Episode 266 Interviews from the Floor: Professional Asian Pilot Association Expo 2025
Ready 4 Pushback
Nik Fialka
4.8 • 716 Ratings
🗓️ 28 July 2025
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Recorded live at the Professional Asian Pilots Association (PAPA) convention, this episode features two powerful conversations that shine a light on the global and deeply personal sides of aviation. First, Nik speaks with Captain Saurabh Chauksey, a 737 check airman for Air India. Saurabh shares his unique path from flight training in the U.S. to flying for one of India’s fastest-growing carriers. He offers insight into India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector, what it’s like training and operating abroad, and the long stretches away from family that come with flying internationally. You’ll also hear how pilots are navigating cross-border credentialing and preparing for potential moves back to the U.S. flight deck.
In the second half, Nik speakes with seasoned New York-based air traffic controller Yahay Obeid, whose journey—from JFK ramp agent to tower leader—is as compelling as it is inspiring. Together they discuss the complexities of the ATC profession, building confidence under pressure, and the power of mentorship. You'll also learn about the work being done by AAAP (Arab American Aviation Professionals) to open doors for the next generation of aviators. From tower to tarmac, this episode offers a window into the people, pressures, and possibilities shaping aviation today. What You’ll Learn:
What it’s like to fly for Air India as a 737 captain and check airman
How India’s pilot training compares with FAA standards
What it takes to convert credentials between the U.S. and India
How to build confidence and recover from mistakes in high-stakes ATC roles
The journey from ramp agent to certified air traffic controller
Why communication is critical between pilots and controllers
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, pilot. Welcome back to Ready for Pushback. It's Nick Fialca and you found another interview show. |
| 0:07.8 | Today, my guest is a man named Sarob Choksi and I certainly hope that I'm saying it correctly. |
| 0:14.9 | Sarab is a captain on the 737 at Air India and I met him at the Professional Asian Pilot Association. |
| 0:23.0 | And so this episode was recorded live there. |
| 0:26.0 | You'll hear some background noise and things like that. |
| 0:28.6 | So apologies ahead of time, but I love to go to these conventions and meet people that I otherwise wouldn't get a chance to meet and just go into a great |
| 0:38.4 | conversation with them about their life and their life experiences. Like I said, Sarab's a |
| 0:44.0 | captain on the 737 at Air India. We talk what it's like flying at Air India and the thoughts about |
| 0:51.9 | coming to the United States versus staying in India and what international |
| 0:55.2 | flying is all about. |
| 0:57.4 | Also, the episode was recorded before the disaster of the 787. |
| 1:06.5 | And so we don't talk about that. |
| 1:08.7 | And because it hadn't happened yet, also, I probably wouldn't talk about it because I don't think that's a place for us to have that conversation. So I do want to, people are probably going to wonder why that didn't come up in the conversation. And that is why. All right. So great episode. Really fun to talk to Sarb. And I hope you really enjoy it. Okay, so sit back, |
| 1:29.3 | relax. Let's get ready for pushback. It all started as a spark. Maybe it was the sound of jets |
| 1:37.6 | racing across the sky, or the feeling of your heart racing as you watch Crop Duster flying low and slow. |
| 1:45.0 | Even then, you knew you were meant to fly. |
| 1:49.0 | For pilots, it's more than just a job. It's a calling. |
| 1:54.0 | The early mornings, the long hours, the relentless training, |
| 1:59.0 | you didn't do it for the money. You did it for that moment. |
| 2:02.8 | That moment when the wheels lift off and the earth falls away beneath you. But flying is just |
| 2:08.6 | the beginning. The journey to your dream job takes more than just skill in the sky. It takes |
| 2:13.8 | strategy on the ground and a lifetime of learning. Most pilots don't understand what career opportunities are available in the world of aviation. |
... |
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