Alden Richards' pilot dreams now officially under way

GMA Network

3 days ago

Capt. Richard Faulkerson Jr. sure has a nice ring to it.
Beyond his acclaimed talent and wide-ranging appeal, award-winning actor Alden Richards has always had a childhood dream of becoming a pilot– a journey now set in full motion as the 'Asia's Multimedia Star' recently announced his 'Day 1' in flight school.
On Wednesday, July 30, Alden posted on Instagram photos of himself in classic student pilot uniform together with his family, with the caption 'Day 1 starts today…'
According to Nelson Canlas' report on '24 Oras,' Alden officially kicked off this lifelong dream by attending the induction ceremony at his Clark, Pampanga-based aviation school.
"I've always been so curious paano lumilipad ng ganung kalaki at kabigat na sasakyang panghimpapawid tapos of course how it's being navigated sa langit from point A to point B. Paano nakakarating, paano nag-t-take off," Alden shared in an interview.
He also talked about how the pursuit of this career path– a total deviation from his showbiz background– is not only a personal objective, but one that he shares with his family, particularly his father.
"Since nagkaroon ako ng isip sa mundo parang meron akong core objective to fulfill my parents' dreams na hindi nila natupad in their lifetime," he said, "and surprisingly, kagaya ng showbiz para sa nanay ko, for me, ito naman dream ni dad for himself and eventually nagustuhan ko na rin."
GMA Integrated News also tagged along as Alden went through his first full day in school, from the classroom to the hangar and even the runway.
Alden also hopped on a flight simulator where he experienced simulations of real-life situations in maneuvering an aircraft, from take-off all the way to its landing.
Asked about how this fits his busy schedule, Alden sounded positive and said it's all about time management.
'There is no such thing as a busy schedule when you make time and you have time management. Time management is key. Definitely this year [is] for ground school, then tuloy-tuloy na 'to, this is a two-year course…,' he said.
This marks a significant shift in Alden's personal growth, and a soon-to-be accomplishment of a core objective. For now, Cadet Richard Faulkerson Jr., flight school student and aspiring pilot, sounds just as good.
(With reports from GMA News Online)