Introduction/About Us
When I was 9 years old, I saw my dad watching “Air Crash Investigation” and joined him, not knowing how greatly it would end up influencing my life.
I instantly fell in love with the complexity of this industry--I didn’t even know air traffic controllers existed until then. There was so much to explore about planes and the more I explored the more I wanted to know. When my mom told me about “Flight Experience”, a flight simulator in Hong Kong, I begged her to let me try it out.
It was fun, of course, but also challenging at the same time to remember every step along the way and to make decisions as the pilot in command in the the simulator. Once I’d mastered the basics, I felt so much more confident both in the cockpit and in real life. Whenever I shared my experience with people they were both shocked and intrigued--there’s something special about the ability to fly.
After logging 25 hours in the simulator, I decided that flying in a simulator was not enough and went on to flying a real plane in the summer of 2016. To my surprise, the instructor let me take over right after takeoff on my first ever time as a pilot in a real plane. I was quite terrified because it was no longer a game and every choice I made had a real impact. It was a lot of responsibility and took a lot of courage to make the turns and the descents which seem simple now. After just a few days, I realized that I could execute risky moves like stalling the plane and recovering from the stall. I began to feel so in control and confident about my own skills. Pilots have a special sense of confidence and courage because we know we can defy gravity.
After reflecting on my experience of learning to fly, from watching planes crash investigation on TV to piloting one myself, I knew I wanted to share my passion and education with others and to help them build that same sense of confidence and obtain that same sense of joy.
I decided to create “Defying Gravity”, a non-profit organization, in summer 2017 to accomplish two goals:
Defying Gravity is magical and that’s what flying brings to this world: magic. To those who have had the opportunity to fly, flying inspires us to dream big, as the sky is the limit. Flying brings such joy to my life. I never feel as accomplished and proud as when I’m in the clouds, reminded of the fact that there’s no limitations for what I can do or where I go. I want to pass this same feeling on, especially to those who are not as fortunate and may feel confined by where they are in the world.
Defying Gravity gives youth the opportunity to explore through flying, whether it’s traveling to a foreign country or becoming the commander in a cockpit. We want the younger generations to feel empowered to make their dreams come true, to show them that they can defy even the fundamental forces of earth. This feeling of empowerment can be applied not just to flying but also other parts of life. Let planes take you on a life-changing, eye-opening journey that will teach you something new about this world and yourself through a new lens.
~Yishu Chen
I instantly fell in love with the complexity of this industry--I didn’t even know air traffic controllers existed until then. There was so much to explore about planes and the more I explored the more I wanted to know. When my mom told me about “Flight Experience”, a flight simulator in Hong Kong, I begged her to let me try it out.
It was fun, of course, but also challenging at the same time to remember every step along the way and to make decisions as the pilot in command in the the simulator. Once I’d mastered the basics, I felt so much more confident both in the cockpit and in real life. Whenever I shared my experience with people they were both shocked and intrigued--there’s something special about the ability to fly.
After logging 25 hours in the simulator, I decided that flying in a simulator was not enough and went on to flying a real plane in the summer of 2016. To my surprise, the instructor let me take over right after takeoff on my first ever time as a pilot in a real plane. I was quite terrified because it was no longer a game and every choice I made had a real impact. It was a lot of responsibility and took a lot of courage to make the turns and the descents which seem simple now. After just a few days, I realized that I could execute risky moves like stalling the plane and recovering from the stall. I began to feel so in control and confident about my own skills. Pilots have a special sense of confidence and courage because we know we can defy gravity.
After reflecting on my experience of learning to fly, from watching planes crash investigation on TV to piloting one myself, I knew I wanted to share my passion and education with others and to help them build that same sense of confidence and obtain that same sense of joy.
I decided to create “Defying Gravity”, a non-profit organization, in summer 2017 to accomplish two goals:
- I wanted to give underprivileged children the opportunity to travel and see the world
- I wanted to inspire the same passion for conquering obstacles and defying expectations
Defying Gravity is magical and that’s what flying brings to this world: magic. To those who have had the opportunity to fly, flying inspires us to dream big, as the sky is the limit. Flying brings such joy to my life. I never feel as accomplished and proud as when I’m in the clouds, reminded of the fact that there’s no limitations for what I can do or where I go. I want to pass this same feeling on, especially to those who are not as fortunate and may feel confined by where they are in the world.
Defying Gravity gives youth the opportunity to explore through flying, whether it’s traveling to a foreign country or becoming the commander in a cockpit. We want the younger generations to feel empowered to make their dreams come true, to show them that they can defy even the fundamental forces of earth. This feeling of empowerment can be applied not just to flying but also other parts of life. Let planes take you on a life-changing, eye-opening journey that will teach you something new about this world and yourself through a new lens.
~Yishu Chen