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“You don’t need a technical background to become a pilot”
Those were the words of Pablo Michineau, former Quality Fly student and flight instructor, and current SAS First Officer flying the Airbus A320. We sat down with Pablo to talk about his journey to achieving his dream of becoming an airline pilot.
Why did you want to be a pilot?
When I was just a kid, I travelled a lot due to my family circumstances and was fascinated by the technical aspect of aviation.
What were you doing prior to starting the training? Don’t you need a technical background?
I studied business administration degree, so it’s not related to aviation. You don’t need a technical background be successful in the course.
Why did you choose Madrid for your training?
First of all, the weather. The good weather means it is possible to fly more throughout the year compared to other cities or countries.
Secondly, the airspace we have in Madrid is quite special because we share it with three other airports: some civilian, some military and of course with a big airport, which is Madrid Barajas. It has a high density of traffic from different airlines. Sharing the airspace with them makes it a much better learning environment than other airports.
Why did you choose Quality Fly for your training?
I did my PPL and ATPL Theory in other flight schools and then moved to Quality Fly. My previous schools didn’t really have a good training structure or following of my progress. Quality Fly has this structure, providing training and constant growth during the training.
I also liked Quality Fly’s fleet. It has modern glass cockpits with similar systems that we can find in aircraft such as the Airbus 320.
The flight instructors are very experienced and provide very detailed feedback as well as good flight preparation, which helps you to make the most out of the flights.
How did Quality Fly’s fleet help you transition to commercial airline pilot?
As mentioned previously, Quality Fly’s fleet is equipped with Garmin glass cockpits. This is one of the most modern systems in general aviation currently and even in some commercial airliners. The most specific system that we use is the flight path vector that we can find on the Airbus 320 and we actually use it on a day-to-day basis. So being familiar with this system makes it much easier for us pilots to join airlines and adapt to the operation of airlines.
How was the APS MCC and how did it prepare you for an airline job?
It made a big difference because I did it on the Airbus 320 in the full flight simulator. So when you get to an airline interview, the simulator is not an unfamiliar environment. You are prepared and trained for it. It also prepares you for the day-to-day operation that airlines perform in different environments and it makes you feel comfortable with the procedures that the airline uses on a day-to-day basis. In the interview you already know what the companies are looking for and what knowledge they need you to have.
What do you miss about studying at Quality Fly?
The day-to-day excitement of coming to Cuatro Vientos, meeting instructors and learning every day from every flight. Meeting new people every day from different countries, different continents and having such a good relation and learning from all of them.
How did you find your job at SAS as an Airbus A320 First Officer?
I found my job as a Airbus 220 First Officer on a job portal on the Internet and Quality Fly provided me with an interview preparation dynamic and a good recommendation letter.
What are your Top 3 Tips for future pilots?
- Don’t give up
- Be aware of your weaknesses and work on them
- Be disciplined and make a huge effort every day.
You can watch the full interview with Pablo on our YouTube channel.
About Quality Fly
Quality Fly is a flight academy based in Cuatro-Vientos airport, Madrid.
The academy boasts a highly international profile with all classes taught in English and a student base of more than 35 different nationalities.
At the very heart of their training offer is possibly Europe’s most innovative ATPL integrated program, which meets the latest and future EASA requirements and includes 40 hours in A320 full flight simulator level D, night flights in MEP, gliding training sessions and career advice. All to ensure the highest level of competency to fly as First Officer in the most demanding airlines around the world and prepare the students for real life circumstances.
The commitment of Quality Fly to digital processes and effective systems allows the school to maintain its very competitive price for the 2025 ATPL course.
