Have you ever seen a plane or an helicopter as a child? If you did, I’m pretty sure this is how you reacted: head tilted towards it, eyes gazing on it, heart in awe. At least, that’s what my reaction was !
How can something this big fly without falling to the ground? This was the question that always popped up in my mind whenever I saw an aeroplane. However, it was just curiosity. It had nothing to do with passion…yet!
Things began to change when I started watching Air Crash Investigation on National Geographic Channel. I was 15 years old.
Air Crash helped me understand many things about aviation. Uncovering deep and interesting facts in the field laid the ground for the birth of something special: passion.
Besides, some special episodes really gave me goosebumps. Here are two of them: the one where Captain Sully managed to land his plane on the Hudson river against all odds and the one where the pilot managed to land on a dam.
What truly dazzled me is the fact that these pilots kept their calm, stayed collected and managed to perform tricky maneuvers despite all the pressure. Only great people can pull off such achievements.
After that, it seemed like Mother nature used her tricks and wiles to get aviation and I together. In fact, later that year, I had the opportunity to fly to France thanks to my academic results, through “Caravane temps forts”, a program recognizing outstanding students in Senegal by rewarding them with a trip to France.
The first time I saw planes at Leopold Sedar Senghor Airport, I couldn’t help but smile. I was so mesmerised! “Here they are ! So big ! So magnificent! Yet so complex !“ I thought.
After that trip, things were clear: I wanted to be a pilot ! However, the circumstances were not in my favour and I ended up being an aeronautical engineer.
Don’t get me wrong though: I have no regrets at all ! Being an Aeronautical engineer is special. It is not the path that I first envisioned for myself but it is definitely a path that I deeply cherish. Actually, it is so special that I created this blog to talk about it!
Through this blog, I’ll share my passion for aviation, insights from my career, and stories that inspire. If you’re as excited as I am, follow along and let’s explore the skies together !
