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Blogs

International Pilots' Day - April 26th 2023

26/04/2023

Cyril Dodin, Chief Flying Instructor, Rotary Wing

  1. What are you most proud of in your career?
    Leading the first deployment of the EC725 in operation.
  2. What are your words of advice to any aspirational pilot?
    Go for it.
  3. How long did it take to become a qualified pilot?
    Seven months.
  4. What skills and qualities are important in becoming a pilot?
    Strong coordination and organisational skills.
  5. What qualifications did you need to become a pilot?
    The French “bac” (A levels) was the minimum qualification required to become a pilot. I had just finished a Physics degree when I went through the selection process.
  6. Is there a moment of high pressure/stress you can remember from your time as a pilot? If so, what was it?
    Yes. Dust landing at night with a 3-axis autopilot was quite challenging.
  7. Has the industry changed much during your career? If so, have you had to adapt?
    Helicopters are more complex than when I started my career (automation, NVG, observation and piloting FLIR, defensive aid suite, moving map and mission kit). I’ve had to learn many new things, meaning I have had to adapt significantly.
  8. What makes ETPS a special place to learn?
    The instructor’s experience, the ETPS Rotary Wing fleet, the access to military aircraft and the recent modernisation of the course makes ETPS a very special place to attend a flight test course.
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