This former Ateneo Blue Eagle is flying high as a prospective commercial pilot

MANILA, Philippines – Former Ateneo Blue Eagle Dan Wong is still flying high after he has hung up his high tops on the competitive hard court.

Wong, the brother of fellow Blue Eagle Adrian, recently received his first flying certificate as he pursues his goal of flying commercial aircraft.

“(Becoming a pilot) did not cross my mind until after my basketball career ended,” related Wong, who is in Arlington, Texas, after the end of his playing stint with the Bulacan Kuyas in the MPBL.

Dan went back to the US to seek work as a financial analyst. 

“After being denied several times, my girlfriend, who is a flight attendant for Emirates asked me if I wanted to become a pilot,” he said. “At that moment, I was like, ‘How come I have not thought of that before?’

“I have always loved traveling and going to airports but flying as a pilot never crossed my mind,” added Wong. “I have cousins who are pilots and one of them is currently a captain for Cebu Pacific. I did my research and decided that becoming a pilot is way more exciting than a desk job.”

To date, Wong has logged over 100 hours of flight time. He needs six more certificates that will enable him to fly commercially. Based on US career steps for prospective pilots must log over 250 hours flying in various situations including solo and pilot-in-command of the aircraft during daytime and nighttime, complete instrument training, and fly carrying various cargo.

“Not for one second have I regretted doing this,” he bared. “Just seeing the sunset from a different perspective and on that beautiful horizon seals the deal for me.”

Wong has completed and passed his Private Pilot Checkride. “I’d have to say that’s one of my biggest accomplishments so far aside from winning the first ever UAAP Three-Point Contest in 2017, being drafted by NLEX in the PBA, playing for the Bulacan Kuyas, and graduating from Ateneo (where he earned a degree in Business Management.”

“I will be undertaking my instrument training next,” said Dan. “Then it will be the commercial stage. From there, my end goal is flying for the big airliners either in the United States or in the Philippines.”