Pilot, influencer, blogger, and writer Patrick Beidenkapp is well-known worldwide thanks to his digital platforms. Well-equipped, with his Drone, GoPro, and cameras, this thirty-year-old man travels around Europe shooting amazing photos. However, how can a pilot have so many followers? We asked him this very question in this interview…
How did you become a pilot?
To become a pilot, I attended a specific professional flying school. Even though having a university degree is always recommended, I decided to drop off, leave my academic studies and I directly enrolled in a flying school which, by having several exams periodically, allowed me to access the final test to become a pilot. This is a real school, that directly guides you to the final goal.
Before the arrival of the most important day, there are many tests to pass, such as theoretical exams about a strict and full knowledge of the weather and how it can easily change, especially at high altitude, of the structure of an airplane and all its parts, etc. Moreover, there were also practical exams. In the end, here I am, a 32-year-old pilot-influencer who started flying 20 years ago.
Despite being pilot, you are also a famous influencer, with almost 800,000 followers. How can you combine the two jobs?
Being a pilot hasn’t just been my profession since ever, but it is also my greatest passion. All my life has been imprinted to reach this goal. Being an influencer/blogger is a spontaneously- born activity, as a simple consequence. I have never forced it, I simply wanted to tell my followers my everyday life, the real-life of a pilot. No one had thought about it before (at least, not on social networks).
In a short time, I realized that people loved my content and so I properly equipped myself, as a real influencer (with a camera, a drone, and a GoPro) and the activity started to catch on… Now I do two different jobs. To be sincere, in the last few months I couldn’t fly because of Covid-19 and so I could work much more on my social networks.
Among all the things you do, you also wrote a book. Why? What is it about?
The book “My glamorously unglamorous life as a jet-set pilot” was written by me, as a pilot, and it tells my story, how I reached this goal and all the experiences that were necessary to achieve this notorious title. I wrote what I usually don’t say on social media. Everyone thinks that being a pilot is an easy and luxurious job, and that’s why I decided to talk about the more fragile and negative aspects of this profession. I get naked by telling shocking moments that I have experienced, stories of people I had on board, problems related to the world of aviation.
I fight on the front line, and this book proves it so that one day even our sector will be featured by equality, where today, unfortunately, prejudices about sexual orientation and skin color are still the order of the day. Writing this book has been a form of personal liberation. I strongly hope that it will open the eyes of those who hope to work in this sector with all of themselves.
Since I was young, I have always wanted to write a book to tell my story. Many people think that I tell all my life on social media, but the fact is that I show only a small part of myself, skipping some important pieces that I never talk about. With the book, I could express all of myself without filters.
Will you keep on being both an influencer and a pilot in future? Who do you imagine yourself in 10 years?
Pilot and influencer are two jobs that go perfectly together: I am more and more passionate about photos and videos! In 10 years, I imagine myself as a spokesperson for diversity, an example for those who do this work. I want them to be able to work feel free to be themselves, without prejudices. I also dream to open a shop where I can sell products related to the world of aviation. Finally, I would like to convince people to be proud of who they are and to motivate them to pursue their dreams freely, no matter their sexual orientation and the color of their skin.
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