My name is Antsa Tia Ramambaharisoa, I am 21 years old and I currently live in Madagascar. I have been an Aviation Operations Student since October 2021 and I continue to explore different aspects of aviation.
How did you get into aviation?
How I got into Aviation has not been a path that I particularly planned as I studied physics in the first place. But when I discovered that there was something else you could do in aviation than being a pilot or a flight attendant or even a mechanic, I was curious and wanted to learn more about that particular side of aviation which is Flight operations. And since then, I started to be more passionate about this field. I recently got my theory aptitude certificate as an operations agent, worked as an intern at an aviation company, and am currently taking the practice courses in our school.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Usually as an aviation operations student, your life would be divided in two periods. In the first one, all you do is study and get used to the aviation world, to make sure you will pass the theory exams and to search for potential aviation companies that could hire you as an intern first. In the second period, you will begin to focus on all the outcomes of your studies: submitting tons of applications, discovering the current jobs of people who did the same study as you, and feeling uncertain whether this path is the right one for you or not, but also finding a lot of opportunities that can help you accelerate your plans or totally change them. And most importantly, discovered flight operations agents' routines: planning flights, calculating the required fuel quantity, checking weight and balance, weather, and so on.
What challenges have you faced so far?
One of the main challenges we face as Aviation Operations students in Madagascar is finding a suitable internship that matches the school’s requirements and eventually continuing the studies we pursue. A lot of aviation operations students cannot pursue their studies due to various reasons but the main concern is the uncertainty of whether there will be practice exams or not.
Passing the practice exams is one of the final steps to getting your practice aptitude certificate and eventually getting your Operations agent diploma. So as some of us find opportunities such as finding jobs and getting hired after passing the theory exams, others plan to finish our studies first, which we are not so sure about because we don’t know if there will be practice exams.
What advice would you pass on to aspiring aviation professionals?
If someone is aspiring to become an aviation professional, I would say it is important to note that situations may vary depending on the country that you are in. However, regardless of your geographical situation, you should never give up. Don’t be discouraged by other people’s success; instead, be inspired. Don’t consider that only smart people will succeed in that field because that’s not the case. Only tenacious people do.
