Have questions about training at Sterling? We have the answers! Our Operations Assistant Paula Rios shares some insights into her experience, training and what a student should do to prepare for life as a flight student.
Q: How long have you been with Sterling?
A: I’ve been working at Sterling since July 2021.
Q: What is your favorite part of working here?
A: My favorite part of working at Sterling is getting a chance to learn something new every day and meeting a lot of interesting people of all backgrounds. It’s a fun and enjoyable place to work in which you connect to customers through mutual interests.
Q: What do you look for in potential students?
A: Great sense of humor, being open minded and having a passion for knowledge and aviation.
Q: What qualities do you think makes a good student?
A: Some qualities I think would make a good student include having the motivation to study for the long run, being responsible and having good time management.
Q: Do you have previous aviation experience?
A: I do, I previously did some training to be a flight dispatcher in South Florida.
Q: Why should students choose Sterling over other programs?
A: If you choose Sterling, you’re walking into a building with great people who are ready to help you succeed in achieving your goals in aviation. We offer Part 61 and Part 141 training, giving us the flexibility to accommodate students with instructors to create a schedule that best suits them. Additionally, we’re affiliated with Liberty University, Purdue Global and we’ve teamed up with Meritize to finance your training. At Sterling we proudly support our military and veterans, we’re approved to accept VA benefits and can provide a 10% discount on your training.
Q: What resources does Sterling offer that are valuable to students?
A: At Sterling we offer the chance for you to create your own schedule with your assigned instructor and a variety of aircraft to choose from. We also have the RTD Frasca and REDBIRD simulators for whenever we have a rainy day. And we are a PSI testing center for all FAA Airman knowledge tests.
Q: How would you describe the culture at Sterling?
A: We’re always here for our students and welcoming new faces. As cheesy as it sounds, at Sterling we’re like a family. We tend to be supportive, have our inside jokes and pranks, we’re casual, understanding and a genuinely sincere group of people.
Q: What is a fun fact about you?
A: I’m a very artsy person, I love to play Dead by Daylight lol and I’m a proud Boricua from Arecibo PR.
Q: What is your go-to playlist song?
A: There are too many great songs to just pick one! As of now my go to song would be “when you were young” by the Killers.
