Having taken the integrated training route with Skyborne, Imy Earl hopes to captain for a major airline – taking full responsibility for aircraft, crew, and passengers
2 November 2024
I grew up with aviation in the family surrounded by conversations about flying, aircraft and the lifestyle of being a pilot. I was fascinated by the idea of taking to the skies myself.
My first hands-on experience was during three days of gliding for the skills section of my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. My passion for aviation grew from there, and I asked for trial flights for my birthday every year afterwards.
In 2017, I spent a week doing work experience with British Airways in the Flight Operations department. This experience gave me a deeper appreciation of flying, confirming that it was the path I wanted to pursue professionally.
I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue a career in aviation so I didn’t feel the need to rush into a career straight out of school.
Instead, I worked in business development, care work and as a youth worker. These roles exposed me to people from all walks of life and helped me build strong communication, teamwork and problem-solving abilities – skills that I now realise are essential in aviation.
I also had the opportunity to solo travel around New Zealand and southeast Asia, and volunteered in Borneo and Fiji on youth empowerment projects. These experiences further strengthened my adaptability and resilience, as well as my ability to handle challenging situations.
One piece that really stuck with me was not to get overwhelmed by the amount of information available. Choosing a career is a big decision, but it’s important to take it step by step.
Pilots Careers Live is a great event that gets lots of flight schools and airlines in one room. One of the most valuable tips I received was to visit flight schools in person. People told me that you really get a feel for the environment and the people you meet when you’re there, and this turned out to be absolutely true.
My family has been incredibly supportive of my career choice and I’m very grateful for that. Having relatives in the aviation industry has been a big advantage because they understand the demands and intricacies of the profession. Although, my mum always jokes that we speak entirely different languages at the dinner table!
Growing up, none of my friends were pursuing flying, though they always thought it was really cool. I’ve found many people don’t consider aviation as an accessible career path, so I often get a lot of questions.
During my work experience with British Airways in 2017, I met a few like-minded friends who have been invaluable as we’ve supported each other along the journey.
I was on an integrated course with Skyborne Airline Academy. I chose integrated training because it offers a structured, fast-paced pathway to becoming a commercial pilot. I appreciated the immersive environment, where I could focus entirely on aviation.
The continuity and intensity of the programme really appealed to me as it ensures you’re consistently building on your skills without long gaps between phases of training.
Skyborne stood out because of its family oriented atmosphere. I was drawn to the sense of community, where students, instructors, and management knew each other on a personal and a professional level.
Even though the academy has grown significantly since I joined in September 2022, the close-knit environment has remained. I was also highly impressed by the modern facilities and of course, the opportunity to spend six months training in Vero Beach, Florida, was a big bonus!
The training has been challenging but incredibly rewarding.
The learning curve is steep, and there are definitely moments that test your resilience, but every milestone you reach feels like a real accomplishment.
From groundschool to flying, I’ve found that each phase has pushed me to grow as both a pilot and a person.
Groundschool was the most challenging.
I had taken four years out of school to travel and work to save up for the course, so it had been a while since I’d been in a structured educational environment. Getting back into the routine of studying was a tough adjustment, especially with the intensity and volume of material we had to absorb.
The technical depth required in subjects like principles of flight and flight planning made studying quite demanding.
However, once I got into the swing of things, I learned to manage my time effectively and developed study techniques to keep up with the workload.
Flying the Diamond DA42 while preparing for my instrument rating. It was my first real experience of flying in the UK, aside from a few trial lessons, and I found it both challenging and rewarding.
I particularly enjoyed the technical aspect of instrument flying, especially the precision and discipline it requires. My instructor played a huge role in this.
He made our simulator sessions really engaging by introducing realistic failures and scenarios like fuel leaks, giving me my first real taste of the problem solving skills needed as a commercial pilot.
I’m preparing for upcoming assessment and interview days to secure my first airline role.
I’m also completing my dissertation for my degree with University of West London.
This runs alongside flight training with Skyborne, enabling trainees to get a BSc in Aviation Management.
I was fortunate to start my training at Skyborne when they were offering bursaries, which helped with the funding. I also worked and saved for four years to contribute to my training costs, and my family was able to lend me the rest.
My dream job would be to work my way up to become a captain for a major airline. Command is an exciting challenge, where you take full responsibility for the aircraft, the crew, and the passengers. I aspire to achieve this level of expertise.
I would also love to be involved in training future pilots. My first job was as a trampoline coach, so I’ve always enjoyed helping others develop.
My advice is to be prepared for hard work and dedication. The training is fast-paced and demanding so you’ll need grit, focus and determination to get through the tough moments, whether it’s the long days in groundschool or the challenges of perfecting your flying skills.
Despite the hard work, the rewards are incredible. The feeling of being in the air and mastering the aircraft is something you can’t really describe until you experience it.
The friendships you build and the fun you have together along the way make the journey so much more enjoyable. So, if you’re passionate about flying, it’s absolutely worth it.
