Landing In Aviation With Bailey Gorin

Ameriflight employees come from various walks of life.
That got us thinking… we know where our employees are now, but how exactly did they get here?
Who or what influenced them, where did they begin, and what stops did they make along the way?
We’re curious to know how each employee landed here at Ameriflight, so we asked!

This is how Bailey Gorin landed in aviation.

Captain Bailey Gorin

My journey to aviation started when I was 12 years old. My mom took me to Girls in Aviation Day at Boeing Field in Louisville, Kentucky where I got to sit in airplanes, touch the controls and flip some switches. From that day forward, I knew I wanted to fly!

Commercial, Multi-Engine, Instrument Pilot

Even though no one else in my family is involved in aviation, both of my parents have always been very supportive of my aviation dreams. I attended and graduated from Indiana State University where I got my Private Pilot License and a degree in Aviation Management and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. After college, I was a drone pilot for PrecisionHawk and soon after, I received an opportunity with UPS Airlines for an internship.

At UPS Airlines, I worked as a Flight Operations Technical and Safety Intern. I got to work with the pilots’ Electronic Flight Kits (EFK’s) along with other applications like Jeppesen and myMobile 365, which houses the documents for flight operations. I also got to work with other departments, including the Chief Pilots Office, Daily Operations and Ground Operations, on various projects. Having the opportunity to work with those different departments really gave me perspective and insight on how much it takes to run an airline.

UPS Intern

I think it’s accurate to say that every career journey is going to come with its fair share of challenges. The biggest challenge for me, especially at that beginning, was experience. In aviation, experience really is key. The more experience you have, the more confident and comfortable of a pilot you become. During my time as a UPS intern, I attended ATP flight school in order to gain more experience, finish up my ratings and build more hours.

Throughout my UPS internship, I had my eye on Ameriflight. I knew Ameriflight was one of the top Part 135 airlines with challenging flying and a great atmosphere and I knew I wanted to fly there one day. I eventually expressed interest in Ameriflight, got accepted into the next phase of the FlightPath Program and was given a class date.

I came to Ameriflight in August 2018 as a First Officer on the BE1900, based out of DFW. I was very nervous my first day; it was my first commercial flying job and such an exciting opportunity for me. Training was a great experience; I learned a lot and knew that the Training Department had set me up for success in becoming a First Officer and starting my career.

During my time as a First Officer, I learned so much from myself and from others. I learned how Ameriflight operations work on a daily basis and how to fly my first turbine aircraft. Thanks to my instructors and the Captains I flew with, I have become much more confident in my flying.

Captain Bailey Gorin and Captain Lydia Kost

In September of 2019, I was able to bid and upgrade to Captain in the BE99 and stay based at DFW. Flying single pilot is a challenging yet very rewarding experience. I really enjoy getting to work with dispatch, maintenance, and ground operations every day. My time as a First Officer helped familiarize me with turbine aircraft which made the transition to Captain much smoother.

My advice for current and future pilots is to gain as much experience as you can and keep pushing through. Sometimes training can be difficult but as long as you keep going and believe in yourself, you will finish. I also highly recommend the UPS FlightPath Program. I learned so much valuable information about the aviation industry at UPS, and at Ameriflight I’ve gained amazing flying experience. Not to mention the relationships you create at both companies will stay with you and carry you throughout your career.

Looking ahead, my next big goal is to make it back to UPS Airlines as a pilot. But between now and then, I’d like to upgrade to the BE1900 and get more involved in the safety and training departments. I’m excited for the future and to see where my career takes me.

Previously we featured Captain Lydia Kost. Click here to read how she landed in aviation!

1.9.20