365 DAYS AND STILL COUNTING: IN DRUK AIR

Come 19^th of this month, I will be celebrating anniversary of my career life. In twelve months I have traveled a long winding road and grown up in ways that I had not expected. I am one year older and I have excelled one year beyond.

Never in my life had I thought I would work in airline and indeed this huge flying metallic bird was nothing but a dream even to watch, filtering through clouds for a rural folk like me.

2009 decided my fate, when I made a random choice to take engineering course, and 2013 sealed my fate with Druk Air, the national airlines of Bhutan.

The road wasn’t as smooth as I expected to be. In college days, I was expecting a job where I sit on rotating chair in AC room with a desktop in front. But the turn out life is just the opposite. And this opposite is what I have accepted and riding smoothly. It was hard indeed in beginning, having to wake up before cock crows and to be at home by late mid night at times, only to sleep empty stomach. It was harder on the part that I didn’t know what exactly I do on aircraft, for my course was in Electronics and Communication Engineering and here I am as a technician working on live aircraft.  In airline and as an engineer sacrifices is what it stands for, one need to sacrifice the good night sleep, the warm meals with families and historic auspicious government holiday’s. Sooner or later the blessed rainy day and Dawai dangpai losar would not be as invigorating as it was, when I was a little child.

Human minds can adapt in any atmosphere, all one need is to buy a little time. I bought that time and now I am a changed man. Every day as the morning stars are engulfed by the morning rays, I wake up with the word, toady I will learn more and work more. I will do my best to my part. I will make no unwanted foot prints in my path, I will clear my ways through to make my career more successful.

I had my share; I have learned how careful I need to be. Even simple screws can have a devastating impact. There is no room for complacencies and short cut in my career. One time I was attending a workshop on Human factor, and an instructor from Airbus told us “humans are bound to make mistakes but in airline, it cost money and precious human lives”.

Pilots are revered, respected and some even look at them as a god. Of course it must be, after all they are the one who flies above the clouds and hundreds of souls are in his hand and under his command. But many don’t have slightest idea what engineers on ground do. Engineers are hidden behind the curtains like directors in Movies in which most credits go to the lead actor. Next time if you are flying in any plane, please don’t forget that your plane have no technical problems for Engineers have fixed it safely. And when you fly over to your destination there are greased strained Engineers and technicians on the ground with spanners in hand looking up in the sky when you make your way. The plane is in air, for the greased strain men maintained, rectified and released for the service.

Every job has its own beauty. To have successful career first you need to love the job, love what you do and be passionate. Loving the bits and bytes of what we do keeps you rolling with positive direction. I have a long way to go, I know the roads won’t be smooth and perfect but I shall triumph at the end. I will do my best as I always do.