Adam Nadeem, now 24, piloted his first commercial flight as second officer on easyJet's 7:45am flight from Manchester to Geneva on June 22, returning the same day. The journey began a decade earlier when he visited the Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport with a friend, taking his first camera, a Nikon D3300.
From Photography to Flight Deck
Nadeem set up an Instagram account to share his photos, amassing over 26,000 followers. His interest in flying started even earlier: "Growing up, I was that youngster who would always ask to go to the flight deck after landing to meet the pilots - those moments made a real impression on me."
At 16, he spent a week on work experience at the airport, shadowing security, fire department, and airside operations. He also connected with the airport's press and social media teams, who noticed his growing online following. Soon, he was invited to airport events as an official aviation photographer.
Mentorship and Training
Jonathan Challis, a member of the airport's Future Airspace team who mentored Nadeem, said: "It has been a privilege to share Adam’s aviation journey from his first day on Work Experience. We have continued to meet for a coffee from time to time and Adam has always been inquisitive, keen to develop a wider aviation interest outside the flight deck and sought precision and excellence in his work. These are the qualities you need in a commercial pilot."
In 2017, Nadeem began flying lessons at Barton aerodrome. He moved to Oxford for an intensive integrated flying course, passing exams on 13 subjects and logging over 100 hours on a single-engine plane to earn his Commercial Pilot's License. "My first solo flight was quite a milestone for me - departing from Oxford to Norwich on my own. Once I had completed this, I was immensely proud of myself but also became confident in my abilities," he said.
Progressing to Commercial Aviation
Nadeem then trained on a multi-engine aircraft for his Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating, plus 40 hours in an Airbus A320 simulator with a co-pilot. He applied to easyJet, attended an assessment day, and received a conditional offer. After an eight-week Type Rating course on the A320, he trained at easyJet's Gatwick facility and completed base training at Teesside, flying a real A320 for the first time. "I had to safely complete six landings and one go-around in the real aircraft. We flew circuits around the airfield at Teesside to complete this. It was so surreal - the result of everything I had worked towards," he said.
First Flight with Passengers
Having completed base training in May, Nadeem flew his first passenger flight on June 22. He credited the airport team and easyJet for his success. "Being an airline pilot is special, but the journey to get there is tough and really tests your dedication and motivation to get there. I am grateful to those that stood by me to support my journey no matter what it took," he said.
He added: "The instructors here at easyJet are great, they are professional and want to impart their knowledge and experience to make you better. The company has a strong training philosophy where your limited experience as a cadet is acknowledged and the courses are designed to break things down to practice and get familiar with the aircraft."
Advice for Aspiring Pilots
Nadeem advised: "My advice for any young person wanting to pursue a career as a pilot is to study hard at school, do some trial flights, attend open days at flight schools to see what they have to offer, and always be ready to learn. There’s no other way to say this, but it was a tough journey. It was demanding, but with hard work and focus, it’s a career path that is within reach – particularly nowadays with airlines introducing sponsored schemes for people from all kinds of backgrounds."
