Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been trying to become a licensed pilot, according to the tech news outlet The Information. Soon, he might get his wings like other tech giants OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Does this development mean Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg escalated to the skies?
Nevertheless, Zuckerberg can inspire others with his self-improvement. Despite being a tech company head, he refuses to follow the nerdy stereotype by learning various hobbies. Similarly, you can improve yourself by going outside your comfort zone and trying new things.
This article will elaborate on Zuckerberg’s pilot journey and explain how people can earn student pilot certificates. Then, I will discuss how it relates to the Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg fight.
How will Mark Zuckerberg become a pilot?
The Information said the Meta CEO has been training to become a pilot after getting his student pilot certificate earlier this year. The US Federal Aviation Administration says you need one before you can fly solo.
It is not a requirement for flying lessons. Applicants must be at least 16 years old, read, speak, and understand English. Also, aspiring balloon or glider pilots must be 14 years old.
You must also receive a medical certificate from Aviation Medical Examiners. Afterward, you should begin ground and in-flight training with a certified flight instructor (CFI).
The Observer says the average license cost ranges from $10,000 to $20,000. Of course, that’s nothing compared to Zuckerberg’s $113 billion net worth.
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Other tech executives have been flying planes, too. For example, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman got his pilot license in 2010. Patrick and John Collision, brothers and co-founders of the online payment app, Stripe.
Snapchat creator Evan Spiegel has the approval to fly a helicopter. More importantly, Elon Musk owns several planes but has become too busy to fly.
What are Mark Zuckerberg’s other hobbies?
The Starlink CEO taunted the Meta CEO in a fight. In response, Mashable alleges the latter has been training for an upcoming cage match. On July 13, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg posted a photo of himself with UFC champions Alex Volkanovski and Israel Adesanya.
The Information also says he practiced foiling. It is a surfing form where the board lifts the rider above the water’s surface. The Facebook founder explained his new hobby to podcaster Tim Ferriss.
He said surfing every morning before work to handle the stress of running a global tech giant. “Surfing is a great way to clear your mind and focus on the present.”
“You can’t worry about anything else when you’re trying to catch a wave.” Also, he learned Mandarin, read more books, and became a vegetarian. Yet, he eats meat from the animals he kills to exercise gratefulness.
Will we see Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg soon?
Numerous sources can’t help but link Mark Zuckerberg’s physical training to his suggested fight against Elon Musk. After all, you don’t often see billionaires share such statements!
The online drama started on June 21 when the SpaceX CEO replied to a tweet about Threads, the new Meta social media platform. “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options.”
“At least it will be ‘sane,’ [I] Was worried there for a moment,” Musk added. Next, a Twitter user teased him about being careful with Zuckerberg’s jiu-jitsu training.
He replied, “I’m up for a cage match if he is, lol.” Then, Mask responded with an Instagram Story with the caption, “Send Me Location.” Later, Musk tweeted, “Vegas Octagon.”
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That is why some sources like Mashable have been linking Zuck’s latest training to this proposed battle. Meanwhile, Elon Musk seems to be preparing, too.
On July 20, 2023, he posted an old photo of himself lifting a barbell. Its caption read, “Found this old photo where I’m trying to get my body weight under 225 lbs.”
In response, many thought he was training for the fight. Twitter user Empress Heavy said, “Zuck is gonna have a bad time messing with big E.”
Conclusion
Mark Zuckerberg has been training to become a pilot. He completed his first steps with his student pilot certificate, and he would likely become a professional soon.
Zuck has also been learning other skills like surfing, speaking Mandarin, and fighting with mixed martial arts. He’s a billionaire who understands self-improvement doesn’t stop.
You can improve yourself, too, by learning about the latest digital trends. Fortunately, you can start immediately by checking out other articles from Inquirer Tech.