Hi, I'm Manu.
Airline Pilot. CS Grad. Loves Tech.
Who I am...
circa 1998
Hey hey! I'm Manu Satyan from Chennai, India - land of idlis & dosas, spicy foods, and the mighty CSK. I caught the aviation bug even before I could spell "Autopilot", and I've been obsessed with all things tech ever since (yes, I'm that guy - the one who geeks out about things like Starlink WiFi and changes to the latest Android OS). Right now, I'm flying B737s as a First Officer with SpiceJet and loving every minute of it!
If you're into sarcastic one-liners and terrible puns, aviation tales, a fellow UTD/SSV alum, a recruiter looking to hire a safe and proficient pilot (👀), or just want to say hi (don't worry, I don't bite...unless it's an idli 😋) - scroll down to the bottom and drop me a message!
How I got here...
2001 - present day
I graduated Cum Laude from UT Dallas in 2019, with a final GPA of 3.66. Throughout my academic journey, I was consistently recognized for high performance - earning spots on the Dean's and President's lists multiple times. I was also accepted into UTD's Fast Track Program, allowing me to include Master's level courses as an undergrad.
Along the way, I joined two national honor societies: Phi Theta Kappa and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In 2016, I was awarded PTK's Global Leaders of Promise scholarship worth $1,000.
A few highlights from events I've attended or contributed to:
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Community Service & Awareness
Habitat for Humanity, Sexual Assault Awareness, Voter Registration, Poverty Simulation
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Leadership & Development
Leadership camps, Strengths Quest, SGA meetings
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Tech & Academics
IEEE Software Testing Competition, Engineering Week, Cultivating Scholars Presentation, Front-End Dev Workshop
2019 - 2025
SpiceJet's Cadet Pilot Program
After graduating from UT Dallas, I knew I wanted to turn my passion for flying into a career. While preparing to enroll at a US flight school, I came across SpiceJet's Cadet Pilot Program and decided to go for it. On August 30, 2019, I got the exciting news: I'd been selected for SpiceJet's CPP.
That opportunity paved the way for the milestones that followed: FAA CPL in 2020, DGCA CPL in 2022, inducted into SpiceJet in 2023, type-rated on the B737 in 2024, and released as an FO in April 2025.
2015 - 2019
Collin College & University of Texas at Dallas
I started at Collin College, completing most of my core classes while getting involved in several leadership and women's rights events, cultural activities, and even having my photography featured in their FORCES magazine. Collin gave me a rich and diverse environment to grow and learn, and I'm grateful for that strong foundation.
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Transferring to UT Dallas was a big step up - larger campus, more events, and a vibrant student life. I worked part-time on campus as a mentor, took part in HackUTD, Diwali & Holi celebrations, and several tech workshops. Though I lived off campus, I was always around - playing pool at the Pub or SU, racquetball at the activity center, or just hanging out with friends. UTD was a great place to learn, grow, and make fond memories.
2001 - 2015
Sri Sankara Vidyashramam
Having spent over 13 years here, SSV truly felt like a second home. I was actively involved in numerous co-curricular activities, heritage club projects, FilmIt initiatives, and helped organize inter-school cultural fests. After graduating, I continued to stay connected and had the honour of guest chairing SANVIMUN twice - once as the US President in 2017 and again as chair of National Security Council in 2019.
I'm proud to be an SSV alumnus and look forward to giving back in the years to come.
What I do in my free time...
Whether you have 10,000+ hours and numerous ratings under your belt or you’re about to finish school and are looking to step into the world of aviation, everyone’s welcome here. Ask & answer questions, share your thoughts, and chat with fellow aviators from around the world!
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Pilot training and the regulations surrounding aviation can get confusing very quickly for the uninitiated; especially for those that don’t have a close friend or family member to guide them through it all. That's why we created PreFlight!
