Springfield Central State High School Student
A passion for flying has seen Springfield Central State High School student Prithvi Harish named the winner of the 2021 Honourable Company of Air Pilots Award in partnership with Aviation Australia.
Prithvi, a Year 10 student, said he found his passion for flying at the age of nine thanks to his father and grandfather.
“My father and my grandfather both were a major influence on me,” Prithvi said.
“My grandpa was in the army for a short time and he always used to tell me stories of about his experiences. That’s when I started to get intrigued about planes, started to watch videos and research about them.
“My dad also had a chance to be in the air force but unfortunately his mother did not want him to join and ended up ripping up his joining application.
“When my dad found out I had a keen interest for flying and defence, he supported me with all his might and pushed me to pursue my dream career.
“My dad and I went on a flying session in Archerfield for 45 minutes on a light aircraft (Eurofox), which I enjoyed, and the experience strengthened my passion.”
Prithvi’s parents Bhagyalakshmi Harish and Harish Venkatapathaiah, of Spring Mountain, said they were proud of their son who wanted to study aerospace at school.
“All the other things that he started doing related to the field of aviation, being part of Airforce cadets and doing a Certification 3 in Aviation which aligned and boosted his passion for flying,” Mrs Harish said.
Keen to be a defence pilot or an aeronautical engineer when he grows up, Prithvi said his recent award from The Honourable Company of Air Pilots (Australian Region), in partnership with Aviation Australia, was open to students who could demonstrate their enthusiasm for flying.
More than 50 schools around Queensland entered the competition.
“Only three students across those schools were chosen for the finals. I was one of the finalists and I was also the winner of the award,” Prithvi said.
“The judges were impressed with my submission of a four-minute video presentation and essay on aerospace.”
He said as the winner, he was awarded a one-on-one mentoring session with a highly experienced airline captain, a 60-minute introduction to flying a modern jet airliner from the captain’s seat of a Boeing 737 flight, simulator at Aviation Australia in Brisbane, and the opportunity to complete a pilot aptitude assessment, designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in terms of potential for being a pilot.
Prithvi said he loved everything to do with flying.
“Flying gives me a sense of freedom, it’s very exciting to have control of the plane and feel the plane respond to your input, it’s very exhilarating,” he said.
The Greater Springfield career-driven student said the award was an acknowledgement of his efforts towards becoming part of the aviation industry.
“I am very grateful for the recognition and the opportunity provided to showcase my skills,” he said.
