00:00:00
Speaker 1: Seven two Masterclass. It's the Master Class Writer and seven or two afternoons. Now, I don't know about you, but where I'm from the idea of becoming a pilot has always been associated with people that have access to such Oftentimes we don't even know where to look, where to go to become a pilot? Are their schools? Do they go to university? How soon can I start? What does the training look like? How expensive is it? Because it definitely sounds expensive and that's why I'm looking forward to the conversation that we're having this afternoon on the Master Class. It's about becoming a pilot in South Africa. And as I mentioned, my guests are Bali Michael, who's a senior first officer at South African Airways, a pilot instructor, and we also have Unyevo loch Inhevo is in the studio. Good afternoon, Hill, very well, Thank you so much for coming through.
00:00:51
Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. I'm excited.
00:00:52
Speaker 1: I'm more excited because I want to learn about this and I'm sure many of our listeners are also looking forward to the conversation. But he's also joining us on zoom Ballei. Good afternoon, Thank you so much for joining.
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Speaker 3: Us and team. How are you doing.
00:01:07
Speaker 1: We're very very well. Thank you so much for your time. I want to start with you for having me. Yes, I was so interested. It was interesting for me to find out that South Africa is a popular destination for pilot training. So there are people around the world that want to come to South Africa or choose South Africa to train in the space. And I think that's just incredible, isn't it?
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Speaker 3: Yes, it is, it is. It is one of the number one locations primarily for our prime weather. You get exposed to all kinds of weather that it will assist you with your training and really just preparing you to become the best pilot. And also the level of training that we offer in this nation is world renowned. If you speak to other airlines such as Emirates when they're recruiting South African pilots, they will always speak about the report and the just the standard of pilots that we end up delivering worldwide.
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Speaker 1: I was about to ask that what is it you know about our curriculum that that we offer that makes us such a prime destination. I mean, as you mentioned the weather, of course, clear Skuys most times during the year is great, right.
00:02:21
Speaker 3: Yes, no, one hundred percent. But I think more than anything, besides the clear weather, we also get exposed to you know, like as an example, Cape Town, Eastern Cape becomes very, very windy, and that really prepares you in the long run. So just overall confidence building from the student pilot to becoming a commercial pilot. And the curriculum is pretty much standardized worldwide. However, the standard of which somebody receiving a license when they leave, you know that they are well prepared to enter into the aviation world no matter where they end up going. So that's something that we can really be rest assured about, is that our standards are very very We're going to.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: Come to that just going into the curriculum and what it looks like and what what you know, people that are aspiring to become pilots would have to familiarize themselves with. But I want to ask you in Geable, because you're quite young and you decided to be a pilot. When were you those kids that was like what do you want to be? You're like a pilot and you actually followed it through or was it a thing now in your latter years?
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Speaker 2: So I'm going to.
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Speaker 4: Be completely honest, right, My very first career choice was actually to be a soldier. Oh wow, Yeah, I think it changed when I was seven. I started seeing airplanes more, when I was intrigued by you know how these big things on the ground look so tiny in the air.
00:03:45
Speaker 2: How do they get?
00:03:45
Speaker 3: There?
00:03:46
Speaker 2: Was the perseus and everything like that.
00:03:48
Speaker 4: And another reason I actually got into aviation is because my mom was a flight to ten and so I kind of did grow up, you know, around the aviation industry, and that was a very big inspiration.
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Speaker 2: So yeah, from being a soldier.
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Speaker 4: After that, I wanted to fly for the South African National Defense Force, and then I realized that might not work out, and then I just went the private roots.
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Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you speak about something really important about how your mom was the flight attendant, so you got to know about being a pilot. And by that, I want to ask you, I mean that for me speaks to the fact that she had access and the knowledge that this is even an option for her, which I think is a challenge for many young people who don't even know that they can enter the space.
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Speaker 3: I definitely agree with that. So, for example, on my side, I'm a first generation pilot. There's nobody in my entire family that's ever been in the aviation space. So that representation of people being visible where they don't have that access, and conversations like we're having right now, where parents who are listening, students who are listening are aware that the possibilities of their It doesn't have to be just for private pilot or commercial pilot. Even if you don't want to be an airline pilot. There are so many available opportunities on your horizon that can open doors to you in order for you to end up flying. So whether you want to be in the military or whether you would fly privately, it is available, but we have to have the visibility at.
00:05:22
Speaker 1: The end of the day. Yeah, you became an aviation professional in twenty thirteen, Valley. How accessible was this then compared to now?
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Speaker 3: I would say it is pretty similar. So in my trajectory, I entered aviation from immediately after high school and it was really just based on being able to have access with asking people questions to say, look, I need information, and it really really wasn't really available back then in twenty thirteen, whereas now you'll see social media posts promoting flight training organization, pilot universities of a sense. So the access information is definitely more available, but it's yeah, there is still quite a it's still not where it needs to be. Essentially, we need more visibility. We need to be communicating, having outreach programs, et cetera, so let people know that the opportunity and the career is available.
00:06:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I see you're not doing Yeah, but you agree with that.
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Speaker 2: I do one hundred percent.
00:06:31
Speaker 4: I currently actually just to make sure the career is being exposed to a lot of people. I do outreach programs in schools in Timbisa where I speak about the aviation career, where I speak about what subjects they need to do to ideally succeed in the career and.
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Speaker 2: Things like that.
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Speaker 4: So yeah, we one hundred percent do need more people on the ground speaking on aviation, especially for people who look like myself as well as Zumbali, just to get it out there. You know, there's not I'm not out there.
00:07:02
Speaker 1: And of course you speak about how you found out about being a pilot through your mom, but what were the steps and what did the steps look like for you towards you know, actually getting into training. Did you find there were still barriers. Was it still difficult or was it, you know, seamless for you because of your proximity through your mom.
00:07:20
Speaker 4: I think the biggest barrier in terms of aviation training is definitely the cost. I finished high school in twenty fifteen, and then in twenty sixteen I started my aviation career, but I actually had to stop because it got way too expensive. Then I did other things I did undergrad in communications psychology, I did I started a business, So I did a lot of things in between twenty sixteen and twenty twenty four, which is when I started again, and even then it got more expensive of course over time patrol changes and things like that. But the biggest challenge one hundred percent is the cost implications. When you get into flight school, they don't necessarily check your results. They just need you just need to make sure you have your maths, your physics, your geography, just.
00:08:07
Speaker 2: So that it helps in like going forward.
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Speaker 4: But eventually they do check your matriculate results and things like that.
00:08:14
Speaker 1: Well, speaking about becoming a pilot, and I can tell you that there's lots of questions coming through on the WhatsApp line. Someone wants to know if the world is flat or around when you are up there, and I know many more questions are going to come through on the WhatsApp line. I guess this afternoon on Bailli Michael who's a senior first officer at South African Airways. She's also a pilot instructor. And we've got un Yebo Lochai who's a student pilot. She joins us in the studio taking more of your calls and WhatsApps after this master class. It's for similar to your masterclass, and we're having a conversation about about becoming a pilot in South Africa. My guess this afternoon on Bili Michael who's a pilot instructor. She's also a senior first officer with the SAA. And we've got Ungebo Lochi Johannesburg based, a content creed and student pilot. Someone in the WhatsApps says, i'man a pilot is just the bus driver in the sky. Yeah, but do you agree? Is that how it feels that you're driving a bus in the sky?
00:09:12
Speaker 4: Do you know what? Eventually, once you get into the air it does feel like, okay, what is there to do besides monitoring and things like that, but take off and landing, I am swating the most.
00:09:23
Speaker 1: I was about to say that is it in the landing? Is that the antake off? Of course?
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Speaker 2: Yeah, for me, the most difficult part dignity is the landing. There's just a lot going on.
00:09:32
Speaker 4: You're speaking to tower, you're trying to align your aircraft with the runway. I don't know, BALI might have a different experiences together, but landing is my biggest nightmare.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm interested to hear from you as well.
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Speaker 3: I think that's very funny. But we as a joke, we do tend to call ourselves glorified bus drivers. Yeah, but yeah, besides, besides just getting up in the air it is quite a tasking job. There's a lot that transpires before we even get into the aircraft, and when we're in the aircraft again, there's there's more demanding aspects, talking to AHC, looking at the weather. It's such a dynamic environment and because of this, your mental load becomes so high and by the end of a flight, you've touched down and you're exhausted. So, yes, we could say that we are a bit of glorified bus drivers. But yeah, a little bit complex. Aspects of it as well.
00:10:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, most of us in the whitsapps is asking if pilots or pilot licenses differ like car drivers as in Code eight and Code ten.
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Speaker 3: Yes, one hundred percent. So we have various levels of pilot licenses, starting with a student pilot license. Basically from the age of fifteen, you're eligible to apply for your student pilot license and that's the foundation that you require in order for you to move up the various tiers. So after your student pilot license, you have a private pilot license, which essentially means that you can only fly privately without rumination, you can't get paid for it, you can only fly for fun. And then moving on to a commercial pilot's license, where you can now start your transition to working for someone flying in an airline environment. However, you are restricted from becoming a captain. And then lastly we have the highest level, which is an Airline Transports pilot's license, which is essentially the same as a commercial partest license, however enabling you the privilege of also becoming a captain and various exams that you need to complete alonger lines.
00:11:36
Speaker 1: And if there's a young person listening out there saying I definitely want to do this. But where do I start? Where do I look? Where do I go? What would you say? And Bunny.
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Speaker 3: Look, I'll definitely say start with social media. I think as young people that's probably the most tangible aspect. So start on social media. Look online. The search function on TikTok and Instagram works very very well and you'll find that there's quite a lot of information. However, I will obviously say that be responsible. If you do find a flight school that you see on social media, going to the South African Civil Aviation's website and you'll be able to actually verify the certification of that particular school. Also, look at outreach organizations such as yam zanci Fly like a Girl essay and also the corporate Airline website and they'll be able to give you a little bit more information too.
00:12:32
Speaker 1: All Right, I do see many of your what's happening your voicemails coming in. I want to get them to Balley because I know you're asking about qualifying and how to go about finding a flight school. But let's take a call from Shaddy. Is it Shaddy K you're in mid Rand, Good afternoon, Thank you for your call.
00:12:47
Speaker 5: Go ahead, good afternoon. Thank you so much for taking my call. Just inspired really by the two ladies that are are really trailed blazers. In a day in age, becoming a pilot is still quite very hard. I was very sad and I just want to pick their thoughts because I was very sad to read an article and I wanted to ask, you know, how how have they seen the progression of black children as a whole, but black students, particularly girls being received into the public aviation training space. I was very sad to see an article that spoke about an aviation training school that's called fly FUFA in Wonderboom that was given almost one hundred and forty eight million rants to empower young black people to become pilots, and they are now standing at a tribunial. The NFS approved that funding to empower young black people and a lot of that funding never went through to the fulfillment of actually seeing tangible trained pilots. And I just want to know maybe two questions. How do they feel about such such such loss. How is the space changing in the aviation space for black for Black children as a whole.
00:14:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you so much for your call, Sheddy. We will get that through to Valley and yeah, well maybe value you should start. I mean, it's always heartbreaking when what's meant to be empowering young people and providing opportunities is being you know, abused in this way.
00:14:36
Speaker 3: One hundred percent, and Shelley, thank you so much for that question. It is disappointing, especially given the fact of how difficult it is to break barriers and just have that barrier of entry, specifically the financial aspect. So I do believe that we obviously all have a responsibility to try and open those opportunities, especially corporate essay and the government to to enable people to be able to access aviation. But yeah, in that case, we'll see how that particular case goes. But secondly, in terms of progressions, it has improved from when I started in twenty thirteen, I will say that there was an improvement. However, it's definitely not as fast as it should be. But again, the reason that ties to is essentially those barriers of entry, the financial aspect. It is enormous just for us as an example, getting a private parted license can range from about one hundred and fifty thousand grand to two hundred and fifty thousand grand and you still can't earn money off of that license. So that is a that's money that many many families in this nation unfortunately you do not have access to. And it's it's it's a sad reality. So we need that support, that funding from corporate essay, from organizations in jios and the government.
00:15:58
Speaker 1: At the end of the day, all right, I want to take a few of your voice notes for value to answer before we let it go.
00:16:03
Speaker 3: Ladies, thank you so much for this program.
00:16:06
Speaker 2: My son is in metric. I wanted to know what subjects you would need to have.
00:16:12
Speaker 6: To do a pilot's course where it can be studied.
00:16:16
Speaker 7: And are there any health requirements that you need to have, like is it night or is that a thing?
00:16:24
Speaker 2: And are there aniversaries available for the course?
00:16:27
Speaker 3: Thank you?
00:16:27
Speaker 1: By all right, Balie, maybe you can answer that for us please. I mean she's interested also in I think the subjects you answered that a little earlier, which is math and science, but also bursaries that she's asking about.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: One hundred percent, So math and science as a basis, I would definitely recommend it. It obviously does teach you critical thinking and decision making, which is vital as part of this career. In terms of medical requirements, there are various medical requirements every single year. As pilots, we have to go through a year medical to ensure that we are obviously safety fly and continue operating height restrictions not necessarily however, in terms of vision, ensuring that you do not have color blindness, that is a barrier in that sense, and obviously your wait a healthy BMI, blood pressure, eyesight, hearing, et cetera. And then for flight schools, there are a number of flight schools in the nation. I think, if I recall correctly, there's about two hundred flying schools in this country, so you'll be able to find a number of them in counting at various airports such as Grand Central, vulnerablem et cetera. And also in the Eastern Cape such as forty three Air School in put Alfred Adiba Bay Flying School which is in Gaberja. But there are various options available to you.
00:17:49
Speaker 1: All right, there's two thirty and we do have to let go of Umbu, a senior first opposite of African Airways and a pilot instructor. Thank you so much for your time and thank you for sharing your insights. We continue with this conversation after the US headlines, and when we come back, we are still with Unyebo Lochai in studio and we're gonna be taking more of your questions and she's going to be giving us a sense of just how much you have to have in the bank to pursue this career.
00:18:16
Speaker 2: Master class.
00:18:18
Speaker 1: It's a similar to master class right here on Semnar two afternoons and we're speaking about becoming a pilot. And my guest this afternoon in studio is Unyevo Loi. She's a Janzbig based content creator and a student pilot. Yeah, well, you make content about your flying as well or aviation work I do. What has the response been like on online?
00:18:40
Speaker 4: It's been absolutely amazing, especially amongst my aviation peers, but even people who are necessarily interested in aviation.
00:18:47
Speaker 2: I post content.
00:18:49
Speaker 4: My most popular video was we went to so I have a friend in aviation for law. We went to Cape Town and on our aid to Cape to On. Because I flies such a small airplane, you have to stop four times to refuel and things like that, so that really intrigued people, and the cost as well intrigued people. It was like it was on Hugh school fees accounts, so it wasn't mine. It costed him like fifty eight thousand rounds just to go to Cape down and back.
00:19:15
Speaker 2: Oh my goodness.
00:19:16
Speaker 4: Yeah, and there were three of us on the aircraft. But it was such a fun experience. I on that same video, I just speak about the cost what it takes to go on that trip. The planning took us a good four weeks. Yeah, so you have to plan roots, fuel stops and things like that, but it's absolutely amazing to get to do it as at.
00:19:37
Speaker 1: My level fuel stopped. Yeah.
00:19:39
Speaker 4: So my aircraft is called ASSNA for short. We call it a C one seven two. And because the engine is so small, it's endurance is small as is smaller as well, so it's endurance is about maximum four hours give a take. But you have to stop stop when you can, so we stopped. We started in Johannesburg Grand Central Airports and then we went to Bromfisher in Bloompon Sane to refuel, and then after a Bromfisher who had to stop in Burefood West which is in the Northern Cape, and then from the Northern Cape we're into Stellinbosh and that was our final stop. We didn't go to Cape down International.
00:20:16
Speaker 1: So you can't just drive straight there with that with that aircraft.
00:20:20
Speaker 2: No, sure, okay, we'll fall out there. Can I tell you?
00:20:23
Speaker 1: I almost had a blonde moment that I was like, stop for fueling. Surely it's not in the air right, Surely we're not stopping at the air for this refud.
00:20:30
Speaker 4: I wish we could. I just wonder how that would work.
00:20:34
Speaker 1: Someone's you know, raising a really important point here, Andrew on the WhatsApp line, asking about AI and how there are conversations in the space about how AI could affect that or you know, affect the work of pilots or aspiring pilots like yourself. Are these conversations that are happening around you as you were studying to become a pilot.
00:20:53
Speaker 4: There aren't conversations that are currently happening amongst us as pilots. I do see how I could take over, but not necessarily in the air. I think we still need actual human beings flying aircraft. I don't see an aircraft being flown across let's say, from here to Dubai, for example, purely through AI with no human intervention. I think it's impossible. There's a lot we're doing in the air. There's a lot of people were communicating with there are maybe on the ground systems in place, you know, to let's say, plan for flights, core flight planning with roots and everything like that. Maybe they can incorporate AI, but the actual flying as pilots, I don't think so. I don't think AI is going to take my job. And you've spoken about the cost of that single trip.
00:21:43
Speaker 1: I really want you, if you can, to share the costs of you know, the actual course. I mean earlier on you said you had to pause your studies at some point because it just got so expensive. How much are we looking at you?
00:21:56
Speaker 4: So I'd like to break it down into the different licenses. Your first life essence really is you obtain it after getting your medical done. Your medical is give or take three thousand rands, and then you can hundre it into your flight school and they take it to the CAA I think with your ID, and then you can get a student's pilot license. So that basically allows you to write your ca exams to get onto the APRON and then fly with an instructor. So that's three thousand nuns. But to do that to carry on and get your private pilot license, which is the one Bally spoke about where you can't get remmunition. It's about right now. I know Bally mentioned one hundred and fifty thousand rands. That's what the schools tell us, but over time it literally changes. I would say budgets are good two hundred and eighty thousand rands because sometimes your flight training does take longer than what it's meant to take to to weather, or maybe you're not good at a certain maneuver in the air, so they'd like to just extend that and that costume more like a Flights are good. I think right now it's sitting on three thousand, seven hundred per hour, if I'm not mistaken.
00:23:05
Speaker 1: That's how much you have to pay each time putry.
00:23:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, but flights training is different, so sometimes it could take forty five minutes if you're doing something called circuits, which is like flying your landing and your landing patterns. It's just flying around the airport basically. And then after your private pilot license is your commercial padot license that one I think another I would say another three hundred and fifty thousand rands.
00:23:33
Speaker 1: So this is on top of the two undred and eighty.
00:23:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, it got really expensive.
00:23:37
Speaker 4: I'm not sure how much an ATPL is, which is your airline Transport pilot license.
00:23:40
Speaker 2: It's the fourth one she spoke about.
00:23:43
Speaker 4: But give or take everything, I'd say budget seven hundred thousand rands and.
00:23:49
Speaker 2: Some change maybe just to make it through.
00:23:51
Speaker 4: But in between those licenses, there's also something called ratings. So there's your night rating, which essentially allows you to flight nights. Is your instrument rating, which allows you to fly using the instrument packs and the aircraft instructors ratings.
00:24:05
Speaker 2: There's a lot of ratings going on in between your licenses.
00:24:09
Speaker 4: So but that is accommodated within the costs I mentioned.
00:24:12
Speaker 1: And this is over how long, how many years?
00:24:16
Speaker 2: So a lot of people. I always when people ask me what you are you and.
00:24:19
Speaker 4: I'm just like, it's difficult to say, because with pilots we go by hours. So for example, to get your PPR, it's a minimum. I'm not sure about the momenim actually, but I think it's give it takes sixty hours, which is your first license, and then you work towards your commercial after that. But ideally if you have everything is perfect, all your finances with it's perfect. It should take you literally a year and a half to do all three licenses. Ideal, that's the perfect situation.
00:24:52
Speaker 1: Which which never happens. Yeah, all right, but speaking to yeah, well look at you, who is a student pilot, I think, well we can agree that you know that that's expensive. I mean, the ordinary African can't really afford that. And do we have bursaries that are really available? I mean, I know Obaldi did speak a bit about them, but are they realily available for people or are they few and far between?
00:25:19
Speaker 3: There?
00:25:20
Speaker 2: They are accessible accessible? I just.
00:25:24
Speaker 4: Like, for instance, I've been trying to get busaries since I was in grade eleven, but I haven't won. There are institutions in place that do offer bursaries. For example, there's our TITA. They're really good. They fund I think you need to have a PPR with them now, But back when I was in high school they used to fund everything. But I think they just want to see people's commitments before they pay for the whole thing.
00:25:47
Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying. So I think TITA does that.
00:25:50
Speaker 4: The CIA, which is our Civil Aviation Authority, they do have a bursary they fund. I think it's from eighteen to thirty five if I'm must taken actually for both institutions.
00:26:02
Speaker 2: But there's other routes you can.
00:26:03
Speaker 4: Go through, like the SA n DF. They offer a lot of birs series as well. They train people part of me, not a bursary. Those are the three that I can speak of from the top of my head. I know someone who emailed like a whole lot of corporate companies to say, hey, I want to do my my private pilot license. Can you find me for this bit of my you know, my training, and.
00:26:29
Speaker 2: That also worked for them.
00:26:31
Speaker 4: So people can actually fund certain portions of your training. But there are bursaries out there. You just need to do the research. But it is tough to get on.
00:26:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds tough. We're speaking about becoming a pilot in South Africa. I do see more of your questions coming in. We'll take more of your voice notes and calls after this.
00:26:50
Speaker 2: Master class.
00:26:52
Speaker 1: It's a similar to master class when it was comoso in this afternoon, ten minutes before three, and we're speaking about becoming a pilot in South Africa. You know, I mean listening to my guests in ye, I use a student pilot. That sounds to me like it's a million rand. I mean he said seven hundred and what that's really it's a million.
00:27:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, it can get there.
00:27:12
Speaker 4: I won't lie to you. It can get to a million. There's a school I applied for in to Is Emirates Dubai. I think, yeah, I think the school's based in Dubai. This was back in twenty seventeen. I got accepted. But I do not have four million rands because obviously they quote a junie dollars and as Emirates, it's one of the best i'd like to think in the world. So really I can't imagine what it is now there. But yeah, I think when Bali was training, it was probably a good four hundred k minimum, but now it really, it really has increased. And that's also because of the price of fuel. Yeah, fuels fluctuating. A lot of economic factors contribute to the fuel fluctuations, and it's everything that happens internationally obviously affects affects our industry as aviators.
00:28:02
Speaker 1: Sure, all right, let's take some of your voice.
00:28:04
Speaker 8: Hello, seven or two. Just a question for your guests, just like to know is there a big difference between being a pilot for a helicopter versus being a pilot for aeroplanes. Do you have to start first with aeroplanes to move onto helicopters or can you start straight into helicopters? Thanks Nick from petrid Free.
00:28:30
Speaker 1: Thanks for that question, Nick, So how does it work?
00:28:34
Speaker 3: Hi?
00:28:34
Speaker 2: Nick?
00:28:34
Speaker 4: So those are two separate licenses, your helicopter as well as your aeroplane licenses. The helicopter license is definitely cheaper than an aeroplane license, and if I'm not mistaken, they have different questions in the exams as well as subjects altogether, and just the mechanics of an airplane and a helicopter are different as well. A helicopter and an airplane lane different, So it's two separate courses. I would like to say it's like a motor, a bus, and a car basically, and with more people pursue the helicopter route, maybe in the army, yes, I think for the army that would be feasible. There's also a lot of carriers that are online the helicopter industry. You could do private tours, you could be a private pilot for the presidents and things like that. But in the Army definitely, and then with your aeroplane you can obviously get into the airline or charter and things like that.
00:29:34
Speaker 1: And someone on the whatsappline FRS says, as someone that applied to the air Force, color blindness rubbed me of a career. I can imagine so many people only figure out or learn that they're color blind when they are testing or taking that test.
00:29:47
Speaker 4: Yes, it's quite an Our medicals are actually extremely intense. For example, I actually wear glasses. I'm currently wearing contact lenses, but that's fine.
00:29:58
Speaker 2: I'm not color blind. I can actually see. I can tell the difference between color.
00:30:01
Speaker 4: But in our medical exams you can tell the difference. They can see the different colors they can see when you're failing through how you answer. It's not similar to when they do it in the driver's test, but there is, you know, the light things by the corner of the eyes. We do that as well. It's a whole like it's a good tow our medical examination type of thing.
00:30:23
Speaker 1: And why does color blindness matter that much?
00:30:27
Speaker 4: I'm not too sure to be honest, but I'd like to assume, for instance, our instruments have various colors that tell different things. So, for example, our there's something that tells us about speed. You need to know what red means, you need to know what yellow means, what green zone means, what the white zone means. There's a lot of elements that matter in terms of color when you're flying an aeroplane, but also just to see what's going on outside. Sometimes your eyes tell you what's happening before the actual aircraft.
00:30:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I've always wondered why careers in aviation, as well as a flight attendant, is so focused on weight. I mean, you're slightly overweight and you can't pursue the career. Why is that the case? So the small aircraft have a maximum weight. In fact, the large aircraft as well. That's why with luggage they're very strict or you pay extra and things like that, but they can accommodate that. But with our aircrafts you absolutely can't. We've got maximum weight limits. So if you're in there.
00:31:26
Speaker 2: The fuel is there as well.
00:31:28
Speaker 4: Aircraft on its own has its own rights, so there really is a weight. Even when I feel like I'm getting ready something like, you need to think about your career, girl, and then you need to just drop a bit.
00:31:39
Speaker 7: Sure, it's all the motivation you need. Yes, psych model. On this topic about becoming a pilot, can you please ask your guests how much does coordination play into being able to control the flight going up and coming down and in the air. Because I'm thinking, with the sensitivity of controls, with somebody who is very good on games, with its PlayStation games or whatever the case, would they be an ideal candidate because there's a lot of coordination that's involved in playing some of these games.
00:32:10
Speaker 2: I'm just wondering. I'm just wondering.
00:32:12
Speaker 1: Thanks, that's actually a brilliant question here.
00:32:15
Speaker 4: Yeah, coordination is extremely important, and I like that the person asked about she asked about gaming as well as controlling. You need to there's so much multitasking happening, especially in the landing and the takeoff, that your brain needs to be so locked into that specific moment because there's a lot of elements happening. You're controlling the flights, you're speaking to the tower, you're doing your checklist.
00:32:41
Speaker 2: To make sure everything is in place.
00:32:43
Speaker 4: You need to make sure if you have passengers that they've been briefed about safety. There's just a lot of elements and I think with gaming it plays. I think if the person wants to be a pilot, they should definitely play more pilot games to see how the different coordination works. Because you're speaking, you're controlling, and you're doing checklists at the same time. There's a lot of multitasking happening when you're lying. I say that in that moment of landing and take off, you somewhat have a very high functional brain in that moment, but everywhere else you come and I think pilots submit in general, will naturally calm like we could be in one of these scarier situations, but I literally remain calm.
00:33:26
Speaker 2: I don't think actual person.
00:33:28
Speaker 4: I use natural African pilots use natural agaganda. So it's I think being calm is a very important If you panic, it won't work. Yeah, aviation will not work. A lot of things are changing in the air on the ground. It's just won't work for someone that's not calm.
00:33:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, Or to say some of your wisds, you think it's quite disrespectful for people to say that pilots are bus drivers in the sky.
00:33:55
Speaker 6: Excuse me. They have your life in their hands, and you know they go through a very rigorous process to qualify as pilots, it's very disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for pilots, so when I see especially black female pilots, I just hopped leaps enjoy. Thanks for a great show, KK bye.
00:34:24
Speaker 1: Do you feel disrespected and feel say that?
00:34:26
Speaker 2: I would lie.
00:34:27
Speaker 4: I don't because it genuinely is a joke. And I think if you know what it takes to be a pilot, you're sure you know if you know what a bus driver knows what it takes to be a bus driver. We don't know what challenges they're experiencing. We also have our own challenges. Also, it's a joke within our community. We call ourselves glorified bus drivers. I think budly mentioned it, so yeah, don't take of things to it.
00:34:50
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:34:50
Speaker 1: And also the bus driver also has people's lives, yes.
00:34:53
Speaker 2: And multiple Like an airplane is essentially a bus.
00:34:56
Speaker 1: Some of them are standing even in the bus.
00:34:58
Speaker 2: There's a plane called an so it's literally yeah. I don't think. I don't find it offens all.
00:35:05
Speaker 1: Right, Neva. As we wrap up, I want to hear more about the work in Tenbisa that you do and how can people get in touch with you and any of the organizations that you are linked to.
00:35:15
Speaker 4: So the organization that I am part of is called United Ways South Africa. We go to different schools in the township. It's usually grades nine, eights and nine if I'm not mistaken, because they're preparing to get into grade ten, which is where they choose their subject. So I just go there to tell them what subjects they need, what they need to do, and what the overall experience is as a pilot and to get in touch with me. I think can I share my Instagram handle?
00:35:44
Speaker 2: Please?
00:35:44
Speaker 1: Your socials?
00:35:45
Speaker 2: Sure?
00:35:45
Speaker 4: On Instagram, TikTok Facebook, everywhere I am in Giebo, Lorai. It's in dy Ebo.
00:35:54
Speaker 2: All you are a yi?
00:35:56
Speaker 1: All right? Yeah, well, thank you so much for your time.
00:35:58
Speaker 2: You're welcome.
Speaker 1: Seven two Masterclass. It's the Master Class Writer and seven or two afternoons. Now, I don't know about you, but where I'm from the idea of becoming a pilot has always been associated with people that have access to such Oftentimes we don't even know where to look, where to go to become a pilot? Are their schools? Do they go to university? How soon can I start? What does the training look like? How expensive is it? Because it definitely sounds expensive and that's why I'm looking forward to the conversation that we're having this afternoon on the Master Class. It's about becoming a pilot in South Africa. And as I mentioned, my guests are Bali Michael, who's a senior first officer at South African Airways, a pilot instructor, and we also have Unyevo loch Inhevo is in the studio. Good afternoon, Hill, very well, Thank you so much for coming through.
00:00:51
Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. I'm excited.
00:00:52
Speaker 1: I'm more excited because I want to learn about this and I'm sure many of our listeners are also looking forward to the conversation. But he's also joining us on zoom Ballei. Good afternoon, Thank you so much for joining.
00:01:03
Speaker 3: Us and team. How are you doing.
00:01:07
Speaker 1: We're very very well. Thank you so much for your time. I want to start with you for having me. Yes, I was so interested. It was interesting for me to find out that South Africa is a popular destination for pilot training. So there are people around the world that want to come to South Africa or choose South Africa to train in the space. And I think that's just incredible, isn't it?
00:01:33
Speaker 3: Yes, it is, it is. It is one of the number one locations primarily for our prime weather. You get exposed to all kinds of weather that it will assist you with your training and really just preparing you to become the best pilot. And also the level of training that we offer in this nation is world renowned. If you speak to other airlines such as Emirates when they're recruiting South African pilots, they will always speak about the report and the just the standard of pilots that we end up delivering worldwide.
00:02:05
Speaker 1: I was about to ask that what is it you know about our curriculum that that we offer that makes us such a prime destination. I mean, as you mentioned the weather, of course, clear Skuys most times during the year is great, right.
00:02:21
Speaker 3: Yes, no, one hundred percent. But I think more than anything, besides the clear weather, we also get exposed to you know, like as an example, Cape Town, Eastern Cape becomes very, very windy, and that really prepares you in the long run. So just overall confidence building from the student pilot to becoming a commercial pilot. And the curriculum is pretty much standardized worldwide. However, the standard of which somebody receiving a license when they leave, you know that they are well prepared to enter into the aviation world no matter where they end up going. So that's something that we can really be rest assured about, is that our standards are very very We're going to.
00:03:01
Speaker 1: Come to that just going into the curriculum and what it looks like and what what you know, people that are aspiring to become pilots would have to familiarize themselves with. But I want to ask you in Geable, because you're quite young and you decided to be a pilot. When were you those kids that was like what do you want to be? You're like a pilot and you actually followed it through or was it a thing now in your latter years?
00:03:26
Speaker 2: So I'm going to.
00:03:27
Speaker 4: Be completely honest, right, My very first career choice was actually to be a soldier. Oh wow, Yeah, I think it changed when I was seven. I started seeing airplanes more, when I was intrigued by you know how these big things on the ground look so tiny in the air.
00:03:45
Speaker 2: How do they get?
00:03:45
Speaker 3: There?
00:03:46
Speaker 2: Was the perseus and everything like that.
00:03:48
Speaker 4: And another reason I actually got into aviation is because my mom was a flight to ten and so I kind of did grow up, you know, around the aviation industry, and that was a very big inspiration.
00:04:00
Speaker 2: So yeah, from being a soldier.
00:04:01
Speaker 4: After that, I wanted to fly for the South African National Defense Force, and then I realized that might not work out, and then I just went the private roots.
00:04:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you speak about something really important about how your mom was the flight attendant, so you got to know about being a pilot. And by that, I want to ask you, I mean that for me speaks to the fact that she had access and the knowledge that this is even an option for her, which I think is a challenge for many young people who don't even know that they can enter the space.
00:04:33
Speaker 3: I definitely agree with that. So, for example, on my side, I'm a first generation pilot. There's nobody in my entire family that's ever been in the aviation space. So that representation of people being visible where they don't have that access, and conversations like we're having right now, where parents who are listening, students who are listening are aware that the possibilities of their It doesn't have to be just for private pilot or commercial pilot. Even if you don't want to be an airline pilot. There are so many available opportunities on your horizon that can open doors to you in order for you to end up flying. So whether you want to be in the military or whether you would fly privately, it is available, but we have to have the visibility at.
00:05:22
Speaker 1: The end of the day. Yeah, you became an aviation professional in twenty thirteen, Valley. How accessible was this then compared to now?
00:05:35
Speaker 3: I would say it is pretty similar. So in my trajectory, I entered aviation from immediately after high school and it was really just based on being able to have access with asking people questions to say, look, I need information, and it really really wasn't really available back then in twenty thirteen, whereas now you'll see social media posts promoting flight training organization, pilot universities of a sense. So the access information is definitely more available, but it's yeah, there is still quite a it's still not where it needs to be. Essentially, we need more visibility. We need to be communicating, having outreach programs, et cetera, so let people know that the opportunity and the career is available.
00:06:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I see you're not doing Yeah, but you agree with that.
00:06:30
Speaker 2: I do one hundred percent.
00:06:31
Speaker 4: I currently actually just to make sure the career is being exposed to a lot of people. I do outreach programs in schools in Timbisa where I speak about the aviation career, where I speak about what subjects they need to do to ideally succeed in the career and.
00:06:47
Speaker 2: Things like that.
00:06:48
Speaker 4: So yeah, we one hundred percent do need more people on the ground speaking on aviation, especially for people who look like myself as well as Zumbali, just to get it out there. You know, there's not I'm not out there.
00:07:02
Speaker 1: And of course you speak about how you found out about being a pilot through your mom, but what were the steps and what did the steps look like for you towards you know, actually getting into training. Did you find there were still barriers. Was it still difficult or was it, you know, seamless for you because of your proximity through your mom.
00:07:20
Speaker 4: I think the biggest barrier in terms of aviation training is definitely the cost. I finished high school in twenty fifteen, and then in twenty sixteen I started my aviation career, but I actually had to stop because it got way too expensive. Then I did other things I did undergrad in communications psychology, I did I started a business, So I did a lot of things in between twenty sixteen and twenty twenty four, which is when I started again, and even then it got more expensive of course over time patrol changes and things like that. But the biggest challenge one hundred percent is the cost implications. When you get into flight school, they don't necessarily check your results. They just need you just need to make sure you have your maths, your physics, your geography, just.
00:08:07
Speaker 2: So that it helps in like going forward.
00:08:10
Speaker 4: But eventually they do check your matriculate results and things like that.
00:08:14
Speaker 1: Well, speaking about becoming a pilot, and I can tell you that there's lots of questions coming through on the WhatsApp line. Someone wants to know if the world is flat or around when you are up there, and I know many more questions are going to come through on the WhatsApp line. I guess this afternoon on Bailli Michael who's a senior first officer at South African Airways. She's also a pilot instructor. And we've got un Yebo Lochai who's a student pilot. She joins us in the studio taking more of your calls and WhatsApps after this master class. It's for similar to your masterclass, and we're having a conversation about about becoming a pilot in South Africa. My guess this afternoon on Bili Michael who's a pilot instructor. She's also a senior first officer with the SAA. And we've got Ungebo Lochi Johannesburg based, a content creed and student pilot. Someone in the WhatsApps says, i'man a pilot is just the bus driver in the sky. Yeah, but do you agree? Is that how it feels that you're driving a bus in the sky?
00:09:12
Speaker 4: Do you know what? Eventually, once you get into the air it does feel like, okay, what is there to do besides monitoring and things like that, but take off and landing, I am swating the most.
00:09:23
Speaker 1: I was about to say that is it in the landing? Is that the antake off? Of course?
00:09:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, for me, the most difficult part dignity is the landing. There's just a lot going on.
00:09:32
Speaker 4: You're speaking to tower, you're trying to align your aircraft with the runway. I don't know, BALI might have a different experiences together, but landing is my biggest nightmare.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm interested to hear from you as well.
00:09:46
Speaker 3: I think that's very funny. But we as a joke, we do tend to call ourselves glorified bus drivers. Yeah, but yeah, besides, besides just getting up in the air it is quite a tasking job. There's a lot that transpires before we even get into the aircraft, and when we're in the aircraft again, there's there's more demanding aspects, talking to AHC, looking at the weather. It's such a dynamic environment and because of this, your mental load becomes so high and by the end of a flight, you've touched down and you're exhausted. So, yes, we could say that we are a bit of glorified bus drivers. But yeah, a little bit complex. Aspects of it as well.
00:10:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, most of us in the whitsapps is asking if pilots or pilot licenses differ like car drivers as in Code eight and Code ten.
00:10:41
Speaker 3: Yes, one hundred percent. So we have various levels of pilot licenses, starting with a student pilot license. Basically from the age of fifteen, you're eligible to apply for your student pilot license and that's the foundation that you require in order for you to move up the various tiers. So after your student pilot license, you have a private pilot license, which essentially means that you can only fly privately without rumination, you can't get paid for it, you can only fly for fun. And then moving on to a commercial pilot's license, where you can now start your transition to working for someone flying in an airline environment. However, you are restricted from becoming a captain. And then lastly we have the highest level, which is an Airline Transports pilot's license, which is essentially the same as a commercial partest license, however enabling you the privilege of also becoming a captain and various exams that you need to complete alonger lines.
00:11:36
Speaker 1: And if there's a young person listening out there saying I definitely want to do this. But where do I start? Where do I look? Where do I go? What would you say? And Bunny.
00:11:46
Speaker 3: Look, I'll definitely say start with social media. I think as young people that's probably the most tangible aspect. So start on social media. Look online. The search function on TikTok and Instagram works very very well and you'll find that there's quite a lot of information. However, I will obviously say that be responsible. If you do find a flight school that you see on social media, going to the South African Civil Aviation's website and you'll be able to actually verify the certification of that particular school. Also, look at outreach organizations such as yam zanci Fly like a Girl essay and also the corporate Airline website and they'll be able to give you a little bit more information too.
00:12:32
Speaker 1: All Right, I do see many of your what's happening your voicemails coming in. I want to get them to Balley because I know you're asking about qualifying and how to go about finding a flight school. But let's take a call from Shaddy. Is it Shaddy K you're in mid Rand, Good afternoon, Thank you for your call.
00:12:47
Speaker 5: Go ahead, good afternoon. Thank you so much for taking my call. Just inspired really by the two ladies that are are really trailed blazers. In a day in age, becoming a pilot is still quite very hard. I was very sad and I just want to pick their thoughts because I was very sad to read an article and I wanted to ask, you know, how how have they seen the progression of black children as a whole, but black students, particularly girls being received into the public aviation training space. I was very sad to see an article that spoke about an aviation training school that's called fly FUFA in Wonderboom that was given almost one hundred and forty eight million rants to empower young black people to become pilots, and they are now standing at a tribunial. The NFS approved that funding to empower young black people and a lot of that funding never went through to the fulfillment of actually seeing tangible trained pilots. And I just want to know maybe two questions. How do they feel about such such such loss. How is the space changing in the aviation space for black for Black children as a whole.
00:14:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you so much for your call, Sheddy. We will get that through to Valley and yeah, well maybe value you should start. I mean, it's always heartbreaking when what's meant to be empowering young people and providing opportunities is being you know, abused in this way.
00:14:36
Speaker 3: One hundred percent, and Shelley, thank you so much for that question. It is disappointing, especially given the fact of how difficult it is to break barriers and just have that barrier of entry, specifically the financial aspect. So I do believe that we obviously all have a responsibility to try and open those opportunities, especially corporate essay and the government to to enable people to be able to access aviation. But yeah, in that case, we'll see how that particular case goes. But secondly, in terms of progressions, it has improved from when I started in twenty thirteen, I will say that there was an improvement. However, it's definitely not as fast as it should be. But again, the reason that ties to is essentially those barriers of entry, the financial aspect. It is enormous just for us as an example, getting a private parted license can range from about one hundred and fifty thousand grand to two hundred and fifty thousand grand and you still can't earn money off of that license. So that is a that's money that many many families in this nation unfortunately you do not have access to. And it's it's it's a sad reality. So we need that support, that funding from corporate essay, from organizations in jios and the government.
00:15:58
Speaker 1: At the end of the day, all right, I want to take a few of your voice notes for value to answer before we let it go.
00:16:03
Speaker 3: Ladies, thank you so much for this program.
00:16:06
Speaker 2: My son is in metric. I wanted to know what subjects you would need to have.
00:16:12
Speaker 6: To do a pilot's course where it can be studied.
00:16:16
Speaker 7: And are there any health requirements that you need to have, like is it night or is that a thing?
00:16:24
Speaker 2: And are there aniversaries available for the course?
00:16:27
Speaker 3: Thank you?
00:16:27
Speaker 1: By all right, Balie, maybe you can answer that for us please. I mean she's interested also in I think the subjects you answered that a little earlier, which is math and science, but also bursaries that she's asking about.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: One hundred percent, So math and science as a basis, I would definitely recommend it. It obviously does teach you critical thinking and decision making, which is vital as part of this career. In terms of medical requirements, there are various medical requirements every single year. As pilots, we have to go through a year medical to ensure that we are obviously safety fly and continue operating height restrictions not necessarily however, in terms of vision, ensuring that you do not have color blindness, that is a barrier in that sense, and obviously your wait a healthy BMI, blood pressure, eyesight, hearing, et cetera. And then for flight schools, there are a number of flight schools in the nation. I think, if I recall correctly, there's about two hundred flying schools in this country, so you'll be able to find a number of them in counting at various airports such as Grand Central, vulnerablem et cetera. And also in the Eastern Cape such as forty three Air School in put Alfred Adiba Bay Flying School which is in Gaberja. But there are various options available to you.
00:17:49
Speaker 1: All right, there's two thirty and we do have to let go of Umbu, a senior first opposite of African Airways and a pilot instructor. Thank you so much for your time and thank you for sharing your insights. We continue with this conversation after the US headlines, and when we come back, we are still with Unyebo Lochai in studio and we're gonna be taking more of your questions and she's going to be giving us a sense of just how much you have to have in the bank to pursue this career.
00:18:16
Speaker 2: Master class.
00:18:18
Speaker 1: It's a similar to master class right here on Semnar two afternoons and we're speaking about becoming a pilot. And my guest this afternoon in studio is Unyevo Loi. She's a Janzbig based content creator and a student pilot. Yeah, well, you make content about your flying as well or aviation work I do. What has the response been like on online?
00:18:40
Speaker 4: It's been absolutely amazing, especially amongst my aviation peers, but even people who are necessarily interested in aviation.
00:18:47
Speaker 2: I post content.
00:18:49
Speaker 4: My most popular video was we went to so I have a friend in aviation for law. We went to Cape Town and on our aid to Cape to On. Because I flies such a small airplane, you have to stop four times to refuel and things like that, so that really intrigued people, and the cost as well intrigued people. It was like it was on Hugh school fees accounts, so it wasn't mine. It costed him like fifty eight thousand rounds just to go to Cape down and back.
00:19:15
Speaker 2: Oh my goodness.
00:19:16
Speaker 4: Yeah, and there were three of us on the aircraft. But it was such a fun experience. I on that same video, I just speak about the cost what it takes to go on that trip. The planning took us a good four weeks. Yeah, so you have to plan roots, fuel stops and things like that, but it's absolutely amazing to get to do it as at.
00:19:37
Speaker 1: My level fuel stopped. Yeah.
00:19:39
Speaker 4: So my aircraft is called ASSNA for short. We call it a C one seven two. And because the engine is so small, it's endurance is small as is smaller as well, so it's endurance is about maximum four hours give a take. But you have to stop stop when you can, so we stopped. We started in Johannesburg Grand Central Airports and then we went to Bromfisher in Bloompon Sane to refuel, and then after a Bromfisher who had to stop in Burefood West which is in the Northern Cape, and then from the Northern Cape we're into Stellinbosh and that was our final stop. We didn't go to Cape down International.
00:20:16
Speaker 1: So you can't just drive straight there with that with that aircraft.
00:20:20
Speaker 2: No, sure, okay, we'll fall out there. Can I tell you?
00:20:23
Speaker 1: I almost had a blonde moment that I was like, stop for fueling. Surely it's not in the air right, Surely we're not stopping at the air for this refud.
00:20:30
Speaker 4: I wish we could. I just wonder how that would work.
00:20:34
Speaker 1: Someone's you know, raising a really important point here, Andrew on the WhatsApp line, asking about AI and how there are conversations in the space about how AI could affect that or you know, affect the work of pilots or aspiring pilots like yourself. Are these conversations that are happening around you as you were studying to become a pilot.
00:20:53
Speaker 4: There aren't conversations that are currently happening amongst us as pilots. I do see how I could take over, but not necessarily in the air. I think we still need actual human beings flying aircraft. I don't see an aircraft being flown across let's say, from here to Dubai, for example, purely through AI with no human intervention. I think it's impossible. There's a lot we're doing in the air. There's a lot of people were communicating with there are maybe on the ground systems in place, you know, to let's say, plan for flights, core flight planning with roots and everything like that. Maybe they can incorporate AI, but the actual flying as pilots, I don't think so. I don't think AI is going to take my job. And you've spoken about the cost of that single trip.
00:21:43
Speaker 1: I really want you, if you can, to share the costs of you know, the actual course. I mean earlier on you said you had to pause your studies at some point because it just got so expensive. How much are we looking at you?
00:21:56
Speaker 4: So I'd like to break it down into the different licenses. Your first life essence really is you obtain it after getting your medical done. Your medical is give or take three thousand rands, and then you can hundre it into your flight school and they take it to the CAA I think with your ID, and then you can get a student's pilot license. So that basically allows you to write your ca exams to get onto the APRON and then fly with an instructor. So that's three thousand nuns. But to do that to carry on and get your private pilot license, which is the one Bally spoke about where you can't get remmunition. It's about right now. I know Bally mentioned one hundred and fifty thousand rands. That's what the schools tell us, but over time it literally changes. I would say budgets are good two hundred and eighty thousand rands because sometimes your flight training does take longer than what it's meant to take to to weather, or maybe you're not good at a certain maneuver in the air, so they'd like to just extend that and that costume more like a Flights are good. I think right now it's sitting on three thousand, seven hundred per hour, if I'm not mistaken.
00:23:05
Speaker 1: That's how much you have to pay each time putry.
00:23:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, but flights training is different, so sometimes it could take forty five minutes if you're doing something called circuits, which is like flying your landing and your landing patterns. It's just flying around the airport basically. And then after your private pilot license is your commercial padot license that one I think another I would say another three hundred and fifty thousand rands.
00:23:33
Speaker 1: So this is on top of the two undred and eighty.
00:23:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, it got really expensive.
00:23:37
Speaker 4: I'm not sure how much an ATPL is, which is your airline Transport pilot license.
00:23:40
Speaker 2: It's the fourth one she spoke about.
00:23:43
Speaker 4: But give or take everything, I'd say budget seven hundred thousand rands and.
00:23:49
Speaker 2: Some change maybe just to make it through.
00:23:51
Speaker 4: But in between those licenses, there's also something called ratings. So there's your night rating, which essentially allows you to flight nights. Is your instrument rating, which allows you to fly using the instrument packs and the aircraft instructors ratings.
00:24:05
Speaker 2: There's a lot of ratings going on in between your licenses.
00:24:09
Speaker 4: So but that is accommodated within the costs I mentioned.
00:24:12
Speaker 1: And this is over how long, how many years?
00:24:16
Speaker 2: So a lot of people. I always when people ask me what you are you and.
00:24:19
Speaker 4: I'm just like, it's difficult to say, because with pilots we go by hours. So for example, to get your PPR, it's a minimum. I'm not sure about the momenim actually, but I think it's give it takes sixty hours, which is your first license, and then you work towards your commercial after that. But ideally if you have everything is perfect, all your finances with it's perfect. It should take you literally a year and a half to do all three licenses. Ideal, that's the perfect situation.
00:24:52
Speaker 1: Which which never happens. Yeah, all right, but speaking to yeah, well look at you, who is a student pilot, I think, well we can agree that you know that that's expensive. I mean, the ordinary African can't really afford that. And do we have bursaries that are really available? I mean, I know Obaldi did speak a bit about them, but are they realily available for people or are they few and far between?
00:25:19
Speaker 3: There?
00:25:20
Speaker 2: They are accessible accessible? I just.
00:25:24
Speaker 4: Like, for instance, I've been trying to get busaries since I was in grade eleven, but I haven't won. There are institutions in place that do offer bursaries. For example, there's our TITA. They're really good. They fund I think you need to have a PPR with them now, But back when I was in high school they used to fund everything. But I think they just want to see people's commitments before they pay for the whole thing.
00:25:47
Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying. So I think TITA does that.
00:25:50
Speaker 4: The CIA, which is our Civil Aviation Authority, they do have a bursary they fund. I think it's from eighteen to thirty five if I'm must taken actually for both institutions.
00:26:02
Speaker 2: But there's other routes you can.
00:26:03
Speaker 4: Go through, like the SA n DF. They offer a lot of birs series as well. They train people part of me, not a bursary. Those are the three that I can speak of from the top of my head. I know someone who emailed like a whole lot of corporate companies to say, hey, I want to do my my private pilot license. Can you find me for this bit of my you know, my training, and.
00:26:29
Speaker 2: That also worked for them.
00:26:31
Speaker 4: So people can actually fund certain portions of your training. But there are bursaries out there. You just need to do the research. But it is tough to get on.
00:26:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, it sounds tough. We're speaking about becoming a pilot in South Africa. I do see more of your questions coming in. We'll take more of your voice notes and calls after this.
00:26:50
Speaker 2: Master class.
00:26:52
Speaker 1: It's a similar to master class when it was comoso in this afternoon, ten minutes before three, and we're speaking about becoming a pilot in South Africa. You know, I mean listening to my guests in ye, I use a student pilot. That sounds to me like it's a million rand. I mean he said seven hundred and what that's really it's a million.
00:27:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, it can get there.
00:27:12
Speaker 4: I won't lie to you. It can get to a million. There's a school I applied for in to Is Emirates Dubai. I think, yeah, I think the school's based in Dubai. This was back in twenty seventeen. I got accepted. But I do not have four million rands because obviously they quote a junie dollars and as Emirates, it's one of the best i'd like to think in the world. So really I can't imagine what it is now there. But yeah, I think when Bali was training, it was probably a good four hundred k minimum, but now it really, it really has increased. And that's also because of the price of fuel. Yeah, fuels fluctuating. A lot of economic factors contribute to the fuel fluctuations, and it's everything that happens internationally obviously affects affects our industry as aviators.
00:28:02
Speaker 1: Sure, all right, let's take some of your voice.
00:28:04
Speaker 8: Hello, seven or two. Just a question for your guests, just like to know is there a big difference between being a pilot for a helicopter versus being a pilot for aeroplanes. Do you have to start first with aeroplanes to move onto helicopters or can you start straight into helicopters? Thanks Nick from petrid Free.
00:28:30
Speaker 1: Thanks for that question, Nick, So how does it work?
00:28:34
Speaker 3: Hi?
00:28:34
Speaker 2: Nick?
00:28:34
Speaker 4: So those are two separate licenses, your helicopter as well as your aeroplane licenses. The helicopter license is definitely cheaper than an aeroplane license, and if I'm not mistaken, they have different questions in the exams as well as subjects altogether, and just the mechanics of an airplane and a helicopter are different as well. A helicopter and an airplane lane different, So it's two separate courses. I would like to say it's like a motor, a bus, and a car basically, and with more people pursue the helicopter route, maybe in the army, yes, I think for the army that would be feasible. There's also a lot of carriers that are online the helicopter industry. You could do private tours, you could be a private pilot for the presidents and things like that. But in the Army definitely, and then with your aeroplane you can obviously get into the airline or charter and things like that.
00:29:34
Speaker 1: And someone on the whatsappline FRS says, as someone that applied to the air Force, color blindness rubbed me of a career. I can imagine so many people only figure out or learn that they're color blind when they are testing or taking that test.
00:29:47
Speaker 4: Yes, it's quite an Our medicals are actually extremely intense. For example, I actually wear glasses. I'm currently wearing contact lenses, but that's fine.
00:29:58
Speaker 2: I'm not color blind. I can actually see. I can tell the difference between color.
00:30:01
Speaker 4: But in our medical exams you can tell the difference. They can see the different colors they can see when you're failing through how you answer. It's not similar to when they do it in the driver's test, but there is, you know, the light things by the corner of the eyes. We do that as well. It's a whole like it's a good tow our medical examination type of thing.
00:30:23
Speaker 1: And why does color blindness matter that much?
00:30:27
Speaker 4: I'm not too sure to be honest, but I'd like to assume, for instance, our instruments have various colors that tell different things. So, for example, our there's something that tells us about speed. You need to know what red means, you need to know what yellow means, what green zone means, what the white zone means. There's a lot of elements that matter in terms of color when you're flying an aeroplane, but also just to see what's going on outside. Sometimes your eyes tell you what's happening before the actual aircraft.
00:30:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I've always wondered why careers in aviation, as well as a flight attendant, is so focused on weight. I mean, you're slightly overweight and you can't pursue the career. Why is that the case? So the small aircraft have a maximum weight. In fact, the large aircraft as well. That's why with luggage they're very strict or you pay extra and things like that, but they can accommodate that. But with our aircrafts you absolutely can't. We've got maximum weight limits. So if you're in there.
00:31:26
Speaker 2: The fuel is there as well.
00:31:28
Speaker 4: Aircraft on its own has its own rights, so there really is a weight. Even when I feel like I'm getting ready something like, you need to think about your career, girl, and then you need to just drop a bit.
00:31:39
Speaker 7: Sure, it's all the motivation you need. Yes, psych model. On this topic about becoming a pilot, can you please ask your guests how much does coordination play into being able to control the flight going up and coming down and in the air. Because I'm thinking, with the sensitivity of controls, with somebody who is very good on games, with its PlayStation games or whatever the case, would they be an ideal candidate because there's a lot of coordination that's involved in playing some of these games.
00:32:10
Speaker 2: I'm just wondering. I'm just wondering.
00:32:12
Speaker 1: Thanks, that's actually a brilliant question here.
00:32:15
Speaker 4: Yeah, coordination is extremely important, and I like that the person asked about she asked about gaming as well as controlling. You need to there's so much multitasking happening, especially in the landing and the takeoff, that your brain needs to be so locked into that specific moment because there's a lot of elements happening. You're controlling the flights, you're speaking to the tower, you're doing your checklist.
00:32:41
Speaker 2: To make sure everything is in place.
00:32:43
Speaker 4: You need to make sure if you have passengers that they've been briefed about safety. There's just a lot of elements and I think with gaming it plays. I think if the person wants to be a pilot, they should definitely play more pilot games to see how the different coordination works. Because you're speaking, you're controlling, and you're doing checklists at the same time. There's a lot of multitasking happening when you're lying. I say that in that moment of landing and take off, you somewhat have a very high functional brain in that moment, but everywhere else you come and I think pilots submit in general, will naturally calm like we could be in one of these scarier situations, but I literally remain calm.
00:33:26
Speaker 2: I don't think actual person.
00:33:28
Speaker 4: I use natural African pilots use natural agaganda. So it's I think being calm is a very important If you panic, it won't work. Yeah, aviation will not work. A lot of things are changing in the air on the ground. It's just won't work for someone that's not calm.
00:33:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, Or to say some of your wisds, you think it's quite disrespectful for people to say that pilots are bus drivers in the sky.
00:33:55
Speaker 6: Excuse me. They have your life in their hands, and you know they go through a very rigorous process to qualify as pilots, it's very disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for pilots, so when I see especially black female pilots, I just hopped leaps enjoy. Thanks for a great show, KK bye.
00:34:24
Speaker 1: Do you feel disrespected and feel say that?
00:34:26
Speaker 2: I would lie.
00:34:27
Speaker 4: I don't because it genuinely is a joke. And I think if you know what it takes to be a pilot, you're sure you know if you know what a bus driver knows what it takes to be a bus driver. We don't know what challenges they're experiencing. We also have our own challenges. Also, it's a joke within our community. We call ourselves glorified bus drivers. I think budly mentioned it, so yeah, don't take of things to it.
00:34:50
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:34:50
Speaker 1: And also the bus driver also has people's lives, yes.
00:34:53
Speaker 2: And multiple Like an airplane is essentially a bus.
00:34:56
Speaker 1: Some of them are standing even in the bus.
00:34:58
Speaker 2: There's a plane called an so it's literally yeah. I don't think. I don't find it offens all.
00:35:05
Speaker 1: Right, Neva. As we wrap up, I want to hear more about the work in Tenbisa that you do and how can people get in touch with you and any of the organizations that you are linked to.
00:35:15
Speaker 4: So the organization that I am part of is called United Ways South Africa. We go to different schools in the township. It's usually grades nine, eights and nine if I'm not mistaken, because they're preparing to get into grade ten, which is where they choose their subject. So I just go there to tell them what subjects they need, what they need to do, and what the overall experience is as a pilot and to get in touch with me. I think can I share my Instagram handle?
00:35:44
Speaker 2: Please?
00:35:44
Speaker 1: Your socials?
00:35:45
Speaker 2: Sure?
00:35:45
Speaker 4: On Instagram, TikTok Facebook, everywhere I am in Giebo, Lorai. It's in dy Ebo.
00:35:54
Speaker 2: All you are a yi?
00:35:56
Speaker 1: All right? Yeah, well, thank you so much for your time.
00:35:58
Speaker 2: You're welcome.
