Welcome back! In this episode, Nik sits down with Mark Paterson, a pilot who shares the full story of his aviation journey—from leaving a career in the restaurant industry to chasing his dream of becoming a professional pilot. Mark speaks candidly about the challenges of flight training, the pressure to perform at a Part 121 carrier, and the harsh reality of being sent home during the training process. But that isn't the end of his story. Mark opens up about how he rebuilt his confidence, regained his momentum, and ultimately secured a position at Sun Country Airlines. He shares what he did differently the second time around and offers valuable advice for pilots navigating setbacks of their own. This episode is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring comeback story—about how to prepare for every stage of training, how to recover if you’re let go, and how resilience and honesty can help you keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles.

What you'll learn:

What went wrong for Mark during his training at a regional airline—and how he handled it

How to deal with failure and rejection in aviation

How Mark built his confidence back

How to prepare for training so that you don't get 'behind the power curve'

Tips for staying focused, bouncing back, and owning your career path 

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