Life can be unpredictable at times. I've heard numerous stories of people who were forced to quit their jobs in aviation because of COVID-19. The upside is that life's unpredictable nature "brings" the real fans back into the business. Perhaps in a slightly different way. Alberto Arévalo Garcia, a future pilot, was another aviation enthusiast I met at General Aviation Service Madrid. His GAS colleagues will undoubtedly welcome him as a pilot one day!
T.O. So first question, how you ended up in General Aviation Service?
A.A.G. Well, after Covid, I always used to work here in the airport. But with all Covid and everything, my previous work ended. I started working in another place and suddenly I saw the offer, and everything was quite fast. I could join the company, and I was really excited to finally come back to the airport with airplanes that I love them. So, it was like not planned at all. Suddenly I saw the offer, just sign up for it and everything went well. So really nice.
T.O. You told that you already worked at the airport. How much did you know about business aviation working at the airport?
A.A.G. Actually nothing because I always worked in the commercial part. One thing that once I came here, I told to my colleagues and everything was like My God I never worked with these airplanes. I don't know, I've always been a bit like freaky with airplanes and things. But as I told you, always commercial part. I didn't know models from business aviation types of airplane or anything and it was like My God... Let's see. But well, after a couple months working here, everything, you know, everything. Exactly. And I learned really fast. So quite exciting to know this other part of aviation.
T.O. What is different? It’s is not "bling-bling" do you agree?
A.A.G. Well everything is different. Not about golden business jets and something different. Exactly. Totally. I mean everything at first is schedule, but then it can be totally unscheduled things change a lot Commercial everything is like okay, the airplane departs at this time, so everything is going to be ready for that time. Maybe a bit of delay, but normally it's ABC. Here it's a lot more changeable. You need to be flexible. Exactly. Flexible and also prepared for any changes. So quite nice, quite nice.
T.O. What would you say for young people thinking about joining business aviation but not really sure about. What could be the motivation?
A.A.G. Well, I think it's a whole new world that is not that common to know You know everything for rich people that not everybody has that money. They don't know this part. And I think it's really nice to know about it. And very changeable. Days are not the same. So even though you work here every day, every day is not the same as the last one. So that's a really fun part. You don't get bored basically for being here. So quite nice.
T.O. An easy question: as I'm here for the birthday celebration, the 45th anniversary. Something you would wish to your company for the next 45 years.
A.A.G. Well, of course, another 45 years growing as this past that every year I think we are getting bigger and bigger. More flights, attending more customers. I wish for the next 45, keep on growing, keep on doing the company as big as it's getting, with new bases, new challenges. So basically, that keep on growing and keep this track that obviously is going really well.
T.O. You know what? I see only happy people in General Aviation, Service and I think that I know the big bosses, but I think you are lucky ones because they have very special treatment, and they really value all the teams and everyone So I think it's going to be 45 years of growth.
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