ENGLISH GLOBAL LANGUAGE

Teacher Claudia Travensolo

LESSON 19

Aviation Conversation

1. Talk about your Aviation training?

I started taking my pilot course five years ago. Since then I got the private and the commercial
license. At the moment I work as a flight instructor I have ……… flight hours. I am also
graduated in Aeronautical Science, which provided me much support for the pratical courses.

2. How was your first solo flight?

It was …….. years ago and it was very exciting. The weather was pretty good, there were no
clouds in the sky and the atmosphere was calm. I was flying a CESNA 152 and I was training a
touch and go landing (the TGL) when my instructor cleared me to fly solo. I flew the flight
pattern and it was fantastic to be in control of the aircraft by myself. As I finished the pattern I
aligned the aircraft with the runway and I performed a smooth landing. Finally my instructor
and some other student pilots gave me a water shower which is a tradition at Brazilian flight
schools.

3. Talk about your last flight.

The last flight I performed was yesterday. It was a navegation from Itápolis to Bauru. I flew a
CESNA 152 with a student, who is almost ready to check the Comercial Pilot License. The
weather wasn´t good . It was very cloudy, that´s why we performed an instrument flight. In
Bauru we performed a touch and go landing on the runway and after that we came back to
Itápolis. The landing was smooth, in spite of the bad weather.

4. How was the interview for your present job conducted?

My interview was great, but It was a surprise, because I wasn´t waiting for that. I finished my
flight instructor course and two months later the school where I´ve studied invited me to take an
interview for a job as a flight instructor. I liked the invitation, but I was a little anxious because
that was my first interview. Finally it turned out very good. I overcame my fears. I could answer
all the question they asked me and now I think I am a very good fligh instructor.

5. How did your family react when you informed them that you wanted to be a pilot?

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Teacher Claudia Travensolo
It was good, but first my mom didn´t find it a good choice, because she thought it was a very
dangerous career. My father however liked my idea of becoming a pilot and after a visit to the
flight school he convinced my mother it was safe. Since then they have been supporting me
finacially and psycologically.

6. Before becoming a pilot, what type of aircraft did you want to fly and why did you
want to fly that type of aircraft?
Before becoming a pilot, I always dreamed of flying a Boeing… / Airbus… / Gulfstream.. /
Citation… because this aircraft is mainly used to transport passengers / cargo on medium /
long-haul flights… and it flies at medium / high altitudes… The performance is….
Moreover, nowadays I dream of flying a….

7. When you were a student pilot, what was the most difficult subject for you? Why?

The most dificult subject for me was navegation because it requires good knowledge about
Math and Phisics. Before and during every flight we have to pay attention to the numbers and
calculate very accuratelly the flight level we will maintain, the route we will take, the distance
from departure to destination airport, plus alternative; how much fuel we will use for the fligh
etc.

8. What was the most exciting moment as a pilot?

The most unforgettable thing that has happened to me as a pilot was a flight to (place) …. (time)
ago as a student pilot / flight instructor. I was flying a… (aircraft), performing (procedure), the
weather was…. And suddenly…. I experienced…

It was my first solo-flight…. It was a flight to (place) …. (time) ago as a student pilot / flight
instructor. I was flying a… (aircraft), performing (procedure), the weather was…. And
suddenly…. I experienced…

The first time I flew with my parents… it was a local flight. I flew the flight pattern…

9. What was the most difficult part of becoming?

I have no doubts that was the financial aspect. Normally the avisation courses in Brasil are very
expensive. I workes hard for five years to sabe money in order to pay for the courses and the
flight hours, but it wasn´t enough. My parents also helped me with money, givinng me their

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Teacher Claudia Travensolo
own savings. We have to take several theoretical and practical courses to get the licenses, as
well as medical exams every year, and all of them demand a high financial investment.