During my studies at Flight Safety Academy, I was confronted with even greater challenges. I made utmost efforts to perfect my English aptitude within the shortest possible time. I continued to study advanced courses in flight principles, aerodynamics, federal regulations and a series of subjects directly or indirectly related to flying. At the same time, I was subjected to the most rigorous flight training. I did not shrink from any of those challenges. Instead, I surmounted them one by one, supported by the powerful spirit of perseverance and confidence cultivated in me in my early childhood. At the end of this one-year training, I received the Certificate for Flying Commercial Multi-Engineer Aircrafts issued by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States. Hard as it was, the one-year experience in the United States not only enabled me to acquire the necessary qualifications as a pilot of international flights, but also helped me to develop some initial understanding of the American society. In July 1998, I returned to Air China and formally became its qualified pilot on international flights.
As a pilot, one must be in possession of a strong sense of responsibility and the spirit of teamwork. This requires that a pilot must be meticulous in every detail, able to deal with emergencies, and effective in interpersonal communication. Before each routine flight, I would make detailed flight plans, conduct careful analysis of the conditions of the airfields that we would land on, familiarize myself with the air routes and the weather conditions. I pay special attention to enhance my ability in analyzing and handling emergency situations. On those occasions when the flight is delayed due to irresistible factors, my patient explanations to the passengers tend to make them satisfied and their excited emotions would naturally calm down, facilitating the smooth settlement of the problems. In recognition of my prominent achievements, my company conferred on me the Model Pilot Award. All those gradually cultivated qualities serve as my strong assets for commencing new stages of my career.
Over the past four years, I have traveled to virtually all the major countries of the world and I have accumulated a 3000-hour record of safe flight. After arriving at each destination, I can enjoy a brief vacation of 3 to 4 days in the local city. I would invariably take advantage of such occasions to make extensive visits to the local society, coming into close contacts with local traditions and customs. Those experiences have not only significantly broadened my cultural perspective and enriched my mind, but also developed my ability to accommodate myself to different cultural backgrounds. Exposure to new ideas, a cosmopolitan awareness, and increased receptivity are the greatest benefits that I have been able to derive from those experiences.
My pleasant work experiences make me increasingly interested in my career as a pilot. But at the same time I have also come to develop a strong concern for the existing condition of China's civil aviation industry. Because of its lack of fund and backward technology, plus its belated development, China's civil aviation industry currently lags far behind the developed countries, particularly in the field of aerospace engineering. Once again, motivated by my sense of responsibility to help develop China's civil aviation industry, I am determined to relinquish my present career and apply to study Aerospace Engineering at your distinguished university, to embark on a new stage of life. Technically, I have established a solid foundation for apply for an advanced degree program in aerospace engineering because of my undergraduate training in mechanical engineering. My actual experience as a pilot further contributes to my readiness to combine theoretical knowledge with practical expertise. The most essential point is that, psychologically, my extraordinary sense of responsibility for the safety of passengers has cultivated in me the spirit for pursuing perfection. Such an awareness and spirit will undoubtedly ensure the maximum success in my prospective degree program as in my heretofore career as a pilot.