About career choices

«It’s a lot of fun»

Yannick Chabloz is a ski racer in the Swiss Alpine Ski Team, Alex Borer flies an Airbus for Swiss International Air Lines. Two dream jobs that too often remain just that: a dream. Yannick and Alex tell how it became reality for them.

«I come from a non-pilot family, that also exists (laughs)! I caught the "aviation virus" when I often flew to Africa as a child. My godmother lived with her husband in the Congo for 45 years. I used to fly over the desert in an EC-10. At that time there was only one screen in the plane and everyone had to close the shutters so that the film could be seen at the front. But I actually wanted to look out of the window and see the desert much more than the film in front, which I found very stupid (laughs). Later, I studied first, but came to flying via the military and finally decided "yes, flying, that's what I want to do". My family just said, why not, it's nice (laughs). I was really an exotic. Nevertheless, I always received a lot of support from my parents, which I really needed, especially in the beginning. The training and the flying was absolutely amazing.»

«My parents are both ski instructors and I was on the slopes from a very early age. But I didn't only ski, I also trained in many other sports. I gradually sorted these out over the years. Skiing remained, «Das macht uh huere vil Spass» (“It’s a lot of fun”) and I said to myself, I'll keep going and see how far I get. My parents always supported and motivated me and made sure I kept at it. So it went steadily forward and step by step I fought my way up to where I am now. I owe a lot of that to my parents. However, my mother is not so happy about my job now, because I drive downhill and she is always a bit scared when I stand at the starting line. But I think that's normal. They are very proud of me and that makes me happy.»