{"id":5665,"date":"2025-05-15T09:21:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T14:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/?p=5665"},"modified":"2026-01-15T05:15:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T10:15:02","slug":"from-honolulu-to-the-skies-xaiyveyus-skyborne-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/news-events\/from-honolulu-to-the-skies-xaiyveyus-skyborne-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From Honolulu to the Skies: Xaiyveyus’ Skyborne Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Early Beginnings and the Aviation Bug<\/strong><\/p>

“I\u2019m originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, where I spent the first half of my life before moving to Colorado Springs. My passion for aviation started early\u2014I had my first discovery flight while in the Civil Air Patrol in eighth grade. I also attended school on the Air Force Academy base, where glider operations and parachute jumping were common sights. Being around planes became part of my everyday life. Now, living on campus at Skyborne, some students struggle with the constant noise from aircraft, but for me, it feels like home.<\/p>

Finding Skyborne<\/strong><\/p>

During my last semester of high school, my colonel suggested I explore a university in Colorado with an aviation program. Unfortunately, the partnership with their flight school was weak\u2014poor communication and a lack of transportation made it difficult to progress. Despite completing all the ground schools, I hadn\u2019t logged a single flight hour. That\u2019s when I started looking elsewhere. Skyborne stood out with its comprehensive program and strong reputation. I applied and was accepted.<\/p>

Life on Campus and Building Connections<\/strong><\/p>

Living on campus at Skyborne has been a game changer. The proximity to ground school classrooms, the flight line, and fellow cadets made the learning experience immersive and engaging. Ground schools were interactive and enjoyable, with each instructor bringing unique stories and teaching methods to the table. The flight line is where the real fun begins. Surrounded by other aspiring pilots, the camaraderie and shared passion for flying are what make Skyborne special. If you\u2019re new here, don\u2019t isolate yourself. Get to know the people around you\u2014the administration, instructors, and fellow students. Shout out to Hayden, Pedro, John, and Justin\u2014and everyone else I couldn\u2019t list. You all made the journey unforgettable.<\/p>

Overcoming Challenges<\/strong><\/p>

My biggest challenges? Definitely my first solo flight and every checkride. The solo flight took a lot of effort and patience, but the payoff was worth it\u2014especially the solo splash tradition. My PPL checkride was the only one I went into lacking confidence, but my instructor assured me I was ready. From then on, I made it a point to trust in my training and stay confident for every checkride. Nerves are natural, but as long as you trust in what you\u2019ve learned, you\u2019ll do fine.<\/p>

Being an Asian Pilot<\/strong><\/p>

People sometimes ask me about being an Asian pilot. Honestly, I don\u2019t feel any different from anyone else in the cockpit. We all need sunglasses up there, regardless of our eye shape. It\u2019s the skill, dedication, and passion for flying that matter\u2014not where you\u2019re from.<\/p>

Advice for New Flight Students<\/strong><\/p>

If you\u2019re just starting at Skyborne, my advice is to enjoy every moment\u2014the solos, the training, the friendships. Flying is a privilege, so embrace it. And if you hit a rough patch, take a break, talk to others, and be open to advice. Everyone here is on the same path; we\u2019re all in it together.”<\/p>

– Xaiyveyus<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Early Beginnings and the Aviation Bug “I\u2019m originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, where I spent the first half of my life before moving to Colorado Springs. My passion for aviation started early\u2014I had my first discovery flight while in the Civil Air Patrol in eighth grade. I also attended school on the Air Force Academy base, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":5666,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crosspost_to_3":false,"_crosspost_to_4":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"skyborne_type":[29],"skyborne_region":[14],"class_list":["post-5665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pilot-pathways","skyborne_type-hear-from-our-students","skyborne_region-united-states"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5665"},{"taxonomy":"skyborne_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skyborne_type?post=5665"},{"taxonomy":"skyborne_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skyborne.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/skyborne_region?post=5665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}