Plane Desperate

My name is James Sarvis and I have set up this GofundMe page for a young man named Luis Prieto so that he can pay for the remaining 300 flight hours needed to get a license and realize his dream to become a pilot.  I am American and reside in Atlanta. I am an officer for a major airline and first met Luis when he was 13 years old.  I am not a pilot but I speak Spanish, which was his only language at the time.  Luis is now 25 and I still serve as one of his mentors. This is his story.  

Luis is from Caracas, Venezuela.  I meet many people from around the world in my position but what caught my attention about him was his passion and conviction at such a young age to become a pilot.  As I came to know him he shared memories of his parents driving several hours to Simon Bolivar International Airport on the weekends, holidays, and sometimes even after school so he could watch the planes and talk to pilots.  He shared that his desire to become a pilot was solidified further when he and his parents were on a Delta flight and the pilot allowed him to visit the cockpit.  Here he is in that proud moment and later in a related CNN en Espanol video.

 

Years later his parents allowed him to attend college in the U.S.  So, at 17 he left his family to come to the U.S. on a student visa.  I remained in contact with Luis, receiving updates from him from time to time.  He continued to impress me.  He was no longer a kid with an endearing dream, but a courageous young man taking actions toward becoming a pilot.  He came to the U.S. barely speaking English, but applied himself diligently to learn the language while he studied under the Aeronautical Science program at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.   

Luis’s parents are both in the medical field in Venezuela.  When they allowed Luis to come to the U.S. they were financially sound.  By his senior year the political situation worsened in Venezuela with a resulting extreme devaluation of the currency.  What his parents had in deposits at the bank had become so devalued they were no longer able to help their son complete his final year.  They had become challenged to even support themselves in spite of being highly educated and experienced professionals.  Educating myself a bit deeper on the matter, I do not believe the growing Venezuelan crisis will be soon resolved.  Yet once again Luis has impressed me.  Determined to complete his final year he received loans and worked internships, but charged credit cards when unpaid internships failed to cover his daily living expenses.  Under his Visa program he was highly restricted to working part-time and only in areas that would further his aviation studies.  He interned for Allegiant Air, Las Vegas, in their Flight Operations Department; and for United Airlines, Chicago, where he learned the planning and dispatch operations.  Undeterred by the setback he graduated last year!

 

In the process he accumulated about $24,000 in debt.  He transitioned to the OPT Visa program after graduation so he could work.  He currently works full-time for Endeavor Air supporting pilots and flight attendants.  His entry-level salary covers living expenses and he is paying down the accumulated debt as much as possible, but he has zero discretionary income to pay for the 300 qualifying flying hours needed to get an Airline Transport License.  Each flight hour costs no less than $100.  In seeking a second job he learned that the OPT Visa does not permit him to work just any job.  The second job like his primary job must also be directly related to his field of study and have a guarantee of at least 20 hours per week.  Holding multiple jobs would help financially, but consume his free time to fly the qualifying hours.  He cannot become a pilot without these hours.  

As a U.S. citizen living in Atlanta, Georgia, I am keenly aware of the social views relevant to this post that divide us.  It is with great trepidation that I appeal in such a forum to help him.  I do it mostly as a father.  I cannot fathom how his parents must feel having set their son up to prosper only to see him now struggle.  Alone.  I also write as a successful professional who overcame hardships.  I came to the states in the 80’s from the U.S. Island of Puerto Rico.  We have had common experiences, hence my connection and desire to help this young man to become a self-sufficient, successful, contributing adult. 

The goal is to raise $30,000 so that Luis may pay for at least 300 more hours of flying.  He has little over a year to accomplish it.  Alternatively, if you own a plane, he would be able to pay for fuel to fly it and continue to accumulate flying hours outside his full-time work hours. He can also flight-share if at all possible.

I sincerely thank you for your time and consideration.
 
James Sarvis on behalf of Luis Prieto