were red holding on my tears from coming off. But then, the doctor said, why don’t you look at that paper. I stopped and read it , and I began to smile. It was not bill but certificate saying that I passed all of those medical checks up tests. The doctor certified me as an eligible person to become a pilot. He was then smile and laugh at me, saying that I must be tougher to become pilot. With that certificate surely I am happy, forget the red eye. I will be a pilot.

The next thing is to apply for cadet pilot programme. And AirAsia provide such a unique and interesting chance for me to become a pilot. This is another positive step I have taken to go for pilot as my career. I walk the talk. I done all the things I could to realize my ambition and I tried and still trying my best to become a pilot. I hope my effort is impressive enough so that it can lead me to my successful life as a pilot. AirAsia here I come!! I wanna be your pilot !!!

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