Page 17 - World Airnews Magazine November 2020

PILOTS IN PILOTS IN
CRISIS CRISIS

I have managed to live off my savings but I can’t sustain this for GETTING STUCK INTO HER STUDIES

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE much longer,” he said. When the realisation hit in March that her flying career could be

The only light on his horizon for now, is the chance to join a
over, Sally (not her real name) said she felt the stress both mentally

friend in a delivery business. It’s an option that he might just have and physically.
WILL WIN THROUGH to seriously consider. this situation is doing to you on a physical and mental level, the
“You are constantly in flight or fight mode. You don’t realise what

SITTING IN LIMBO

For Stuart (not his real name), he is still trying to come to terms stress is enormous,” said this former female co-pilot who worked

for the national carrier right up until the lockdown grounded the
with the fact that he might not get his old job back in the near fleet in March.

It’s been a tough seven months for the hundreds of pilots – international future. As an ATP pilot with 2000 hours he is just trying to remain “You are in limbo, unable to move on. Where do you go? What

and national – who have had their wings clipped and been forced to positive. do you do? You can’t go overseas to the UK or the USA because you

Stuart grew up wanting to be a pilot. From a young age he built
stay on the ground. For those working overseas, the situation is far more model aircraft and a flight in a friend’s plane when he was 15 need a licence and to get one involves huge costs, studying and

writing exams, you have no future in your own country. I started

complicated involving the uprooting of children and families. Plans years-old sealed the deal. He left school and in 2012 went to study getting pains in my neck and went to see a chiropractor. She told

must be made to relocate back to South Africa – where the SAA saga at 43 Air School. He got his commercial pilot’s licence and also an me it’s because of the stress,” she said.

instructor’s rating.
On the financial front, things have been tough. She lived on
continues to linger on. Then he spent a bit of time trying to get his first job exploring her savings and has only been receiving her UIF payments and

Although domestic, regional and more recently international travel has different options as a bush pilot and was about to take a position a bit of TERS funding from the airline. She’s had family move in
returned, the future is bleak with restrictions, quarantine measures and in Namibia when the opportunity came to join a South African with her and also has had to look after other family members

national private charter airline aimed at the business and leisure
who have also been impacted by COVID. So monthly costs have

limitations in place stifling the return of leisure travel and a kick start shuttle service. actually increased.

He put in hours in the company Caravans and later moved to
desperately needed by the tourism industry. the B1900. All of a sudden Covit-19 hit and he was placed on a “Trying to find another career and finding out what else I can do

As a way of reflecting their situation, World Airnews has conducted freelance contract basis – which means if he can find work with and want to do has also not been easy. It is a process that you have

to go through. Eventually after six months I saw an opportunity to

numerous interviews with South African and international pilots across another airline is able to take this up while the company sorts complete my MBA and I grabbed it. The college had an incredible
itself out.

the sector. All of the following interviews have taken place under a Asked what he has been doing for the past seven months, and special which was a blessing in disguise as I finally I have a goal to
work towards. Once this is complete, I will be able to go into any
condition of anonymity. Where names are provided, they are not real. he will tell you ‘not much’. Reading and trying to remain current. number of industries because now I have no idea if I’ll ever fly

These are their stories. He did try to get another job in a different sector but when his again,” she said.
employer saw he was a pilot – he did not get another chance. Sally describes her situation and the hundreds of

“I can’t blame them. If a job comes up for flying, I would leave,” other SAA pilots in aviation terms as “it is like sitting

he said. To page 16
For now, he is holding on to his passion with the hope that inter-
national tourists will be allowed in for leisure travel.

“While it is great that the domestic market has come back, it POTENTIAL WATER

PILOT TURNED ENTREPRENEUR is only when the international tourists return then the charter
airlines will be able to come back on service.
Take Thabo (not his real name) a captain with He is finding it difficult to accept that he might not be able to fly LANDING?

Airlink. His decision to become a pilot came for the next two to three years.

later on in life, after getting a B.Com degree Insure now with

and spending some time overseas. Changing PILOT TURNED DRIVER DJA Aviation.
his career path at this stage is not something Bruce (not his real name) spent six years in the charter airlines and
that will come easy – for anyone. then finally got a break with a well-known regional commercial

“Think about it. With jobs in short supply airline. He worked there for nearly four years when Covid-19 hit.
and some of the best, most experienced “We knew something was not right when the number of flights

captains out there also hunting for work – the was reducing. Then lock down happened and the next thing we
airlines have the pick of the cream of the crop. heard was the company had been placed in business rescue. We
Where does that leave us mid and lower-level

experienced pilots? What are we supposed to were issued with retrenchment notices and now we sit as nothing

has been finalised.

do? We can’t keep sitting and waiting,” said
Thabo. “Since May we have been on unpaid leave and have been receiv- DJA Aviation is the longest-established aviation insurance

He has spent the past seven months, getting ing a bit of TERS funding”. broking specialist in the South African insurance market and a

his financial situation under control, getting Bruce said there have been some dark days and he is lucky not to market leader in developing customised insurance products for

rid of his car re-payments and trying to live as have a wife and children. the aviation industry. We employ more than 30 staff and utilise
debt free as he can. He has dabbled in DIY try- “Luckily my girlfriend is very understanding otherwise I would this great depth of aviation insurance knowledge, skill and
ing his hand at creative entrepreneurial skills not know what I would have done,” he said. expertise to manage our clients’ aviation insurance portfolios.

and selling them online to bring in some cash. “I have spoken to friends and I don’t feel like I need to get help.
“Thank goodness I have no children or family I keep myself busy. I have been living on savings since receiving

to support” he said. our last pay cheque in April. In August I had to find something. I
Some days have been bad but he keeps turned up at my father’s business and when the company’s driver

himself busy gardening and reading and trying did not pitch up for work, I offered to take the position. So that is
to keep his licence and company knowledge what I do now. PROUD SUPPORTER OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN
up to date, reading SOPs to keep himself from “Its mind numbing but I am grateful for the work and the oppor- GUIDE-DOGS ASSOCIATION
getting rusty and doing some relevant courses tunity to have some income. I just could not stay at home.

like fire-fighting and dangerous goods. “I did my medical in September and have done my dangerous Defining the Right Approach to Aviation Insurance

“The company have been great. I would defi- goods courses. Don’t lose hope – just be flexible get out of your

nitely go back if they called me. I have invested comfort zone and make yourself do something even if you don’t www.dja-aviation.co.za | Tel: 0800 FLYING
so much time and money in this career it’s like it.

going to be very difficult to do something else. An Authorised Financial Service Provider FSP No. 15808
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