A veteran Hong Kong banker is trading spreadsheets for flight controls, leaving a successful banking career behind to finally pursue his childhood dream of becoming a pilot.
“I’ve always wanted to fly,” Carlton Lee Ka-tsun, 39, told The Standard. “After COVID, I knew it was my last chance to give it one more shot.”
The decision was also shaped by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, which he believes will replace many analytical and risk assessment roles in finance. Coupled with a waning passion for banking, the pull toward the cockpit became irresistible.
Lee is now part of the fifth batch of cadets in the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy’s Cadet Pilot Program, an approximately 14-month course that blends six months of ground school in Hong Kong with eight months of flight training in the United States.
He also noted that many cadets come from non-aviation fields, from land surveying to engineering and architecture. While the transition has meant financial sacrifices, he credits the unwavering support of his family – which includes Lee’s two young sons – for keeping him motivated.
He is profoundly optimistic about the industry’s future in Hong Kong, citing the newly commissioned Three-runway System as a catalyst for growth, as well as a sustained demand for skilled pilots which he believes is immune to automation.
His advice to others considering a leap into aviation is simple: “Step out of your comfort zone, commit fully, and give it everything you have. Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll have no regrets.”
