Indian immigrant residing the American dream, taking pictures for the celebs in Air Drive Reserve > U.S. Air Drive > Article Show

Airman 1st Class Sourav Basu Roy, an air transportation specialist assigned to the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base and a business airline pilot, resides the American dream.

Born and raised within the small, mountainous and underdeveloped metropolis of Agartala, India, Basu Roy had massive goals as somewhat boy, and, fortunately, mother and father who inspired him to shoot for the celebs.

“My childhood dream was to be an astronaut sometime,” he stated. “However, in my society, there was a lot prejudice that not many individuals supported me, besides my mother and father.”

He recalled writing an essay on his life objectives when he was simply 6 years previous and receiving an uncommon response from his trainer about his future aspirations.

“I wrote an essay saying I wish to be an astronaut and the way I’d begin by being a pilot,” he stated. “However my trainer obtained mad at me. She thought I used to be being a daydreamer though I used to be a superb pupil on the time. She spanked my palms with a bamboo stick till my palms obtained crimson. She even made enjoyable of me with a number of different academics. However I consider these sorts of experiences made me a robust and profitable particular person right now.”

In contrast to his trainer, Basu Roy’s mother and father supported his goals.

“I keep in mind my mother and father stated, ‘in the event you dream massive over right here, individuals will assume you might be loopy. We are going to work very arduous and lower your expenses so we are able to ship you to the one land of alternative, which is the US of America. No one will choose you there. You should have monumental alternatives and freedom.’”

Basu Roy continued to do nicely at school and he by no means misplaced his ardour for aviation and house.

“I keep in mind myself taking part in with paper airplanes and pretending to be a pilot as a baby. Lots of my pals did the identical,” he stated. “Our paper aircrafts competed, shaped flying squadrons, and took part in necessary air missions. Years handed by, and whereas my pals moved on with their goals and altered the love for the video games within the air for different pursuits, I noticed that my ardour for aviation and house is a lifetime crush.”

When he was 18, his mother and father determined it was time to ship Basu Roy to the US.

“We had many members of the family and pals residing within the U.S.,” he stated. “For my mother and father, it was the most effective place they might ship their solely baby. I believe that call without end modified my life.”

Inside 19 days of arriving within the U.S., Basu Roy started flight coaching. Having spent countless hours on a computer-based flight simulator rising up in India, he was nicely ready for the precise coaching.

“My teacher was so blissful that I already knew a lot in regards to the plane,” he stated. “On high of that, I used to be in a position to do all of the maneuvers on my own with out his intervention. In my first entry in my pilot logbook, he wrote ‘Glorious Job.’”

Basu Roy did his first solo flight when he was 19 and he handed his first examination for his personal pilot’s license with flying colours. He obtained his instrument ranking and his business pilot’s license in solely six months.

Together with his pilot certificates in hand, he enrolled at Miami Dade Faculty to work on his affiliate’s diploma and commenced working towards his licensed flight teacher ranking.

He earned an Affiliate of Science diploma in pilot expertise and a Bachelor of Science diploma in data expertise as a distinguished graduate whereas concurrently pursuing his aviation profession.

“4 years in the past, once I began flying as a flight teacher, I educated many new pilots who handed with flying colours and now work for airways worldwide,” he stated.

An completed flight teacher, Basu Roy accepted a job with Air Wisconsin Airways, a regional associate of United Airways.

“I joined them as a primary officer about three years in the past and collected greater than 3,000 hours in whole flight time. I now have greater than 1,500 hours in jet time,” he stated.

He grew to become an airline captain at age 24, then Basu Roy turned his consideration to reaching his lifelong dream of changing into an astronaut.

“I utilized for the U.S. Navy in 2016, pondering that sometime it can open a pathway for me to use for Take a look at Pilot Faculty, which is able to make it simpler for me to at some point be a NASA astronaut,” he stated.

Throughout his utility course of, the Navy stopped recruiting individuals and not using a residency card on account of a authorities directive. Undeterred, Basu Roy continued to search for a approach to chase his goals of changing into an astronaut and serve his nation. Since he isn’t an American citizen but, he isn’t eligible to be an Air Drive pilot. However he talked to an Air Drive recruiter who defined that he might enlist. He set his sights on becoming a member of the Air Drive Reserve.

“Once I first met Basu Roy, I used to be impressed as a result of he was a 24-year-old airline pilot,” stated Tech. Sgt. Reynaldo Rodriguez, 351st Recruiting Squadron line recruiter. “He was prepared to affix as an enlisted member, with hopes of changing into a pilot later. He did no matter we requested of him. He has all the time been motivated. He has all the time been energetic and assured in all the things he does. I by no means had a problem with him.”

Basu Roy was all set to affix the Reserve in late 2019, when a possibility he couldn’t refuse got here up. He obtained a suggestion from United Airways to switch from the regional provider to the principle airline.

“So, I finished the enlistment course of for a while,” he stated. “My plan was to start out with United after which finally enlist within the Reserve.”

“Again round November of 2019, he informed me he needed to take a break as a result of he was transferring airline positions with United,” Rodriguez stated. “I informed him that was a fantastic civilian alternative and to not cross it up. He appreciated the honesty and stated he would positively keep in contact and proceed the method sometime. To be trustworthy, I wasn’t positive if I’d ever hear from him once more.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the business aviation business suffered a serious slowdown, Basu Roy’s place at United was placed on maintain and he thought it could be the right time to start his army profession.

“I noticed that the aviation business would take not less than one other 12 months to get better fully,” he stated. “I made a decision to finish my course of for enlistment and coaching with the Air Drive Reserve.”

Whereas he’s enthusiastic about serving as an Airman, he nonetheless has some loftier objectives in thoughts.

“My job for now will likely be air transportation,” he stated. “My rapid subsequent objective is to get chosen by any pilot board inside the Air Drive Reserve, wherever within the continental United States for an undergraduate pilot coaching slot and finally make it to the Take a look at Pilot Faculty.”

Together with his sight set on nonetheless changing into an astronaut at some point, he has already been accepted for a doctoral diploma in unmanned aerial techniques as soon as he completes his grasp’s diploma.

“I selected unmanned techniques as a result of I consider that’s the future as all the things will go pilotless with synthetic intelligence,” he stated. “Having my Ph.D. in unmanned techniques, I will likely be future prepared.”

As he continues to construct his resume Basu Roy set his sights on his final dream.

“This 12 months, for the primary time, I utilized for NASA’s astronaut program as a civilian,” he stated. “I do know no person will get chosen as an astronaut on the primary try, so I’ll carry on attempting till I fulfill this life objective from my childhood. I will likely be an Air Drive Reserve pilot after which, quickly sufficient, a NASA astronaut. That day will likely be my dream come true.”

Basu Roy realizes he doesn’t decelerate even to get pleasure from an accomplishment earlier than transferring to a different one, however he hasn’t reached his remaining objective but.

“I have to say this has not been a cushty journey for me. I achieved a lot in such a brief interval solely due to my dedication,” he stated. “I’ve to sacrifice so many issues in my life in order that I can keep on monitor. It will get robust and generally difficult to work and examine concurrently. I’ll use one of many Air Drive core values, which is ‘Excellence in All We Do.’ Onerous work and dedication will all the time pay you again.”

Whereas he continues to chase his goals, Basu Roy provides quite a lot of credit score for his values and the success he has achieved to date to his mother and father.

“I consider I’m a photocopy of my father,” he stated. “He was a extremely revered and now-retired police officer and a president medal awardee. My mother was a housewife. They taught me early in life how necessary it’s to have excessive ethical and moral values. Watching them, I discovered tips on how to worth a company and have excessive respect for individuals in uniform or individuals normally. We must always be certain that we do our greatest to make our employer succeed. I inherited that type of sturdy work and life ethics from them.”

His story resonated with Rodriguez since each of his mother and father immigrated to the U.S. for a greater life.

“His story is particular to me,” Rodriguez stated. “Once I hear his story and what he went via, I keep in mind my household going via related conditions. As his recruiter, it gave me a higher function to assist him fulfill his dream,”

Basu Roy additionally provides quite a lot of credit score to the individuals who have helped him in his new nation.

“I’m so grateful to the US of America and its individuals,” he stated. “Right this moment, no matter I’m, quite a lot of credit score goes to those that got here into my life and left a optimistic affect on me. I can achieve my life due to the assistance I obtained from so many sort individuals. I wish to thank the US of America for giving me so many monumental alternatives. That is and can without end be a land of alternative. Goals do come true right here. God bless America!”