Captain Solomon Quainoo, a Ghanaian aviation trailblazer, is the author of an awe-inspiring book titled “Flutter Until You Fly.” This book chronicles a life journey marked by unwavering determination, unyielding resilience, and the soaring ambition of a young boy who dared to dream big.
Within its pages lies a remarkable story of transformation, which led Captain Quainoo from being the unwanted child who faced ridicule for his aspirations to becoming the captain of the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
The narrative takes root when, at the tender age of six, Captain Quainoo declared his ambition to be a pilot. However, his dreams were met with mocking laughter from those who doubted the feasibility of such aspirations. These skeptics only fueled his determination. In the face of family financial struggles and academic challenges, he persevered through an arduous journey that included seven years of couch-surfing, jobs as a cook and a kenkey hawker, and struggling through secondary school while baking bread.
Despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges, Captain Quainoo’s spirit remained unbroken. He attempted A-levels twice, even though he performed poorly, which disqualified him from joining the air force, despite passing the army assessment twice. The book, “Flutter Until You Fly,” captures the essence of his relentless determination and his extraordinary journey to overcome these stumbling blocks.
Captain Quainoo’s path was far from conventional. He worked grueling 17-hour days in various roles, including laborer, cleaner, pizza delivery driver, and traffic warden. This remarkable determination ultimately led him to fulfill his dream of becoming a captain of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. His story stands as an inspiration for anyone who has faced adversity and refused to let go of their dreams.
In 2019, Captain Solomon Quainoo’s journey took an even more remarkable turn when he received the prestigious BALAFON Aviation Man of the Year in West Africa award. This award, presented at the ‘Accra Weizo’ ceremony organized by ATQ News, recognized his outstanding contributions to the aviation industry. Captain Quainoo made history in October 2018 when he became the first pilot and the first African to fly Emirates’ flagship double-decker aircraft A380 to Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport’s newly constructed Terminal 3.
His groundbreaking achievement and continued accolades are a testament to the heights that can be reached through unwavering determination and resilience in the face of adversity. Captain Solomon Quainoo’s story, as told in his book and celebrated by the BALAFON Aviation Man of the Year award, continues to inspire and uplift those who dare to dream and persevere against all odds.
