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Contents
  1. The Cost
  2. The Revenue Roads
  3. The Math
  4. The Timeline
  5. The Philosophy
  6. See Also

The Pilot Fund Plan

This is not a dream page. The dream has its own article. This is the plan -- the detailed, operational strategy for funding my way into the Emirates Flight Training Academy before I turn 18.

The Cost

Flight school is expensive. The Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA) is one of the most prestigious programs in the world, and the price tag reflects that. The training programme, the flight hours, the certifications, the living costs -- it all adds up to a number that would be intimidating if I let myself think about it as a lump sum.

So I do not think about it as a lump sum. I think about it as a problem to solve. And I solve problems by building things.

The Revenue Roads

Every venture I run is a potential income stream feeding the pilot fund:

Simplifly

An eSIM and mobile connectivity platform. B2C sales to travelers plus a growing B2B model targeting hotels, airlines, and corporate travel in the UAE and Gulf. The aviation connection is not accidental -- the kid who wants to fly built a platform for people who do fly. Stripe handles payment processing. Revenue comes from margins on eSIM plans, mobile recharge, and gift card distribution.

LockIn

A productivity app with both consumer and business revenue models. Consumer pricing: $2-5 tiers via StoreKit 2 in-app purchases. B2B pricing: $99 base for schools and offices. The KHDA meeting in March 2026 opened the door to the school market in Dubai. Projected gross margin of 82% with break-even at month 14.

Raly

Remittance intelligence for GCC-to-Asia/Africa corridors. Built on the understanding of cross-border payments that comes from having a father (Ashish Bahl) who works at Thunes, a global payments company.

AI + Frnds

The community and events arm. Not a direct revenue generator yet, but it builds the network, the brand, and the audience that makes everything else possible. Future opportunities could include sponsorships, paid workshops, or partnerships.

The Math

Every late-night coding session is a step toward the cockpit. Every user gained on LockIn is a step closer. Every B2B deal for Simplifly is a step closer.

I think about it in terms of runway -- not startup runway, but literal runway. The kind planes take off from. The math has to work out, and I am attacking the problem from multiple angles instead of betting everything on one project. If one venture takes off, it funds the dream. If multiple do, even better.

The Timeline

Before 18. That is the deadline.

The pilot roadmap maps the operational steps: academic prep in math and physics, physical fitness for the Class 1 aviation medical, flight school comparison, license path mapping (PPL, CPL, IR, ME). But all of those steps require funding, and the funding comes from the ventures.

The sequence:

  1. Age 15-16 -- Build and grow the ventures. Generate initial revenue. Research flight schools and costs.
  2. Age 16-17 -- Scale revenue. Book the Class 1 aviation medical. Begin aptitude test and ICAO English prep.
  3. Age 17-18 -- Enroll. Fund as much as possible from venture revenue.

Every day I am not building is a day wasted. The urgency is real because flight training has age windows, and I want to be ready when mine opens.

The Philosophy

Most 15-year-olds with career dreams wait for someone to hand them the path. I am building mine. The connection between coding and flying is not obvious to most people, but to me it is direct: build apps, get users, generate revenue, fund the training. Each venture is not just a project -- it is a brick in the runway.

"My goal is to fully fund my flying education at the Emirates Flight Training Academy."

Self-funded. Before 18. No shortcuts.

See Also

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