Henil Rathod
Humans of YJA: June 30, 2023
“If you love aviation, everyone loves you.”
My love for aviation began even before I was born. My mom attributes my love for flying to how she used to travel many times when she was pregnant with me. When I was younger, my family used to travel a lot to India and other places. After one of these flights, when I was six, my curiosity drove me to ask the pilot if I could tour the cockpit. Not only did the flight crew show me around the cockpit, but they also took pictures of me in the pilot’s seat, and gave me stickers and pins!
Even though the stickers and pins were nice, what has stuck with me since then is the wonderful feeling of being welcomed into such a niche community, and always feeling supported, not questioned, in my goals and passions.
I began my pursuit of a career in aviation at the age of 15, when I volunteered as an airport ambassador at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). As an airport ambassador, I assisted in passenger hospitality services such as directions, emergencies, SkyLink operations, and airline, gate, and retail information. Since then, I have interned at a number of places including American Airlines. Flying forward to the present, I recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and Professional Pilot. And have since started to serve as a cadet pilot and brand ambassador for Republic Airways, but the path to get to where I am now wasn’t straightforward.
During my freshman year of college, when others asked me what class I was going to, I said “class in the air.” Now exactly what did “class in the air” entail? From the wind patterns to the landing maneuvers, when in the pilot’s chair, nothing is ever the same. Every day is a new challenge, a new opportunity that I look forward to. I love waking up, not knowing what dynamic teaching opportunities will arise, and getting to learn from my students who I teach as a Certified Flight Instructor too.
While I enjoyed the learning and training aspect, I think it’s important to highlight that this flight path wasn’t exactly easy. Aviation is a demanding career, from both a financial and time commitment perspective. The Federal Aviation Administration requires 250 flight hours to earn a commercial pilot license and each flying hour costs approximately $200. This cost doesn’t even include college tuition. Money can be a significant deterring factor for people wanting to enter this field, but the important thing to remember is that the return on investment is worth it a few years down the road. It’s also easy to overlook the 250 flight hours in the cockpit that translate to about 6000 hours in the airport, or working prior to and after to prepare for the flight itself. This time commitment is in addition to your college course load and day-to-day activities. This, however, doesn’t stop me from keeping in touch with Jainism.
As a practicing Jain working towards becoming a pilot and someone who has learned many principles from my grandparents, one thing I am often asked about is the concern that aircrafts kill many jiv (a term used to identify the Soul) and harm the environment in their daily operations. While this is a valid concern, I aim to see the positive side in the aviation industry’s ability to connect Jains across the world, keeping our traditions and culture alive in the midst of an urbanizing and changing world. Even amongst other industries, there is no such thing as a perfect world, but the most important thing I try to remember is to do as much good as possible and be willing and able to keep moving forward.
Speaking of moving forward, there are an infinite number of tips to maneuver and take off. Many people think of pilots as excelling at math and physics, but truly most of the math we do is as simple as 1+2. What really matters is your communication skills and work ethic. You have to master the art of crew resource management, collaborating amongst crew members, and understanding the technicalities and operations of the system. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in aviation, I’m confident that you will find your path, and urge you to not give up. It’s easy to say I’m done and just walk out of the building but difficult to keep pushing through.
As I serve as both a pilot and flight instructor, I aim to enhance my skills and ensure that every minute in the air is better for my students. I want to be a pilot that lets passengers know they are in good hands and that their comfort and safety are my number one priority. The next time you fly, listen to the pilot on the intercom. Perhaps I’ll be flying your plane to the next YJA convention! — #HumansofYJA, 10: Henil Rathod
The thoughts and opinions expressed in each post belong solely to the individual highlighted in the story. YJA does not endorse any of these viewpoints, but is simply using this project as a platform to showcase the diverse experiences of the youth in our community.
A special thanks to Rahi Shah and Rihi Jain!
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