LIFT Pilot Q&A – Evan Millan

Evan Millan joined LIFT’s inaugural class in September 2018 after seeing how Hollywood portrayed pilots in movies as a kid. Evan was one of the Republic Associates who took advantage of LIFT’s discount for Republic Associates and qualified dependents after working at Republic as a licensed Dispatcher, doing whatever he could to be close to aviation and to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.

Take-off checklist:

• Favorite overnight city? Kalispell, Montana
• Dream airport to fly into? Aspen (ASE)
• Favorite plane flown? E170 of course!
• Dream plane to fly? F-18
• Hardest rating to achieve? Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI)
• Favorite airport meal? Pizza and Shake Shack
• Role model? Saint Francis of Assisi, any saint

Question: What made you want to be a pilot /what drew you to aviation?

Evan Millan: I was initially hooked when I saw Hollywood’s portrayal of pilots. I got a closer look as I was growing up, after having a Boy Scout leader who was an air traffic controller.

Question: When were you a student at LIFT? Instructor?

Evan: I was a student at LIFT from September 2018 to July 2019 and was a CFI from July 2019 through June 2021!

Question: What was your experience like as a student?

Evan: I had a great time as a student at LIFT Academy. I found that I especially enjoyed the freedom of solo flying while training towards my commercial rating.

Question: What made you excited to go to Republic to fly?

Evan: Before I joined LIFT Academy, I was a crew scheduler and a licensed Dispatcher at Republic Airways. During my time as a crew scheduler, I saw how pilots had the opportunity to bid their schedules, getting to ask for certain locations or even working only 3 days a week. I really looked forward to the free time and the opportunity to be able to travel.

Question: What was training at Republic like? Did you feel prepared?

Evan: The training was exactly what I expected, which to me means I was well prepared for it.

Question: How did your education at LIFT prepare you for flying the line at Republic?

Evan: LIFT’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) share many triggers/callouts with Republic Airways. Also, the manuals are styled the same, helping when you are looking for a reference within a manual.

Question: Did you feel like you had an advantage compared to others in your class because of your training at LIFT Academy?

Evan: Definitely. I got a wide variety of flying at LIFT including a lot of actual instrument time.

Question: What tools did you rely on the most during your training at Republic?

Evan: The team. My class took a group study approach which seemed to help break down the sheer volume of information into more manageable parts.

Question: What is it like to be a commercial airline pilot? What are your favorite parts?

Evan: I am living the dream. It really doesn’t feel like a job, more like a hobby. My favorite part is being able to see the product of your labor at the end of each flight as passengers excitedly exit the plane.

Question: What do you have to look forward to in your career as a pilot?

Evan: The next step is to upgrade. Career-wise I don’t know, just enjoying the ride not too worried about the destination. I most look forward to traveling with my wife and family during my days off.