Captain Talitha
My name is Talitha. I am 11 years old and I’d really like to be a pilot myself one day.
I am really interested in aviation but I’m not the best at mathematics. My dad says that I shouldn’t let that stop me. He says that people think they have to be a genius with numbers to pilot a plane when all you really need is a reasonable grasp of the subject.
What’s it like having a pilot parent?
Well, it affected the very start of my life. When I was born my dad was at work, down-route in Bratislava! My mum couldn’t reach anyone by phone to take her to hospital. She got in touch with dad, but he was drinking hot chocolate in a little cafe close to the River Danube! Dad had to ring from Bratislava to a friend in England to ask for help to get mum to the hospital. I was on my way in to the world. I was born before the hospital could even check my mum in!
What’s the best thing about having a pilot parent?
That we get to go on lots of fabulous holidays.
Actually, on second thoughts, the best thing is when he receives his roster and we find that he is going to Japan: he always comes back some Royce chocolate which is a Japanese speciality. In fact it is so good that we ask Dad to go to Japan as often as possible!
And the worst thing?
That my dad is away a lot. Even on Christmas Day my dad can be in a different country to me.
How much is he away?
Hmm, probably about 4 days every week. I find it strange that he can leave home as I’m going to school in the morning and be on a different continent by the time I get back home.
The good thing though is that when he’s home he’s home – there are no late nights or early mornings in the office – he’s with us for breakfast and can pick me up from school and help me with my homework!
When he’s away he stays in touch with us through WhatsApp, Facetime and Skype