FLYING HIGH At just 19 years old, Alair Tudor is believed to be Barbados' youngest ever Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) trained commercial pilot.
FROM THE TIME he took his first trip to Disney World at the age of three, Alair Tudor was fascinated with planes.
That fascination turned into a healthy obsession over the years, and now the 19-year-old is believed to be Barbados' youngest ever Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) trained commercial pilot.
In August 2007, this determined young man started on his journey towards becoming a pilot when he enrolled at Flight Safety International in Florida, United States, earning his private pilot licence a few months later in early December at 18 years old.
Then, in July this year, he gained his commercial pilot licence.
For Alair, it is a childhood dream come true. All that he put his parents through as a child, by transforming his bedroom into an airport complete with runway, control tower and, of course, planes, was well worth it.
"Much to my parents' disgust there would often be just enough room for me to get to my bed. On Sunday evenings, I would often cajole my dad into taking me by the field near the airport runway to watch the planes take off and land," he recalled.
Alair refused to follow the career footsteps of either parent. He is the son of Philip Tudor, deputy chief engineer with the Ministry of Transport, Works and International Transport, and Lesandra Tudor, who taught at the former Erdiston Primary School (Alair's alma mater). His dad would often take him on building projects in the hope he would be "bitten by the engineering bug"; but to no avail.
Alair's head was in the clouds and nothing nor anyone could ground his dreams.
But achieving this particular dream was not easy. Training for the commercial pilot licence was challenging, he explained.
"According to FAA regulations, each of three stripes that pilots wear on their shoulders represents a particular stage that has to be passed before becoming a first officer (co-pilot). At Flight Safety, we had to complete 109 lessons consisting of flying time, ground school and exams with a minimum pass mark of 70 per cent for each lesson.
"I got my first stripe when I passed the private pilot exam. This first stage was tough, particularly when you had to perform an emergency manoeuvre pretending that the front nose gear had failed and you therefore had to glide the plane down the runway on the back wheels.
My most memorable part of this first stage, however, was when I flew cross country and then landed at Miami International [Airport]. It was an unbelievable experience and one that I will never forget," a beaming Alair said.
The countless hours he spent playing flight simulator games as a child paid off in the final part of his training.
"The third stripe is awarded when you achieve your instrument and commercial rating. With this rating, a pilot can fly as high as 60 000 feet in bad weather and through clouds just relying on his navigation and other instruments, unlike private pilots who are limited to 18 000 feet and can't fly in bad weather.
"Luckily for me, I have been playing the Microsoft flight simulator computer games from the time I was ten years old. This game is almost an exact replica of the actual instrument panel in a real plane; so I did not have much problem passing this part of the course," said Alair.
To think he struggled with maths and physics in first form while attending Christ Church Foundation School and considered dropping physics at one point! Things changed, however, some time in third form when he attended a career showcase and found out that the requirements needed to become a pilot included both maths and physics.
He buckled down in class and went on to gain Grade 1s in both subjects in the Caribbean Examinations Council Exam.
He went on to the Barbados Community College where he gained an Associate degree in maths, physics and geography.
Flight school has opened up a whole new world for Alair. Not only has he achieved his goal of becoming a pilot, but he has met many colleagues from all over the world.
"My first roommate was from Greece; then there was another one from India; and one of my best friends there was from Japan."
While he is not working with a commercial airline at the moment, he hopes to get a job with one of the regional airlines or an international one like American Airlines or Delta. At some point in the future, he plans to go back for training to become a certified flight instructor "to teach others how enjoyable it is to fly".
Right now, his main goal is to build upon the 200 plus hours he has gained so far from attending flight school.
"I know that some passengers may be apprehensive about flying with a pilot as young as I am, but you can't graduate from Flight Safety International until they are sure that you are absolutely ready for the responsibility of a co-pilot. After all, their motto is "Average Is Not An Option".
Alair wants those who read his story to be encouraged to make the sky their limit too.
"I admit that I'm not naturally gifted when it comes to academic studies, but where I lack in that area, I try to make up for it with hard work and dedication. If I can succeed, any student can . . . . Don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise."
