Episode 281 Beyond the Cockpit: What Defines You Outside the Flight Deck
Ready 4 Pushback
Nik Fialka
4.8 • 716 Ratings
🗓️ 18 September 2025
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this solo episode, Nik shifts the focus from flying skills to life outside the cockpit. Too often, pilots struggle when asked to share something about themselves beyond aviation. Nik breaks down why that matters and how those personal stories can strengthen connections during meet-and-greets, interviews, and in the crew room.
He walks through eight areas you can draw from—like community involvement, teamwork, hobbies, family, and continued learning—to help you show up as a well-rounded, authentic candidate. Whether you’re preparing for an interview or just looking to grow as a leader, this episode reminds you that being an excellent pilot is only part of the story. Who you are outside of flying is just as important.
What You’ll Learn:
Why recruiters and interviewers ask about life beyond aviation
Eight non-aviation topics you can share with confidence
How community involvement and volunteering show leadership
Ways to highlight teamwork, hobbies, and unique interests
How to talk about family, cultural awareness, and personal growth
The importance of continued learning and curiosity How to practice and articulate your story so it feels authentic
CONNECT WITH US
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, pilot. Welcome back to Ready for Pushback. It's Nick Fialca solo show. I'm glad you're here. |
| 0:09.8 | It's a conversation about all things motivational. And today is an interesting conversation. |
| 0:18.5 | I want to talk to you today about your life outside of aviation because I know you have a lot of things going on. |
| 0:30.3 | It all started as a spark. Maybe it was the sound of jets racing across the sky. |
| 0:38.2 | Or the feeling of your heart racing as you watch Crop Duster flying low and slow. |
| 0:44.3 | Even then, you knew you were meant to fly. |
| 0:48.4 | For pilots, it's more than just a job. |
| 0:51.0 | It's a calling. |
| 0:52.8 | The early mornings, the long hours, the relentless training, |
| 0:57.0 | you didn't do it for the money. You did it for that moment. That moment when the wheels |
| 1:02.2 | lift off and the earth falls away beneath you. But flying is just the beginning. The |
| 1:07.8 | journey to your dream job takes more than just skill in the sky. It takes |
| 1:11.9 | strategy on the ground and a lifetime of learning. Most pilots don't understand what career |
| 1:18.1 | opportunities are available in the world of aviation. Learn how to go from good to great, from flight |
| 1:24.9 | school to regional to major, and from hopeful to hired. Whether |
| 1:30.0 | you're sharpening your skills, building your resume, or preparing for that big interview, this |
| 1:35.6 | is where pilots come to level up. Let's get ready for pushback. Here's your host and my dad, |
| 1:41.9 | Nick Fialca. You have your life as a pilot. |
| 1:46.0 | You have your life not as a pilot. |
| 1:47.9 | And I cannot tell you how many people I talk to when I ask them about something that doesn't have to do with flying, they stumble. |
| 1:57.2 | And they have a difficult time thinking about it. |
| 1:59.1 | And they're surprised. |
... |
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