Dannyka Manangan

Alden Richards shares what he plans to do once he finishes aviation school

Article (news)

E. Kristhoff Cagape

Push Team

<p>Alden Richards revealed that Hollywood star Tom Cruise inspired him to pursue aviation studies.</p><p>In an interview with <em>PeopleAsia</em>, the actor shared that the film <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em> had a significant impact on him. &quot;[Tom] is the reason why right now I am into aviation school, so I am pursuing my flying training. It&#x27;s a two-year program,&quot; he shared.</p><p>Alden went on to say that completing the course would allow him to fly commercial aircraft. &quot;By the time I graduate, I can already fly commercial aircrafts and be a pilot of commercial airlines,&quot; he said.</p><p>Looking ahead, Alden also expressed a deeper aspiration beyond commercial flying. &quot;I want to be a reservist pilot for the Philippine Airforce... to fly jets.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DI3lQIhJATD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="></a></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DI3lQIhJATD/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A86647.5%2C%22ls%22%3A86129.8999999999%2C%22le%22%3A86592.19999999972%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="857" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>It was in April when Alden announced that he enrolled in an aviation school in Clark, Pampanga. &quot;Reaching new heights, one flight at a time✈️,&quot; he wrote in an Instagram post.</p><p>In his post, Alden is seen posing beside a &quot;Ready for Training&quot; sign and inside a flight simulator, giving fans a glimpse of his latest endeavor.</p><p>Earlier in May, Alden was invited to the premiere of <em>Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning</em> in Seoul where he met Tom.</p><p>&quot;We were actually surprised that we would be having the chance to meet him and the instructions were you can only ask two questions from Tom. Hinuli po ako sa pila,&quot; he recalled in the same interview with <em>PeopleAsia. </em></p><div><br/></div><div><em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJYtMxBxVMR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="></a></em> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJYtMxBxVMR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJYtMxBxVMR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA=="></a></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><em></em></div><div><br/></div><p>Instead of asking questions, Alden chose to deliver a heartfelt message.</p><p>&quot;I told myself I am not going to ask any questions to [Tom], I&#x27;m just gonna tell him my story in one minute and 30 seconds. I wanted it to be brief, I wanted it to be short because I didn&#x27;t want to waste his time,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/5/25/alden-richards-shares-what-he-told-tom-cruise-during-the-mission-impossible-premiere-in-seoul-1307"><strong>READ: Alden Richards shares what he told Tom Cruise during the ‘Mission: Impossible’ premiere in Seoul</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Alden shared what he told the Hollywood star: &quot;I told him, &#x27;Hi Tom, my name is Alden Richards. I&#x27;m an actor from the Philippines and you have inspired me a lot with your work.&#x27; Because of you, &#x27;yun sinabi ko &#x27;yung about not having stunt doubles and sabi ko, &#x27;I&#x27;ve seen all of of your films: from Mission films, to <em>Jack Reacher</em>, to <em>Top Gun</em>, to <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em>.&#x27; He was just saying wow, wow, over and over again.&quot;</p><p>He also expressed his gratitude to the actor: &quot;I told him na, &#x27;Thank you for your work. Thank you for the inspiration you&#x27;ve given a lot of people, most especially me.&#x27; And then [I said], &#x27;I hope I can work with you soon,&#x27; and then that&#x27;s when he hugged me.&quot;</p>

<p>Alden Richards is currently studying in an aviation school in Clark, Pampanga. </p>