As a little girl, while travelling abroad she was fascinated by the huge metal birds cutting across the clouds. And she dreamed of flyi
ng one herself. At barely 17 years, Greema Patel lived her dream and now she rides the clouds and skims across the horizon.
Greema had decided to become a pilot when she was in class X. Her dreams took flight at Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Limited, in Mehsana. After getting 10 hours of flying to her credit, Greema decided it was time to move on.
Her father, who is mukhi (chief) of the village, gave wings to her dreams by sending her to Florida. Between April and September this year, Greema completed 80 hours of flying there. And, when Greema was just two months over 17 years, she got a licence to fly.
"The training period at Florida was very difficult and thrilling at the same time. It was difficult because I was staying alone at the aviation school in Florida and thrilling because of my flights in the skies," says Greema.
There was, however, a bonus. In her batch of 20 students, 19 were Gujaratis. The odd one out was a north Indian. And, Greema happened to be the youngest. "The instructor would switch off the engine on flight to test my flying skills and emergency handling capabilities. Sometimes, I was made to land on islands and in difficult terrains," recounts Greema. She passed each test with flying colours. She also flew through four hours of oral questioning.
Greema now dreams of becoming the youngest commercial pilot. She wants to go back abroad to earn a licence of commercial pilot and hopes to achieve this by the time she turns 22.
Courtesy : www.timesofindia.com
ng one herself. At barely 17 years, Greema Patel lived her dream and now she rides the clouds and skims across the horizon.
Greema had decided to become a pilot when she was in class X. Her dreams took flight at Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Limited, in Mehsana. After getting 10 hours of flying to her credit, Greema decided it was time to move on.
Her father, who is mukhi (chief) of the village, gave wings to her dreams by sending her to Florida. Between April and September this year, Greema completed 80 hours of flying there. And, when Greema was just two months over 17 years, she got a licence to fly.
"The training period at Florida was very difficult and thrilling at the same time. It was difficult because I was staying alone at the aviation school in Florida and thrilling because of my flights in the skies," says Greema.
There was, however, a bonus. In her batch of 20 students, 19 were Gujaratis. The odd one out was a north Indian. And, Greema happened to be the youngest. "The instructor would switch off the engine on flight to test my flying skills and emergency handling capabilities. Sometimes, I was made to land on islands and in difficult terrains," recounts Greema. She passed each test with flying colours. She also flew through four hours of oral questioning.
Greema now dreams of becoming the youngest commercial pilot. She wants to go back abroad to earn a licence of commercial pilot and hopes to achieve this by the time she turns 22.
Courtesy : www.timesofindia.com