OBSTACLE(S)
By Kayleigh Bordner
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Obstacle(s). The dictionary defines an obstacle as “something that obstructs or hinders progress.” Every person in the history of the human race has had to overcome some form of obstacle in his or her life. It doesn’t matter when the obstacle is encountered or how big/small it is perceived to be; what matters is how each individual deals with them. The reason why I am putting so much emphasis on obstacles today is because when pursuing aviation as a career or hobby, there are plenty of them to encounter. When an individual begins showing an interest in aviation and starts asking around about it, they hear all of the encouraging sides of aviation. You hear how amazing aviation is, how much freedom you can gain, how it’s the career to get into right now because of the “pilot shortage,” and so on. But, what a lot of people don’t tell you about is the obstacles that you might encounter during your time in aviation. Now, this article isn’t written with the intent to scare anyone off, tell them that aviation is hard, or they shouldn’t get into it. It’s quite the opposite. I want to use my own personal struggles in aviation as an example to show up and coming aviation enthusiasts that yes, there will be tough spots, and there will even be times where you feel like quitting. However, when you overcome that obstacle it’s so rewarding. If you read my first article in the January 2018 edition of AviNation, then you already know my back story of how I began my aviation journey. If you didn’t read it…go find a copy! So many people tell me that I have a charmed life, or that I am living the dream. I will admit that I have been very blessed throughout my life, but like everyone else I have had my fair share of struggles. There have been times where I have wanted to quit, or times when I have gotten so burnt out on aviation that I didn’t even want to look at an airplane. I can still remember my biggest struggle in aviation was when I was working on my Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate. I had started that training when I was a junior at Indiana State University (during the summer of 2015) with so much focus and determination. But, somewhere along the line that focus started to slip away. A lot of people say that your junior year of college is the hardest because it’s your third year in school, and you’re so close to the finish but still so far. On top of my flight training, I was booked solid with
