Peter Hodur’s journey into the aviation world began as a childhood dream and ended in a B737 Captain seat at our subsidiary AirExplore. In fact, it’s still ongoing — and Peter couldn’t be happier about having an opportunity to do what he always wanted. But where exactly did it all start, and which steps did Peter take to make his dream come true?
Interestingly, all of Peter’s previous work experience since the earliest days was related to aviation. Starting with some part-time jobs during his high school years, Peter has worked for various companies and even piloted a helicopter for a while. His primary goal, however, has always been to fly the Boeing 737, and he persistently pursued it, “The market still did not fully recover from the 2009 crisis, so when I got the opportunity, I joined AirExplore initially as a Junior Cabin Crew. Later, I got an upgrade to a Senior Cabin Crew. After two seasons, I got the chance to become a 737 First Officer, and recently, I’ve got my command course and upgraded to the position of a Captain.”
Even though Peter’s career path wasn’t linear, he doesn’t regret any of it and is grateful for all positions that taught him some valuable lessons. For instance, working with people in a customer-oriented environment as a Cabin Crew has helped Peter get a wider picture of his colleagues’ duties and all the perks related to their job, as well as problem-solving in everyday operations. “Of course, the pilot role is way more technical, while working as a Cabin Crew is a lot more about communication and hospitality in general. But these professions definitely have touchpoints as well,” says Peter.
The supportive work environment at AirExplore is another factor Peter is extremely fond of and one of the main reasons why he has stayed in the company for almost 8 years. According to Peter, AirExplore supported him and his colleagues not only during the training but also helped them with the funding and expenses related to it. “At AirExplore, I met people who were very helpful and positive towards the professional growth of the employees in general. A big thank you goes to the company, its management, and everyone involved.”
Of course, no career comes without its challenges, and Peter had a share of them, too. For some time, Peter had to take a longer break from flying, which made him feel like he was losing his skills. However, the support of his instructors and personal determination helped Peter get fully back on track. Peter now encourages others not to get demotivated by the difficulties they may face — and to follow their dreams even if the market isn’t looking particularly good or there are other obstacles along the way.
If you’re considering changing your career path, Peter is optimistic, too, “We are lucky to live in a precious moment of human history, when flying is not just a dream, but a day-to-day reality. And if someone feels a passion for flying, it’s worth all the hard work in the end.”
Vilnius, Lithuania
