Youngest Gen Z female co-pilot in the flight crew, reveals the reason why she gave up her dream of becoming a doctor

(Dan Tri) - To become a co-pilot for an airline in Vietnam with a high income, Thien Bao had to go through thousands of hours of flying and a series of stressful training courses.

Decision time in seconds

After more than 2 years of working as a pilot, female co-pilot Luu Phuc Thien Bao (born 2001, residing in Ho Chi Minh City) said that her busy flight schedule often makes her away from home.

One of Thien Bao's most memorable memories was the moment he took hundreds of passengers home to celebrate Lunar New Year at the exact moment of New Year's Eve last year.

Recalling that unforgettable memory, the female co-pilot shared that when the plane took off, she saw fireworks everywhere on the ground to celebrate the New Year, creating an overwhelming scene. That scene made her emotional and happy.

"At that time, I did not feel sorry for myself. On the contrary, I felt proud because I had contributed a little effort to bring hundreds of people home to celebrate Tet with their families," Thien Bao confided.

Female co-pilot Liu Fu Tianbao (Photo: NVCC).

Thien Bao confided that she was the youngest pilot in the crew. For long flights, the crew usually rested for 24 hours before returning to the starting point. Therefore, "having breakfast in Vietnam, dinner in Japan" was a normal thing for pilots.

"This job requires great responsibility but also brings many unforgettable experiences. The moments of watching the sunrise through the large cockpit window or admiring the beautiful scenery in the countries you first set foot in are unforgettable things," Thien Bao said.

The female co-pilot said that during work, pilots must concentrate highly and are not allowed to make mistakes. In particular, the time allowed to make decisions in urgent situations such as bad weather, runway or aircraft problems... is only counted in seconds.

"A small mistake can have huge consequences," the female co-pilot emphasized.

In the cockpit, the captain is usually the one with more responsibility and handles more complex issues than the first officer. However, both must coordinate on key tasks such as take-off, landing and handling relevant paperwork, while monitoring each other to avoid mistakes.

Flight crews are usually required to be at the office 1 hour before departure time to prepare. The captain will discuss information, especially things to note during the flight.

Meanwhile, first officers like Thien Bao will be in charge of checking the aircraft, fuel, engines, calculating loads, assisting the captain in making flight plans and pre-programming the system.

"An interesting fact is that the captain and co-pilot must follow regulations such as the food rations on the plane cannot be the same, no alcohol or beer at least 8 hours before take-off...

For us, a safe flight is already a very emotional thing," the female co-pilot revealed.

No college degree required

Thien Bao confessed that when she was young, she never thought of becoming a pilot but planned to become a doctor. She even passed the entrance exam to the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City.

"My parents are air traffic controllers so they suggested that I consider the aviation industry. At that time, I decided to try my hand at this new and extremely interesting and challenging field," she shared.

In 2019, Thien Bao did not go to university, but attended a pilot training center in Mississippi (USA).

The female co-pilot said her study and living expenses in the US were about 100,000 USD (more than 2.5 billion VND).

Thien Bao had to undergo training and coaching with a "huge" amount of knowledge.

"Just for basic knowledge, pilots have to read at least 6 books, not to mention other documents. For the most part, we have to study on our own, experts only play the role of guides, answering questions. Sometimes, I feel a little pressured because I don't know what to learn, where to start, because learning has no limits," Thien Bao said.

Thien Bao took a photo with the flight attendants (Photo: NVCC).

Pilots are also trained to fly simulators and small, two-person real planes. During training, instructors will constantly ask questions, pose emergency situations, and require them to respond quickly.

After completing 13 months of studying in the US, Thien Bao returned home and continued to participate in training on Airbus A320/310 aircraft, with a cost of 20,000-25,000 USD (517-646 million VND).

Even after passing many rounds of interviews, demonstrating his skills under pressure and competition, and being accepted to work at the airline, Thien Bao still had to participate in training with a fee of 100,000-130,000 USD (2.5-3.3 billion VND).

When she officially became a co-pilot, flying commercial planes with the captain, she said the pressure was not as great as before, but the responsibility was greater. Therefore, pilots must always improve their knowledge and have a lifelong learning mindset.

The female co-pilot shared that the pilot's income will depend on the length of service and the number of flight hours per month. For a co-pilot with 2 years of experience, requiring 500-1,000 flight hours like Thien Bao, the monthly income ranges from 60-80 million VND, including a fixed salary and allowances such as business travel expenses, phone calls, and job-specific benefits...

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/lao-dong-viec-lam/nu-co-pho-gen-z-nho-tuoi-nhat-to-bay-tiet-lo-ly-do-bo-uoc-mo-lam-bac-si-20250418124903007.htm