ACTOR and director Xian Lim has officially earned his wings as a licensed commercial pilot, calling the achievement a “life-changing” milestone.
“I still can’t believe it. Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari,” Lim wrote on Instagram, where he thanked his mentors, instructors, and fellow student pilots for guiding him through the intense training.
“This journey has truly been life-changing and I’m filled with gratitude,” he added. “To my @topfliteacademy family, thank you for believing in me and pushing me beyond what I thought was possible. Everything happened so fast, pero you were there to guide me every moment, every step of the way.”
Lim gave special thanks to Capt. Chiclet Pecson, whom he credited for helping him through difficult training flights. “Every new maneuver, ‘di ko talaga akalain na kakayanin ko, pero you always pushed me. Susuka pero di susuko. Repetition, repetition, repetition!”
He also acknowledged the encouragement of Capt. Sahl Onglatco and the rest of his flight instructors for keeping him and other students inspired, especially during rough patches. “Even when things get rough, you make sure we keep the fire burning.”
Lim praised his fellow cadets and “flymates” for offering support through “every challenging maneuver, every ‘bad’ flight, and every failed exam.”
“Kaya ‘yan,” “Bawi sa susunod,” and “Tara, review after class,” were some of the affirmations that kept him going, he said. “Having da best support group makes all the difference in the world.”
Ending his post on a high, Lim joked about his caffeine-fueled energy after passing his checkride: “CPL: Coffee Powered License. Waley.”
He then shared a message to fellow dreamers: “Let this be a reminder to myself and to anyone reading this, chasing a dream, that nothing is impossible if you have the heart, the passion, and the right people around you.”
“This is only the beginning,” he wrote. “Let’s keep flying.”
