Share Your Story: Tim Sauvalle, PPL Student

Welcome to the 22nd "Share Your Story" post. Pilots from around the world write in featuring their flight experiences, promoting their blogs, websites, social media, novels, etc. These posts show future aviators the diverse range of careers available to them. More details + how to participate can be found via the following: Click Here and Get Involved
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My name is Timothy Sauvalle, I’m 23 years old. I live in France, not very far away from Paris, and study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bath, in the UK. I got into aviation because of my parents, I was lucky enough that they both had PPLs, and they took me flying from a very young age. Ever since then, and I know this is highly stereotypical, I have stopped what I was doing and looked to the sky every time I heard the sound of an aircraft. 

Up until the end of what would be High School in the USA, my flying experiences were limited to those flights. That’s because school was very busy, combining a Franco-British education, and the importance of hard work for becoming a pilot had been drummed into me. However, I went to the UK for my higher education, and that was a game changer: there is a gliding club attached to the university, providing excessively cheap rates for students. I soloed and got my license in the first year, the second year I came first in one of the categories at the inter-university gliding competition and during the third year I obtained my French gliding license. In that time I have been fortunate enough to fly in some incredible sailplanes, such as a Duo Discus and an ASH 25 EB 28. I have also done some fantastic flights of hundreds of kilometers. And landed in a farmer’s field!

As I have one year left at university, I have decided that now is the time to start my PPL. I am doing it a school at my local airport, Toussus le Noble (LFPN), on Cessnas 172S G1000. My progression has been very rapid, and I cannot stress enough how much this is due to gliding experience. Weather pending, I should have my PPL by the end of September, having started at the end of June! I am having a great time learning with the school, the instructors are serious and strict, and yet very friendly and approachable at the same time. Which brings me onto what I wanted to talk about next.

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For many years now, I had set myself the goal of becoming a grizzled long haul captain for a major airline. However the flying school has been an eye opener for me and has definitely given me the desire to instruct. And the experiences that instructors have shared with me concerning other flying jobs, such as ferry pilot or business jet flying have broadened my horizon. Don’t get me wrong, I would still love to achieve my goal. However, I think I would love to instruct first, and possibly try some other jobs before flying the airlines. 

If you would like to read more about my flying adventures, I have a blog and a twitter:Blog: http://flytimfly.blogspot.frTwitter: Search “Tim Sauvalle” (username Tim_Squid)For example, in the coming weeks I will be doing a big part of my cross country training, in a two day trip to the UK and back! There will be stories, pictures and filmsI would like to thank Swayne for letting me share my story, and also for the great website that you have created, that is an inspiration for myself and many others I am sure. Martins Aviation is definitely a benchmark in the pilot blogger sphere!I wish you all blue skies and safe landings...

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Thanks so much Tim for writing in and sharing your story. I can't wait to see where aviation will take you. I'm sure that no matter what, you'll end up being in a career that you love. There are so many cool job options out there, it's almost difficult to choose!Thanks again for writing in and participating in the Share Your Story section of the blog, 

Swayne Martin Martins Aviation / From Private to Professional PilotTwitter: @MartinsAviationYoutube: MartinsAviation1