The sky is an expanse, a wide space that we all wish to be our canvas. Lying in wet grass and gazing at the passing clouds, some shaped as birds, some as dinosaurs, and some as amoebas. But really, the feeling of just watching them pass cannot be explained.

Not everyone wants to look at them from a distance, some want to be a part of the sky-affairs. And such is Captain Joohi Moondia. Her strong zeal to be amidst the sky-riders brings her to where she is today.

Joohi is currently gaining her Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and expects to join a commercial Airline Brand, soon.

On the occasion of World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day, JWB arranged a telephonic interview with Captain Joohi and asked her everything we wanted to know about Pilots and their epic ‘Cockpit’ moments.

Me: What’s your dream destination to fly to?

Joohi: I want to fly over the Atlantic. The views you get to see from the sky are legendary. Natural lights are refracted in the most beautiful ways possible. And being in the sky and watching them, I think there’s nothing more beautiful.

Me: Aviation is a majorly male-dominated field. How difficult was it to be a part of it?

Joohi: Not at all. Of course, there’s the basic struggle that anyone would face, but none because of being a girl. I can safely say that gender bias was never a problem. Also, I feel that it all begins with the family. If your family is supportive and has no ‘gender-based’ perspectives in their mind, they will never cross your mind.

Me: That tells us that your family was supportive! When did you know that you wanted to be a Pilot?

Joohi: At some level, I think I always knew, however, I kept it to myself. I SUCKED at Math, and so I thought I could never be a Pilot. I didn’t mind being an Airhostess, either, I just wanted to fly. But, the support and encouragement of my parents made sure that it happened to me. I remember, I took up Humanities in 11^th, and halfway through the course, I realized I had to be a Pilot. It took a lot of convincing on my parent’s part to get the Principal to agree.

Me: Tell me how your first experience with flying was.

Joohi: The first flying experience is called an “Air-experience.” In that time, they see if you feel nauseous if you’re comfortable in the air. They make sure you’re air-ready.

Me: And were you air-ready?

Joohi: You bet I was!

Me: What happens in the ‘Cockpit’?

Joohi: The plane is pretty much automated, and honestly, we do have the time of our lives gazing at the beautiful sky. The job of the Pilots is to see that nothing goes wrong. And Pilots only monitor the flight.

Me: Food for thought for the ones scared of riding the plane?

Joohi: There are more chances of you to be in a road accident than in a plane crash.

Me: Did you ever face any dire situations while flying?

Joohi: During our training, we have to perform an ‘across country’. It means that you’re supposed to fly the plane alone for about 200 km. So of course, there’s a lot of pressure going on in your mind. When the flight took off, I felt that there wasn’t enough fuel in the plane, and I kinda began panicking. I knew that there was no sense in going all the way back, so I knew it was time to make an emergency landing. Those ten seconds were very crucial. That’s the thing with being a Pilot, you’re responsible for the lives of about 200 people onboard. You can’t give up in a dire situation!

Me: Didn’t you ever want to be a Fighter Pilot?

Joohi: Actually, no. I think they require so much more disciple and caliber. Their level of expertise is altogether at a different level.

Me: Tell me about your Uniform.

Joohi: Ah, the Uniform! It’s so glamorous! It could be one of the reasons why I wanted to be a Pilot. It’s so attractive. Even today, I don’t think there’s anything sexier than a Pilot in his Uniform.

Joohi, thanks to you, I have a sudden desire to travel to the Atlantic, get myself a Pilot Uniform and at least fly a toy plane. Dear budding Pilots, don’t you worry, as Captain Juhi hated Math, too!