Meet Rishi Malhan, a fourth year Robotics and Artificial Intelligence PhD Candidate at USC. Born and raised in India, his academic journey began at Nirma University in Gujarat, India, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. His graduate studies was the start of his Trojan life, earning a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his educational career, he has won four gold medal awards for his academic achievements during his undergraduate degree, published numerous academic papers, filed an international patent, and won the Academic Excellence award at USC.

On top of his impressive academic achievements, he is also a private pilot. Aviation has always been one of his passions other than robotics, and after a fellow Trojan private pilot took him out flying a few years ago, he knew that becoming a private pilot was an interest that he had to pursue. Today, Rishi flies single engine land airplanes as a fun hobby outside of his studies.

A few weeks ago, Rishi was kind enough to take us with him to experience a day in the life of a private pilot, with a flying experience out of Hawthorne Municipal Airport around the skies of Los Angeles and Ventura County. We were able to follow along and experience the pre-flight preparation, take-off, practice drills like stalling and extreme turns, landing, and re-fueling during daylight hours and after sunset. 

We flew from Hawthorne to Camarillo Airport for a quick lunch break where Rishi provided us with more knowledge on aviation, the Cessna Skyhawk 172M we flew in, and answered some questions sent in by USC students. 

What is your favorite part about aviation?
He loves the freedom and the thrill of flying. It is very exciting to be able to fly anywhere, choose your altitude, and your own destination on a whim. You get the best views, discover gorgeous airports like Catalina, hike or camp at places not accessible otherwise, go faster, and get your daily dose of adrenaline with aerobatics!

Recommendation for those interested in pursuing an aviation hobby or career?
Rishi recommends an introductory flying lesson to get to know more about what being a pilot takes and if it is really something you would want to pursue.

What was the process like to become a licensed private pilot?
A lot of studying and preparation. Rishi studied for about 5-6 months, trained for another 7-8 months, all while balancing school and internships. His days were often 9AM – 5PM school and work, then 5PM – 9PM aviation studying and practice. Although there wasn’t much free time left, this busy schedule was never a chore since it was something he loved to do. As of now, Rishi has more than 120 hours of flying experience.

Any other hobbies?
Outside of aviation, Rishi likes to take on DIY projects at home, explore theme parks, and indulge in the local food scene. For a fun night out he recommends Yard House in DTLA, and Malibu Farm Cafe at Malibu Pier for a relaxing brunch with a view.

Image taken in flight over Los Angeles

Rishi hopes to encourage other students to pursue their hobbies and passions, and show that it is possible to successfully balance both. 

What does his future hold? After graduating in May, he will be moving to the East Coast to Boston, Massachusetts, to work at Berkshire Grey, a robotics intelligence technology company. It is clear that Rishi will be accomplishing great things in his future career.

You can follow along with his adventures on Instagram @trojaninthesky, and check out his Instagram story takeover on the OIS Instagram account @uscois.

Written by: Melissa Mancini, OIS Communications Editor, M.A. Candidate in Public Relations and Advertising, USC Annenberg 2022