Can you lend me a hand?
No, don't worry... I'm not a prince from some lost place in Nigeria, I'm not an oil tycoon who has run out of heirs to pass down his fortune to, and I'm not going to propose you become the heir to a vast financial empire in exchange for fifty euros. Overall, I think I'm a good person ;)
Let me tell you something (without boring you, I promise). As a child, I had three dreams: to be a firefighter, a doctor, and most of all, a pilot. Having grown up in the mid-80s, what child, with the movies and TV series of that time, wouldn't want to be one? (I certainly did, at least)
I never seriously worked to become a firefighter (with all the cool things like wearing the uniform, sounding the fire truck siren like there's no tomorrow, or most importantly: helping people), but I did torment my parents in extremis with the wee woo wee woo sound, and from that time, I leave you what I consider one of the best movies about things that burn: 'The Towering Inferno' (in Spain, it was called 'El coloso en llamas'), a 1974 classic that I highly recommend you.
I think I would have made a good doctor. To this day I am still fascinated by medicine, I tend to keep up to date with some of the most important medical advances and I have even learned a few skills on my own (such as surgical suturing) but it is a very demanding world academically and at the time when I should have made an effort I did not do so enough so there... I screwed up (why embellish it at this point...).
Between being a firefighter or a doctor, I finally chose to be a computer scientist (you didn't expect this one, did you?) and although I don't put out fires or suture wounds on a daily basis, I help (or try to, sometimes) the people around me by creating software to meet some of their needs. And no, I'm not going to bore you with my resume (you can take a look at me a little at this link).
Okey, I actually promised no to bore you... :)
What do I want?
I'm 47 years old1. I've spent the last 25 years in the IT sector, and I feel that I can do even more amazing things professionally... like flying an aircraft. It's one of my childhood dreams, and I'd like to fulfill it in a reasonable amount of time. While I could achieve it over a longer time frame (around eight to ten years), a pilot's useful career time isn't exactly short... but I plan to start a bit later than usual2.
For this reason (the time I have available), I've decided to dedicate more time (and, practically, all my efforts) to training for fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes) rather than rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters). Why? Because, balancing effort, investment, and long-term profitability, it's somewhat more challenging but much more realistic to pursue training for the former rather than the latter (at least in my circumstances).
To make the most of my useful life, I'd like to complete this training (at the Panamedia International Flight School) within the next two to three years3,4. This would give me a margin of ten to fifteen years (in the best-case scenario) to dedicate myself to flying aircraft. I couldn't become a doctor because I didn't value the effort it required, but now I have everything in my favor except the one factor that carries the most weight when it comes to making it happen: the wallet.
So, that's what I want. For you to help me finance the costs of my pilot training. I've already started the theoretical part (and even some simulator practices5) thanks to other sources, and I can even cover some costs, like the Class 1 medical exam. But it's not enough, and for that, I'd like you to consider the option of becoming my patron to help make my dream a reality in a much shorter time.
How can you help me?
Donation is, arguably, the fastest way to lend me a hand (but it's not the only one). If you click on this link you'll be presented with a PayPal page where you'll be able to choose the amount and even the periodicity7 of the donation. If you prefer, and for your comfort, I have a QR code that you can scan with your mobile phone. It will take you to the same place:
If you click on this link, a page from the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform will open, where, just like with PayPal, you can choose the amount and even the frequency of the donation. Here is its corresponding QR code:
With this final link, a page from the Ko-Fi platform will open, where, just like with PayPal, you can choose the amount and even the frequency of the donation (or coffee, as they call it).
Additionally, I provide a bank account where you can make a deposit for the amount you deem appropriate, with all the convenience your bank offers. Fast, secure, and without any fees:
IBAN: ES0521002388570100198507
BIC/SWIFT: CAIXESBBXXX
Specify PILOT TRAINING SUPPORT as the transfer reference, so I know where the money is coming from :)
Another way to help me is to contribute to one of the initiatives I've launched:
How am I going to use the funds?
Responsibly, with solidarity, and absolute transparency. Although it's not necessary, you will have access to a series of documents in Google Sheets where you can see, in some detail, the donations received, the expenses incurred, and even the resources I need or would like to have. These are the documents I can share at this time:
You may have read the word solidarity in the previous paragraph. Yes, you read that correctly. As I mentioned earlier, I believe I'm a good person, and I understand the value of help, no matter where it comes from. So, if I manage to reach my funding goal and there are remaining funds, I will use them to help other people in the same (or similar) situation who need it.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
1. At the time of writing these lines. By the time you read this, some time may have passed.
2. Being veeeeeeeery generous.
3. A pilot requires training, certifications, and most importantly, flight hours (which can be accumulated at a rate of approximately 900 per year). Ergo... the sooner, the better :P
4. The ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License) requires a minimum of 1500 flight hours.
5. Using X-Plane as a simulation platform.
6. Ratings: these are the certifications a pilot must have for things like instrumentation, multi-engine flight, or aircraft type, to name a few examples.
7. These are the default options configured by PayPal (one-time, weekly, and yearly).
8. And if you like them... click 'I like this video' and subscribe to my channel :)
