<p style="margin-bottom:11px">We caught up with Lucy Dakin-Scott, 2021 Evelyn Saunders Memorial Cup winner from the Air League. Lucy navigates a full time job as cabin crew with easyJet, part time role as Marketing Communications Officer at the Air League, having already completed her Private <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?keywords=pilot#browsing">Pilot's</a> License. In this interview she also discusses her longer term career development plan, which unsurprisingly will see her returning to the skies.</p>
<p>1) I understand that you have completed your Private Pilot’s License, can you tell me about it?</p>
<p>I started my journey in aviation in 2019: I’d just finished my GCSE exams and was unsure of what to do with my future. I knew I liked aviation, travel and tourism. However, in school there was not many opportunties to learn about a career in aviation which would guide me in the right direction.</p>
<p>As I followed a lot of aviation related pages on social media, I spotted British Airways advertising a gliding experience day at Booker Airfield in High Wycombe, hosted by the Air League. I promptly joined the Air League to apply and see what it was all about. It turns out, that a one-hour trial flight and a day of workshops was the best thing I ever did! It kickstarted my love for general aviation and flying. Gliding is very pure and a great and cheaper way to access aviation, especially at a young age. From there, I kept applying for Scholarships through the Air League and was awarded 5 hours in 2020, and 8 hours in 2021. I had been working for 5 years at that point and had saved every penny to be able to fund an intensive PPL course at my club South Warwickshire Flying School, at Wellesbourne Mountford Aerodrome. I completed my PPL training in 6 weeks over the summer of 2021, and passed my skills test on October 4th 2021.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="With my instructor" src="/getasset/7d1152bf-61e5-4223-af6f-0a90bccf2272/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">With my instructor Ed Burford at South Warwickshire Flying School after passing my skills test on October 4th 2021.</p>
<p>I was awarded the Evelyn Saunders Memorial Cup by the Air League in 2021, which is awarded to the ‘Most Outstanding Female Scholar’ of the year. It is an award I cherish: I put a lot of hard work into achieving my PPL and I always make sure to keep in touch with other winners of the cup.</p>
<p>2) Have you been flying much?</p>
<p>Since gaining my PPL, I’ve completed 80 hours as<a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?keywords=pilot#browsing"> Pilot</a> in Command, flying from Wellesbourne to lots of different airfields across the country. I’ve also been further afield- Guernsey was a highlight in September 2023! Being able to just hop in the plane and go somewhere you’ve never been before, just for a slice of cake and the amazing views, is very freeing and I try to fly as much as I can.</p>
<p>Obviously, the great <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/united-kingdom/#browsing">British</a> weather can be temperamental and I juggle two <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/">jobs</a> so it’s not uncommon for me to go a couple of months without flying, especially in the winter.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="In the cockpit " src="/getasset/8882d2c0-17d0-42ee-9d04-6ce24574503d/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">In the cockpit after my first solo nav exercise, 2021</p>
<p>I fly the four seater PA28 and the two seater C152, and have an incredibly supportive club which is so important to me, especially when spending a lot of money and time there. My favourite part of flying is the view: I love flying over Wales and Snowdonia, looking across the mountains over the sea. </p>
<p>3) What are you doing currently?</p>
<p>Currently, I work full time as Cabin Crew for easyJet and I also have a part-time role as Marketing and Communications Officer at the Air League, a job very close to my heart as I wouldn’t be flying had I not found the Air League. </p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="easyJet training completed" src="/getasset/034c3009-da41-40c2-ba9d-3f50c4d51b7d/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Completing training with easyJet in November 2023</p>
<p>4) What's been the best part of the Cabin Crew role so far?</p>
<p>I love my job! Based out of Manchester, we fly to hundreds of destinations around Europe and looking out of the window over all these different places and seeing the world is a special thing for me. </p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="Salzburg" src="/getasset/763938c3-7fb6-4846-b2f3-df2f4d19c31b/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Photo with the engine in Salzburg. </p>
<p>We do get to travel a lot, with nightstops allowing some time downroute to explore, and I get a great discount on my own travel. It’s awesome to play such a big part in the connectivity of Europe. You speak to so many different people from different backgrounds every day, and it’s fascinating to talk to them and discover their stories. Working with different crew also means you make lots of new friends in a very short space of time; who you might not see again for another few months, but you’ll be able to talk like you’ve known each other forever when you do! </p>
<p>I also appreciate the ability to get a first-hand experience of life in the cockpit, with the opportunity to sit in at quiet moments and talk about the aircraft, weather, and all the other pilot-y things! This is something which will hugely benefit me in the future when I begin my ATPL exams, as I’ll have had some experience from watching up front.</p>
<p>5) What are your plans for the future?</p>
<p>In the near future, I hope to begin my ATPL exams. I’m currently saving money to enrol on a classroom based course, which is around £6,000 in the UK. I’d love to be able to start these sometime in 2025, but I’m in no rush. I’m grateful for my current position and have a lot of time ahead of me. The experiences I’m having right now will make me a better pilot when I get there. </p>
<p>6) What is your role at the Air League?</p>
<p>My role at the Air League is the Marketing and Communications Officer. I look after all of our social media channels, website, emails and assist in the organisation of our busy events calendar. I love being part of the team, as the Air League is very close to my heart and I wouldn’t be where I am without the support I was provided with.</p>
<p>As part of my job, I get to work at our events and speak to young aviators from across the country. I also get to play a part in the first step into aviation for many young students taking part in our schools’ outreach programme. I appreciate being in the position to support and inspire others, in an industry where similar support is few and far between. It’s very important to me that young people are given every chance to succeed, and that we provide as many opportunities as possible to assist them.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="Hosting the Air League" src="/getasset/937ef0fc-5df8-46b2-8279-ce857da42b33/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Hosting the Air League’s Annual Reception at Parliament</p>
<p>My favourite part of the job is promoting Scholarships on social media and beyond, finding the young people who otherwise wouldn’t consider a career in aviation, encouraging them to apply and then seeing them grow through our schemes.</p>
<p>1) I understand that you have completed your Private Pilot’s License, can you tell me about it?</p>
<p>I started my journey in aviation in 2019: I’d just finished my GCSE exams and was unsure of what to do with my future. I knew I liked aviation, travel and tourism. However, in school there was not many opportunties to learn about a career in aviation which would guide me in the right direction.</p>
<p>As I followed a lot of aviation related pages on social media, I spotted British Airways advertising a gliding experience day at Booker Airfield in High Wycombe, hosted by the Air League. I promptly joined the Air League to apply and see what it was all about. It turns out, that a one-hour trial flight and a day of workshops was the best thing I ever did! It kickstarted my love for general aviation and flying. Gliding is very pure and a great and cheaper way to access aviation, especially at a young age. From there, I kept applying for Scholarships through the Air League and was awarded 5 hours in 2020, and 8 hours in 2021. I had been working for 5 years at that point and had saved every penny to be able to fund an intensive PPL course at my club South Warwickshire Flying School, at Wellesbourne Mountford Aerodrome. I completed my PPL training in 6 weeks over the summer of 2021, and passed my skills test on October 4th 2021.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="With my instructor" src="/getasset/7d1152bf-61e5-4223-af6f-0a90bccf2272/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">With my instructor Ed Burford at South Warwickshire Flying School after passing my skills test on October 4th 2021.</p>
<p>I was awarded the Evelyn Saunders Memorial Cup by the Air League in 2021, which is awarded to the ‘Most Outstanding Female Scholar’ of the year. It is an award I cherish: I put a lot of hard work into achieving my PPL and I always make sure to keep in touch with other winners of the cup.</p>
<p>2) Have you been flying much?</p>
<p>Since gaining my PPL, I’ve completed 80 hours as<a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/?keywords=pilot#browsing"> Pilot</a> in Command, flying from Wellesbourne to lots of different airfields across the country. I’ve also been further afield- Guernsey was a highlight in September 2023! Being able to just hop in the plane and go somewhere you’ve never been before, just for a slice of cake and the amazing views, is very freeing and I try to fly as much as I can.</p>
<p>Obviously, the great <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/united-kingdom/#browsing">British</a> weather can be temperamental and I juggle two <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/">jobs</a> so it’s not uncommon for me to go a couple of months without flying, especially in the winter.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="In the cockpit " src="/getasset/8882d2c0-17d0-42ee-9d04-6ce24574503d/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">In the cockpit after my first solo nav exercise, 2021</p>
<p>I fly the four seater PA28 and the two seater C152, and have an incredibly supportive club which is so important to me, especially when spending a lot of money and time there. My favourite part of flying is the view: I love flying over Wales and Snowdonia, looking across the mountains over the sea. </p>
<p>3) What are you doing currently?</p>
<p>Currently, I work full time as Cabin Crew for easyJet and I also have a part-time role as Marketing and Communications Officer at the Air League, a job very close to my heart as I wouldn’t be flying had I not found the Air League. </p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="easyJet training completed" src="/getasset/034c3009-da41-40c2-ba9d-3f50c4d51b7d/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Completing training with easyJet in November 2023</p>
<p>4) What's been the best part of the Cabin Crew role so far?</p>
<p>I love my job! Based out of Manchester, we fly to hundreds of destinations around Europe and looking out of the window over all these different places and seeing the world is a special thing for me. </p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="Salzburg" src="/getasset/763938c3-7fb6-4846-b2f3-df2f4d19c31b/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Photo with the engine in Salzburg. </p>
<p>We do get to travel a lot, with nightstops allowing some time downroute to explore, and I get a great discount on my own travel. It’s awesome to play such a big part in the connectivity of Europe. You speak to so many different people from different backgrounds every day, and it’s fascinating to talk to them and discover their stories. Working with different crew also means you make lots of new friends in a very short space of time; who you might not see again for another few months, but you’ll be able to talk like you’ve known each other forever when you do! </p>
<p>I also appreciate the ability to get a first-hand experience of life in the cockpit, with the opportunity to sit in at quiet moments and talk about the aircraft, weather, and all the other pilot-y things! This is something which will hugely benefit me in the future when I begin my ATPL exams, as I’ll have had some experience from watching up front.</p>
<p>5) What are your plans for the future?</p>
<p>In the near future, I hope to begin my ATPL exams. I’m currently saving money to enrol on a classroom based course, which is around £6,000 in the UK. I’d love to be able to start these sometime in 2025, but I’m in no rush. I’m grateful for my current position and have a lot of time ahead of me. The experiences I’m having right now will make me a better pilot when I get there. </p>
<p>6) What is your role at the Air League?</p>
<p>My role at the Air League is the Marketing and Communications Officer. I look after all of our social media channels, website, emails and assist in the organisation of our busy events calendar. I love being part of the team, as the Air League is very close to my heart and I wouldn’t be where I am without the support I was provided with.</p>
<p>As part of my job, I get to work at our events and speak to young aviators from across the country. I also get to play a part in the first step into aviation for many young students taking part in our schools’ outreach programme. I appreciate being in the position to support and inspire others, in an industry where similar support is few and far between. It’s very important to me that young people are given every chance to succeed, and that we provide as many opportunities as possible to assist them.</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><img alt="Hosting the Air League" src="/getasset/937ef0fc-5df8-46b2-8279-ce857da42b33/" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Hosting the Air League’s Annual Reception at Parliament</p>
<p>My favourite part of the job is promoting Scholarships on social media and beyond, finding the young people who otherwise wouldn’t consider a career in aviation, encouraging them to apply and then seeing them grow through our schemes.</p>