Shujaa Imran
Shujaa successfully completed the AirlineReady® APS MCC at VA Airline Training and is now flying the Embraer E190 with British Airways Cityflyer, based at London City Airport
Shujaa is now flying Embraer E190 jets with BA Cityflyer
What inspired you to pursue a career as a commercial pilot?
For me, this was always a childhood dream. I remember my dad telling me I always wanted to be on the 'front' of things. Initially, I aspired to be a Bus driver, then a Tube driver, but my goals moved towards aircraft when I flew on my first passenger flight. I'm a first-generation pilot - meaning there's no one else in aviation in my family. My passion increased when I started collecting different airliner models and flying on Microsoft Flight Simulator X.
What did you do before starting pilot training?
I started my flight training in 2017, which was alongside pursuing a university bachelor's degree in BS Biotechnology. I always thought it was a good idea to have a 'backup' field in case the aviation route didn't go as planned - so I did my flight training alongside my university classes. Before that, I used to fly a lot on Microsft Flight Simulator X with VATSIM - which helped develop my RT skills.
Which training route did you choose to follow, and why?
I initially started my flight training in Pakistan as I was living there. This was before I moved back to the UK after COVID-19. All my flight training was modular. I converted my Pakistan CPL to a UK/EASA CPL and MEIR (frozen ATPL) with Aeros Flight Training in Coventry. This involved doing all 13 ATPL exams again! After my MEIR exam, I joined VA Airline Training for the APS MCC course on the Boeing 737.
Once I had finished my flight training, I was lucky enough to start as an ATPL TKI at a leading flight school in Oxford, and I also received a scholarship for the Flight Instructor (FI) course from the Honourable Company of Air Pilots. I finished my FI course from Leicestershire Aero Club in July 2022 and then started working as a dual FI/ATPL TKI at Oxford Airport. I did this until I joined BA Cityflyer in December 2023, giving me some amazing experience and further developing my competencies as a pilot.
Shujaa in the Boeing 737 simulator at VA Airline Training during his APS MCC
Shujaa with his APS MCC training partner, Joe Caruana. Joe went on to join Ryanair, and you can read his Success Story
What challenges did you face before or during training?
I think the main challenge initially was pursuing a university degree alongside my flight training, as this involved long study hours and stressful nights. After that, moving back to the UK without my family and getting accustomed to UK airspace was intense, but it all worked out in the end!
What were the highlights of your time in training?
I did my MEIR skills test in Guersney, which involved ferrying an aircraft from Gloucester to Shoreham to pick up the examiner, and then fly down to Guersney. The skills test was conducted with IR approaches to Cherbourg, France and Guernsey, which was an amazing experience. Apart from this, the APS MCC was particularly enjoyable, as it introduced me to multi-crew operations and the Boeing 737; something I had dreamt of since I started my flight training.
How did the competencies you developed during your APS MCC help you afterwards?
The competencies I learned during my APS MCC helped in every stage of flying I have done since. Many people consider these to only apply to multi-crew operations, but I found them to be applicable everywhere in flying: be it my simulator sessions, my classroom lessons as a TKI, my flight lessons as a flight instructor or my type rating. Communication, workload management, situational awareness, teamwork, and knowledge are particularly important!
What have been the highlights since you started airline flying?
I think the most surreal experience for me was flying the circuits during base training. I've done thousands of circuits now, both during my flight training and while training students during their PPL lessons, but doing the circuits in a jet was a whole other experience. After that, the first time I flew passengers on a jet was surreal - on my first commercial flight to Zurich.
What advice would you give to someone about to start APS MCC training?
Make sure to study in advance and be prepared before every sim session! There is a lot of knowledge required, so pre-study is essential. Similarly, make the most of every session, ask questions, and work together with your colleague! It is all that multi-crew operations are about. The instructors at VA Airline Training are very knowledgeable, so make sure you get the best out of them!