Up In The Air

Flying can be a daunting experience for many. Being so high up in the air between the skies and the clouds can be a scary experience, but for those with a passion for soaring, it’s the best time of their lives.

Aviation is defined as “the practical aspect or art of aeronautics, being the design, development, production, operation and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft” according to Wikipedia.

To Angala ‘Planny’ Angala, a 25-year-old pilot, aviation is the career path that sparked his interest already as a child. He says that when his parents made him watch the news, the only part he found interesting was when planes were involved.

Now a Private Pilot License Holder which he acquired through Windhoek Flight Training Centre and working with Wilderness Air Namibia, Planny is studying towards a Commercial Pilot License.

For this young man, flying is a joy. As he puts it, it makes him feel like nothing can hold him back “as I soar on through the clouds in the endless highway of skies”.

Getting There

Getting good grades in Maths, Physics and Geography at school will provide a good foundation to enable you to get your Student Pilot License. Once you have accomplished this, it will mean that you are mentally and physically fit to train and be near an aircraft. After that you embark on your Private Pilot License and Ratings after completing your training and passing your subjects.

You will need to train for a minimum of 200 hours and complete subjects to get a Commercial Pilot License and Ratings. From here you will be able to fly commercially. After that you need a further 1 500 hours of flying before you can test for an Airline Traffic Pilot License and Ratings after which you will be qualified to be a captain.

The Ups

Planny says that knowing that his job is also his hobby makes it quite an effortless career. For him, having a passion for whatever craft you undertake is the ultimate one can receive. He says that he fully immerses himself in his love for flying, even flying model planes in his back yard. And of course there are the opportunities to travel and see the world from a different perspective.

The Downs

The not-so-fun bits of flying professionally exist though. He says there isn’t much that he doesn’t like about flying, but there are things he could do without.

“As a pilot, you should be ready to give up a lot of your free time,” he laments. He says that when you start to work or build your hours and you are scheduled for flights, you will only be home long enough to change clothes or take a quick nap before you have to get back up in the sky.

“Lately, even when I’m off duty I will be at a braai with my friends and I will have to keep an eye on the weather as it could affect my flight the next day.” So even when you aren’t working, you are.

The Misconceptions

Before you can strap into a plane and lift off of the ground, there are things about the profession that you should be aware of. Many people think that as a pilot, you are constantly up in the air, soaring through the skies, having a good time and looking cool.

They are not aware of the hard work and preparation that actually goes into being any kind of professional pilot. Planny says that being a pilot is a lot of hard work and dedication is needed throughout your studies.

“It’s all paperwork and books everyday. Especially in your early training days where for every hour of flight you plan to fly, you need about three hours of preparation on the ground.”

He also adds that aviation doesn’t take a set number of years like university. “It’s all about how dedicated you are to your studies. Some people take only three months to get their Private Pilot license while someone else could take three years.”

The Advice

Planny says that becoming a pilot is very demanding, very expensive and it requires a great deal of discipline. “You need to be sure that this is what you want with your whole mind, body and soul.”

You also need to be fit and in good health. You should also know your body very well, know your every limit, like what makes you sick if you eat it and know your sleeping patterns well.

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