Dreams dashed and left in limbo

The Pilot Training College Waterford has gone incommunicado and trainees have been left high and dry, writes trainee pilot Conor Deeny

IT HAD always been my dream from early childhood to one day become an airline pilot. So strong was the fascination it held for me that, at age 12, I got the Microsoft Flight Simulation game for the computer. When my friends were playing video games I took to the blue skies, planned routes to exotic places, drew up flight plans, and then “flew” to the destination on the computer.

During my penultimate year in grammar school the careers department organised visits to the school by companies who may have been able to offer training and employment in the future. One such lecture was given by an aviation specialist who informed the group of the avenues available for pilot training. After this I researched the topic and discovered two major flying schools based in Ireland. The Pilot Training College (PTC) Waterford was internationally recognised. I did further research on this particular company and discovered that they were holding an information evening in Belfast followed by assessment and aptitude testing.