SA Airways’s first black female pilot trainee moved one step closer to her dream after she successfully completed her multi-engine and instrument rating training, the airline said on Monday.
SAA spokesperson Rich Mkhondo said in a statement that 23-year-old Asnath Mahapa already held a commercial pilots licence when she entered the company’s cadet pilot training programme level two, which caters specifically for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
”She is now in the final stage of completing her airline transport pilot subjects.
”Mahapa joined South African Airlink last week Monday (July 7) where she is undergoing training for conversion to the BAe Jetstream 41, a smaller aircraft which carries about 30 passengers and is flown by SA Airlink at smaller airports.
”The training will take place in the United States. Upon her successful completion of this conversion course, Mahapa will become a first officer on the Jetstream 41.”
Mkhondo said Mahapa would have to train for a minimum of three years and accumulate 1 500 hours of flying before she could acquire an airline transport pilot license and command an aircraft.
He said it was envisaged that Mahapa would spend about three years with SA Airlink, where she would gain the necessary airline experience prior to becoming eligible to be employed by SAA.
SAA’s executive vice president for operations, Johan van Jaarsveld said: ”SAA would like to congratulate Asnath on her achievements so far. We are looking forward to her entering our pilot group as SAA’s first African black female pilot.”
Mahapa was also nominated as woman of the year in the science and technology category as a result of her achievements, van Jaarsveld said. – Sapa