The decision to become a pilot, much like most other young aviators, was one that was made by private pilot Richard Gordon at the tender age of four.

Gordon found himself to be fascinated with planes while making trips to the airport as a child and while listening to his older brother profess his love for planes.

“It was a mixture of going to the airport as a child and seeing the airplanes (Air Jamaica), being very fascinated by the aesthetics of the machines, and being amazed by the fact that something so huge seemed to defy logic and take flight,” he said.

“My older brother also made mention that when he grew up he would have loved to become a pilot or a scientist, so naturally I followed suit in an attempt to emulate him,” Gordon said with a smile.

According to the private pilot, when he eventually took his first flight as a child, that sealed the deal and he has been hooked ever since.

He shared with the Jamaica Observer the experience of operating a plane for the first time.

“My first experience came at 15 years old in 2009 when I did a summer mentorship at Tinson Pen.

“During the programme I became fully immersed in all things aviation. I was able to go on field trips to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Air Wing, and even got a chance to see airplanes take off and land at the Norman Manley Airport, which I found to be very fascinating.

“The last day of that summer programme saw each mentee getting a chance to go for a discovery flight. I was able to go up and take a lap around the field with an instructor and even got a chance to control the aircraft. My mom was watching from the back seat. That day was one of my most memorable experiences. And on that day, I made a verbal promise to my mom that I would become the first pilot in the family,” he said.

“From the summer programme to actually getting into actual flight training proved to be a more difficult undertaking than I could have ever imagined, and I had come to the realisation that it was a pretty expensive venture. But, not to be deterred, I went through high school with aviation still in mind, getting the subjects necessary to get into the field.

“I stayed as close to aviation as I could. I was an executive member of the St Jago High School’s aviation club, which afforded me the opportunity to be a part of field trips to Tinson Pen, and this also helped me to remain in contact with the persons in charge at the flight school,” he said.

“After completing my high school education, I was able to secure a job and I saved what I could and put it towards completing my private pilot license.

“My savings were not enough, and the help I received from my aunt, mom, and sister could not suffice.

“I decided to step out on a branch and I landed personal funding from a financial institution. That funding gave me the cushion I needed, and I was able to complete my private pilot training,” he said.

“The road definitely wasn’t an easy one. Having to wake as early as 3:00 am to get to the aerodrome to complete training flights, after which I would have to go to work, find time to study and complete my exams.

“Although the road was bumpy, I could see where my determination was paying off as I broke the school’s solo record (flying the airplane as the sole occupant for the first time) on September 12 of last year. This was a major morale boost because at that time I had not received the loan as yet, and I was not sure how I was even going to finish my training.

“However, that initial promise to my mother, and a burning desire to achieve this monumental task I had set for myself, along with motivation from all my loved ones, really gave me the drive I needed to accomplish my immediate goal at the time, which was to become a private pilot,” he said.

Gordon said that his ultimate goal is to become a commercial pilot but the current state of aviation in Jamaica makes him a little discouraged at times.

“It is my hope to complete all of my licences and certifications required to become a commercial pilot, and by extension, a flight instructor, as it gives me great joy to impart knowledge to persons coming up after me.

“The hope of many young Jamaican aviators would have been to do that for Air Jamaica but as you know, that will only be a dream now, and so I’d like to go further on my journey and achieve the ultimate goal of becoming an airline captain on an Airbus A320.

“The path to that goal is still not clear, but I’ve come to appreciate the journey for what it is, and I believe the destination will be realised once I never stop trying,” Gordon said.