Have you ever wanted to learn how to fly? Whether it’s because you recently purchased your own light aircraft or simply love the idea of the adrenaline rush, there’s no denying that it’s a pretty epic skill to have in your repertoire – and taking to the skies is undoubtedly one of the finest ways to travel.
Now, flight instructor and influencer Kay Hall is on a mission to connect would-be pilots with what it’s really like to fly a plane though her online ‘Cockpit Classroom’, FlyWithKay – so if you’ve ever been curious about what it takes, then it’s the perfect way to get a realistic look into a day in the life of a pilot.
The academics William Anthony Tuccio and Angela Cora Garcia note that the role of the flight instructor is ‘multidimensional’ in comparison to that of a classroom instructor because of the multifaceted nature of the flight instructor’s role – they must simultaneously serve as a teacher, co-pilot and safety monitor all at once, and it’s one of the things that Kay wants to help budding flying enthusiasts to understand.
In a typical flying lesson, the student flies the aircraft while the instructor provides directions, instructions and advice, with the occasional physical intervention should it be deemed necessary. But Kay’s approach is a little different, and here’s why.
Kay Hall and her global cockpit classroom
Kay Hall, or FlyWithKay, as she’s known on social media, has taught a number of students how to fly an aircraft, and when the pandemic hit, was working towards building up her own flying hours so that she could become a commercial pilot.
The impact of the pandemic on the travel industry in particular saw flight instructor positions evaporating almost overnight, throwing something of a spanner in the works for Kay’s plans – but rather than be discouraged, Kay decided to continue her journey on her own terms and turned to TikTok and Instagram to showcase her skill, posting videos and photos of her flights and hosting live broadcasts from within her own plane, ‘Lil’ Red’.
Although Kay’s videos and live broadcasts are for the purpose of entertainment only, there’s no denying that her content is engaging and informative, and provides valuable insight not just into the flying experience itself, but also the bits that go unnoticed, like aircraft safety and pre-flight checks.
Taking her social media viewers with her on her flights so that they too can experience the thrill of flying, Kay walks her viewers through every stage of the process – from those pre-flight inspections and starting up the plane, to taxiing to the runway, completing a runup to test all systems, and then finally, taking the plane off up into the sky.
But it’s not just the flight process itself that pilots are responsible for, and there are many other elements to the role for would-be flight deck controllers to learn, too. So, Kay shows her viewers what it is like to communicate with airport towers and air traffic controllers, demonstrating the entire process from take-off to landing.
The pilot receives common questions regarding her flying – one of the most common being whether she carries a parachute with her! She said: “In aviation a pilot does not generally carry a personal parachute, rather the aircraft in which they fly would be equipped with one. When a pilot deploys this parachute, they are giving up control over their flight path and are subject to the mercies of nature. Lil’ Red glides so well that I’d rather glide it to the ground and land than relinquish control to chance!”
With an audience of millions of people from around the world watching her videos and joining her live broadcasts, Kay’s online following is growing fast. Some months, at the height of lockdown, viewing numbers topped over five million, which is testament to just how engaging and interesting the content she provides is. Inspiring people from across the globe through her social media presence, she receives daily messages from people who tell her that it was her channels that got them into aviation – and it’s moments like this that make her immeasurably happy to be doing what she’s doing.
One particular story stands out. A gentleman from the UK was feeling depressed and suicidal when he came across one of Kay’s livestreams – and that moment changed everything. Finding himself feeling better from watching her content, he wrote to Kay to thank her for what she had done for him, saying that without her, he may not still be alive.
Kay has encountered plenty of challenges and inspiring moments during her journeys in the sky. Due to popular demand, she has compiled some of her best adventures in a book called ‘Becoming FlyWithKay‘, in which she details her journey to becoming a flight instructor and a star of social media.
