Bryan Zandi

My name is Bryan Zandi. I was born in 1982 in Iran when the devastating war between Iran and Iraq, which lasted eight years, had just begun. Ironically, growing up through the war and witnessing fighter jets flying overhead every day prompted my interest in aviation, and I dreamed of becoming a pilot. However, as a religious and political minority in my own country, I never had the opportunity to pursue my dream due to the intricate socio-political environment of the state. Therefore, I decided to veer my path and schooled in an entirely different course, hospitality. Even though I obtained a master's degree in Hotel and Tourism management and worked as a professional in hospitality in the next decade, I never stopped dreaming of becoming a pilot. 

 

In 2012, I was granted a US visa and immigrated to the land of opportunity with my wife and 3-year-old son. Initially, I intended to continue my education and get my Ph.D. in Hospitality management. However, after communicating with various colleges and universities, I realized the objective was somewhat unachievable. Although most academic institutes validated my master's degree in hotel and tourism management after evaluation, they equated it to an associate's degree in the US. They suggested I study for a couple more years to obtain a grade equivalent to the US academic degree. 

 

I then decided to pursue a degree and career in aviation instead of redoing hospitality management from the beginning. On a late summer day in 2014, I walked into the office of the aviation department manager of Green River College and discussed my objective of becoming a pilot. He took the time to explain all the criteria to me and assisted me with enrolling in the Aviation program at Green River College. A few weeks later, I commenced my education in aviation by attending the first class of the course, Aviation 101! The college staff also helped me find a good flight school, and a few weeks later, I conducted my first-ever flight lesson on a Cessna 172 out of Crest Airpark (S36) in Kent, WA. It was an unforgettable day! 

 

I worked two jobs, one full- and one part-time, to provide for my wife, son, and our newborn baby and cover the flight school costs. I attended college classes from 7 am to 1 pm, worked at a grocery store from 1:30 to 3:30 pm as a freight crew (stacking shelves), rested for 6 hours, and worked a graveyard shift as a hotel security officer, which allowed me to do my school assignments during my downtime. 

Four challenging but outstanding and unique years passed, and in June 2018, I graduated from Green River College's Aviation program with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Science. I continued my flight training at the Crest Airpark, and after successfully completing the Private Pilot training and adding Instrument rating, I passed my Commercial Pilot check ride on a breezy Fall day and officially became a commercial pilot. However, with only 300 hours of flight time, I was far from getting an airline job. Thus, I decided to obtain the multi-engine airplane add-on and a flight instructor license, work as a CFI, and build more flight time. 

 

By the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, my plans came to a halt since almost no flight school accepted flight applicants. A year flew by, and I found a flight school in Bellefontaine, Ohio, where I put myself through Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) courses. During all these years, I worked hard at my workplaces and had multiple promotions. After working as a security officer, I was promoted to Security Supervisor and then to Security Manager. Almost a year later, I transitioned to a Site Operations Manager position overseeing the parking and valet operations of one of downtown Seattle's largest and most fabulous hotels. 

 

Upon successfully completing the CFI & MEI courses, which transpired almost simultaneously after graduating from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and obtaining my Master's in Business Administration in Aviation (MBAA), I quit the hospitality field and began working as an aviation professional. I taught flying to aviation enthusiasts and new pilots out of the Renton Municipal Airport and Crest Airpark, where I learned how to fly myself. 

 

In mid-2023, when I met airline pilot requirements, I applied to Republic Airways' First Officer position. I selected this airline because of its outstanding safety records, excellent customer service reputation, and exceptional corporate culture. After a few interviews and completion of the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) course at FlightSafety in Dallas, TX, I was offered a First Officer job by the airline and began my training in late summer in Carmel, IN. 

 

I graduated from the training and passed my ATP check ride with an Embraer 170-190 Type-Rating in November 2023. As an Indianapolis-based airline pilot who transports passengers all over the Mid-West and the East Coast, I can tell the years of hard work paid off, and I made my piloting dream come true! My next goal for the next five years is to gain more experience in the Part-121 world, transition to a legacy air career, most likely Delta Airlines, based in my home city, Seattle, and eventually upgrade to the captain position. 

 

This journey taught me that the road to success passes through transparent dreams, thorough planning, and proper actions. I would like to finish this narrative with a precious quote from my favorite actor, Denzel Washington: 

 

"Dreams without goals are just dreams, and they ultimately fuel disappointment! On the road to achieving your dreams, you must apply discipline, but more importantly, consistency. Because without commitment, you will never start, but without consistency, you never finish!"