Steven Paduchak
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a good friend of mine, Marco, who is an international student from Germany. He is studying aviation here in the United States for a semester on exchange.
As someone who had the opportunity to study abroad myself, I know what it’s like to have a complete change in environment and culture. Since he arrived in the United States, my friends and I have kept him involved and wanted him to be immersed in the environment here in the Southeast.
Through the short period of time thus far, he’s definitely done so, and then some!
Enoying the warm beach of Miami |
As a
fellow international #AvGeek, Marco is heavily appreciative of the education
and insight he’s received here in America. As a commercial pilot himself, after
coming to the States a few years back to receive all his ratings - accumulating
over 2,000 hours of flight time, he’s reflecting on his experiences here in
higher education.
What do you like about studying aviation in the United States?
“The diversity in my aviation classes is very attractive. If it is airline management, air traffic control, and airport management, or if you want to study about weather, everything is offered here for aviation students,” Marco said.
“Aviation Management is a big part of the education system in the U.S., which I really enjoy. Further, aviation here is completely different than in Europe. I want to learn as much as possible about aviation and the culture from every part of the world. The United States is a big nation with a long history.”
What's the difference between studying aviation in the United States than in Europe?
“Aviation in this part of the world is different,” he said. “I know that the Federal Aviation Administration has some different rules and regulations than the International Civil Aviation Organization, and I want to see their differences. The classes and topics about airports are interesting for me, because that is not offered in my university in Germany.”
Marco also elaborated on the differences in course structure.
“Our classes have between 10 and 50 students, which is very small. However, the classes here are even smaller and that gives the students more opportunities to get more involved into discussions and research. A big difference I have noticed is that the classes here are very flexible. At my university, we have a high standard in theory and the pressure is very high, but it is not always possible to change topics.”
In your opinion, where do you see the aviation industry going in the next 5 years?
“It depends where you are. If we have a look on the airline industry, everything will change in the next years to come. The big players will expand to different parts of the world. The increasing world population and expansion of its economy will increase the need for flying,” Marco said.
“The question is very hard to answer, because you have to consider every single part in aviation which changes differently on a daily basis. I could talk about this all day,” he said jokingly.
“Basically, the aviation industry will grow tremendously.”
Additionally, Marco has travelled across the Americas and visited places such as New York, Miami, Montreal, and Cancun. He hopes to visit other cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, and move out and see the West Coast.
Time
Square just after the New Year!
As a commercial
pilot, Marco is humbled by the higher education he has received in the aviation
field. The flight training he endured a few years back has
served him well, and through hard work, determination, and chances to travel
different parts of the world, his knowledge and experience in the industry have
both proven to be invaluable.Marco will return to Germany in April to finish his Bachelor’s degree, and continue on to being a commercial airline pilot for Emirates!