The Pilot

Name: Mohammed Amin Farooq

Occupation: Pilot, Emirates

Number of Years in Profession: 12 years

Nationality: United Arab Emirates

SS: What made you choose this career path?
MAF: Well, I went to the UK for college. That's when I did one trial flight and I've been hooked ever since.

SS: What qualifications do you require for this job?
MAF: Apart from the professional training, etc, you require a secondary school certificate, basic command of the English language and, of course, common sense.

SS: Describe your typical day at work.
MAF: I wake up three hours before the scheduled departure time and leave home about two hours before departure. Then I head to the briefing session, check the weather and other flight related documents, and discuss everything with the cabin crew. After that, I proceed to the aircraft about an hour before departure and start preparing for the flight. Preparations include checking computer navigations, walking around the aircraft and co-ordinating with ground staff. After all of the passengers are on board, we take off and enjoy the flight.

SS: What is the most enjoyable part of your job?
MAF: I fly with people from all over the world and learn about so many different cultures. Each day is different. I meet different people, experience new destinations and enjoy changes of weather. That's what keeps my job so interesting - there's never a dull moment.

SS: What is the single most challenging aspect of your job?
MAF: The most challenging part has got to be landing in bad weather. But it also brings a lot of satisfaction to successfully accomplish such a challenging task.

SS: What advice would you give to Skysurfers who wish to follow a similar career path?
MAF: Go for it, it's fantastic! It's not easy being a pilot, and you have to work very hard for it, but I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world.