What Flying Taught Me About Myself – read about what Jules Loakes, 2025 Scholar, had to say …

“I originally planned to answer this question in British Sign Language, but every time I tried, I became tearful — which probably tells you everything about how much my flying scholarship truly means to me.

Before my scholarship, I’d lost sight of who I was. Life had thrown more at me than I knew how to carry, and somewhere along the way, my confidence, my strength, and my sense of self had slipped out of reach. Flying changed that. It helped me see myself clearly again — not as someone defined by difficulty, but as someone who has endured, adapted, and kept going. I realised resilience isn’t just something I admire in others. It’s something I have, too.

Living away from the people I usually rely on, both physically and emotionally, taught me something I didn’t expect: I can cope on my own. I found a quiet, steady confidence in navigating new places, meeting new people, and making decisions in the cockpit. That independence rebuilt something I didn’t even realise was broken — my ability to trust my own judgement. After having that trust shattered in the past, I hadn’t understood how deeply I doubted myself until I began to rise out of it.

My scholarship also showed me that my physical challenges don’t define my limits. With the right support and mindset, I can still reach for things I once thought were impossible. And then there was the emotional freedom — something I hadn’t felt since 2022. In the air, the weight I’d been carrying for years felt lighter. Sometimes it disappeared altogether. Flying reminded me that I’m allowed to feel joy, pride, and possibility again.

But the most powerful lesson? That I can fly in more ways than one. Yes, I learned to fly an aircraft — but I also learned that I can rise above what tried to break me. I can rebuild. I can move forward with strength. For years I believed that bad things happen to good people. Now, I finally believe that good things happen to good people too.

My flying scholarship didn’t just teach me to Reach for the Sky, it helped me rediscover the person I used to be — and meet the person I’m becoming.

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