Growing up in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, Heber Tapia thought that his dream job of being a pilot was not a feasible option. With limited training options and high costs, the idea seemed unrealistic. At 19, he served an LDS church mission to New York City where a friend told him to look into the aviation program at UVU (UVSC at the time). That is when his outlook completely changed.

“My experience at UVU was amazing. I came as an international student, and had the opportunity to work part-time while attending classes and earning my pilot licenses.” Heber explains. After graduation, he was hired full-time at UVU Aviation where he was able to build a network of faculty, fellow employees, and graduates in industry. Through one of his network friends, in 2018 he was able to get his first flying job with McNeely Charter Service, flying freight in the Metroliner, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft.

Although the vast majority of students build their needed flight time as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), there are other ways to build flight time and experience. Those jobs, however, are much fewer in number. Finding those flying jobs, as in Heber’s case, requires networking and knowing the right person.

Since 2019, Heber has been at ATI Jets, a passenger charter company where he flies the Lear 60. He plans to go to a major airline in the near future.