Following their fathers’ flight paths into aviation

SEPANG: When Balqis Amanda Mat Irwani was seven, she stepped into the cockpit of a Malaysia Airlines aircraft piloted by her father and imagined herself in the captain’s seat.

Nearly two decades later, that childhood dream is close to becoming reality. The 25-year-old is now training as a cadet pilot with Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB), following in the footsteps of her father, Captain Mat Irwani Mat Nawawi.

Growing up, Balqis was immersed in the world of aviation, gaining an early appreciation of the discipline and commitment the profession demands.

One of her clearest childhood memories is recording videos inside her father’s cockpit during a flight. “I pointed at the pilot’s seat and imagined myself sitting there one day,” she told Bernama in conjunction with Father’s Day on Sunday.

Balqis, the older of two siblings, said frequent travel with her family helped shape her future career choice.

“Growing up, we travelled a lot because of my father’s job. When the time came to choose a career, I realised this was exactly what I wanted to do.”

Her decision surprised some people: Balqis had done very well in her SPM exam and received a scholarship offer to study chemical engineering. She chose aviation instead.

For Mat Irwani, 51, this decision brought both pride and concern. While he never doubted his daughter’s academic abilities, he knew the demands of pilot training extend far beyond classroom performance.

“She had the academic ability; what I was unsure about was whether she could handle the pressure, the simulator training, and the rigorous preparation required to become a pilot,” he said.

Determined to help her succeed, he put her through high-pressure revision sessions at home to prepare her for the challenges ahead. Supporting her ambitions, he said, is simply part of being a father.

“I will continue guiding her throughout her journey to becoming a pilot. I want her to be even better than I am.”

A father’s dedication on the ground

For licensed aircraft engineer Lee Yong Qiang, 33, aviation was also a path shaped by family. His father, Lee Ah Teck, 62, spent many years as a licensed aircraft engineer with MAB before moving on to become a technical instructor.

Yong Qiang said his decision to enter aircraft maintenance was driven not only by his father’s career, but also by the values Ah Teck embodied throughout his working life.

“My father was on the frontlines, a man whose quiet strength, unwavering dedication and ability to balance demanding shift work with family life made him my hero,” he said.

“Watching him work with resilience and humility inspired me to follow in his footsteps, and today I proudly stand in the same role as a line maintenance engineer at MAB.”

Yong Qiang said he has since gained a deeper understanding of the responsibility his father carried throughout his career.

Ensuring aircraft are safe before every flight, he pointed out, is a task that demands precision, commitment and constant vigilance.

For Ah Teck, fatherhood is about more than career guidance. When Yong Qiang was around 12 years old, he made a significant career move from line maintenance to quality assurance so he could spend more time with his family.

The decision reflected a different kind of dedication – one that balanced his commitment to aviation with being present during his son’s formative years.