“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

Throughout history, we have seen numerous times that the greatest of inventions and breakthroughs followed an array of hardships and difficulties. In the aviation industry, it’s no different.

The history of aviation is marked by a set of difficulties, challenges and setbacks that molded the industry as we see it today. From technical, social, political and even economical realms, yet each one of these aspects contributed to the eventual success of powered flight.

One of the most prominent figures in the aviation industry, the wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, not only faced scepticism but also multiple failures before achieving the first sustained, controlled flight in 1903. Their success was not built on mere coincidence, but rather upon years of experimentations and trials.

As modern day student pilots, the challenges and difficulties you could face are quite different than what older generation pilots had to encounter. As the technology in aviation continues to expand exponentially and at a remarkable pace, one has to learn how to keep up with it and continue to understand it fully. Each era poses its own unique challenges, but its because of this very reason, advancements continue to take place in an ever growing industry.

What is the takeaway from this you may ask, this simply poses as a reminder to all of you pursuing a passion you held on to for many years, that whatever difficulty you might face in your journey is in fact an authentic opportunity for something greater to be born. If you failed one of your ATPL subjects the first time, trust that in your future interviews, they wouldn’t be interested in the reason you failed it. Instead, they would like to know what have you don’t differently the second, third or even fourth time. Did this become an obstacle in your way, or was it an opportunity for you to find a better approach towards it.