New Beginnings
Success is not final, failure is not fatal
A week after completing my national service, I found myself on a plane to Australia. This time to Melbourne.
I decided to continue pursuing flying professionally, fortunately with the blessings and financial support of my parents. This marked a new chapter of my life, one that will be the most formative in my pilot career.
I was deep in thought during the car ride to the flight school, watching the urban cityscape slowly give way to rolling hills and fields filled with cows and sheep. New beginnings are always a little hard.
I eventually settled in, thanks to a few fellow Singaporean friends I met there. Then came ground school (again), and not long after, I was flying once more, this time in the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
The airport I operated out of was a Class G airport. For those unfamiliar, this basically means there’s no Air Traffic Control (ATC). Aircraft separation and sequencing were up to the pilot’s discretion, and communication with fellow pilots was key. Initially, I messed up a few radio calls and callsigns, but after a while, I got used to the rhythm. The workload soon became manageable, and before long, it was time for my first solo.
First Solo
After satisfactorily completing a few circuits, my instructor and I landed the plane. We taxied to the main intersection of the airport, where he wished me good luck and got out. I taxied back to the runway and took off.
It was all muscle memory until final approach. That’s when it hit me. I was alone in the cockpit. Truly alone. Whatever happened from this point onward was entirely on me.
Keeping my scan going—runway visuals, Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lights, instruments—I flew a stable approach, cut the throttle, flared at the right moment, and landed.
I was stoked that I came back in one piece—that I had flown and landed a plane on my own. Myself. But more than anything, it was validation. Validation that I could fly to standard. Validation that my past failures didn’t define me.
And it was beautiful.
The next few flights focused on crosswind landing techniques and more practice on the various circuit procedures, such as short field landings and glide approaches. Not long after came my first flight test.
For context, I was working towards the Australian Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL). The test profile included standard maneuvers such as straight and level flight, climbs and descents, turns, steep turns, and stalls in various configurations. It also involved Practice Forced Landings and Precautionary Search Procedures, followed by circuit work back at the airport.
Flight test
The day came. I woke up earlier than usual and “chair-flew” the entire flight profile. When I felt ready, I headed airside and pre-flighted the aircraft. I checked the NOTAMs, TAFs, and METARs, then delivered my briefing to the examiner.
The ground portion came first. Questions on the privileges and limitations of the licence, airspace classifications, emergency procedures, and general aeronautical knowledge.
With that done, we went flying.
I performed the required maneuvers within tolerances, then returned for circuit work. Everything went smoothly. When it was time for the final landing, I made sure to maintain a disciplined scan, making sure never to repeat the mistake I once made. We touched down uneventfully.
I say “uneventfully” only because I had become so used to receiving constant in-flight feedback during my time in SYFC and the RSAF. This flight was quiet and I was not used to that.
After the post-flight debrief, the examiner told me I had done well. I had passed the flight test. I was officially licensed!
Reflection
Looking back, this journey wasn’t just about learning how to fly. It was about growth and persistence. From the nervous first radio calls to landing solo, every challenge shaped me into the pilot I am today. This milestone reaffirmed my passion and proved to myself that I was capable of overcoming setbacks. Success is not final, failure is not fatal.
Cleared To Flight Levels 