Double the challenge, double the triumph: MBA and airbus command success

I grew up in a middle-class family in Bloemfontein. What stands out to me about growing up was my desire to fly for South African Airways (SAA) from the age of eight. My perceptions of flying being very specialised and sophisticated drove me to doing my best in school and developing the leadership skills I felt would one day be necessary in the flight deck. My flying career really began in 2001 while I was in secondary school as I used to attend the annual President's Trophy Air Races at New Tempe Airport outside Bloemfontein. Reading about different aircraft types and memorising the biographical information on some of the country's prominent pilots made it easy for me to make a positive first impression on everyone I met. My initial interactions with general aviation and military pilots led me to being introduced to three gentlemen who were instrumental in sourcing the sponsorships that got me to my CPL.

The first of these gentlemen was the late Les Daily, the owner of Westline Aviation in Bloemfontein. A pilot participating in the PTAR told Les of my desire to be a pilot. As busy as Les was, he took an hour of his time talking to me about possible career paths and encouraged me to keep believing in my dreams. While I don’t remember saying much during our first meeting, I remember him telling me several years later of how impressed he was by my passion for aviation and my commitment to my dream. What I didn’t know was how that meeting impressed him enough to speak to his peers on my behalf and advocate for the need for a sponsorship that would open the doors for me to go to flight school.

At the same air race I met Lt Col. Charlie Marais who was the Officer Commanding 16 Squadron (Rooivalk squadron) at Bloemspruit. I told him of my dream to command big aeroplanes and fly around the world. Fortunately for me, Les told Charlie all about me before we even met. I continued attending every air race and visiting New Tempe but wound up studying physics at UOFS. Then my mom got a call from the niece of a pilot I befriended and told her of a potential opportunity for me to learn to fly. The next day, I snuck out of class to meet my potential sponsor, the late Andrew Scholtz. Happily I impressed Andrew enough to convince him to sponsor me.

I convinced my parents to let me drop out of my degree to focus on flying, on condition that I pursue alternative university programmes in future. My flight training began in January 2005 and I committed myself to not only completing my CPL but eventually flying the Airbus (A340-600) for SAA. During my training, I used every free minute to download pictures off websites like Airliners.net, visiting aviation chat rooms, developing detailed career plans for the next 20-30 years, and phoning every airline in South Africa to see what their entry requirements were.

I was very fortunate to have mentors like Charlie and Les who listened to my ideas and provided advice on the professional pathways ahead while my parents provided the support and confidence I needed to succeed not only in my career, but in life.

Doing chores at home provided me with the thinking space to think of which aeroplanes I wanted to fly and the different companies that would lead me to SAA. I also used to think about the academic programmes I would pursue and how I would complete my Master of Business Administration degree shortly before getting command on the Airbus 319 at SAA. My plans were that detailed. I managed to complete my CPL with my Instructor's Rating in 2007 with the
help of Andrew, Charlie, Les, the Transport Education and Training Authority and the assistance of two members of the Bloemfontein Flying Club.

The path that led me to my CPL also included working for Westline Aviation as a gopher, followed by stints as the Flight Operations Manager and Deputy Airport Manager for New Tempe Airport. Fortunately Charlie hired me as an instructor immediately after completing my instructor's course. While giving instruction, I was hired by SA Express (SAX) as a first officer on the Dash-8. The training was a challenge as flying an airliner was a huge jump, but fortunately for me, I had phenomenal instructors who I admire to this day.

I spent three years flying for SAX before completing my Airline Transport Pilot's License (ATP) and joining SAA as a second officer (P3) on the Airbus 340 in October of 2011. Flying around the world as a P3 on the A340 and A330 was a complete blast but my drive to move up the professional ladder drove me to bidding for a promotion to the domestic fleet as a First Officer (P2). After bidding for every fleet in SAA's inventory, I got my last bid which was a position as a First Officer on the Boeing 737-300 Freighter resulting in my being a second officer for only 15 months. I always joke that I did three conversions in my first 15 months at SAA. The Freighter was amazing to fly.

My love affair with Boeing resulted in me avoiding Airbuses for the rest of my career before SAA's Business Rescue-related restructuring and getting involved in matters affecting my colleagues from a union perspective. As I became increasingly involved in union matters, I also began my academic pursuits and earned a BCom in Strategic Management from Varsity College in Pretoria.

In 2020, during SAA's suspension of operations, I completed my Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice (PGDip) through Henley Business School. My initial MBA courses coincided with the relaunch of SAA in September 2021 and my conversion on to the Airbus 320. I flew the Airbus 320 for two years and transitioned on to the Airbus 330 before beginning my command course on the Airbus 320.

It was during my command course that I was reminded of how life seldom works out the way we hope it would. This is due to the fact that I submitted my MBA thesis on 3 July 2024 and only got signed out as a captain on 19 July 2024. I submitted my thesis in the middle of my command course.

I must admit however that completing my MBA and getting my command on the Airbus 320 as I had aimed for in 2005 felt amazing. While I have held many flying and non-flying roles over the years, my experiences have taught me a variety of life lessons:

1. Take judicious risks
Opportunities often manifest as dilemmas. Deep down we often struggle with the need for safety (risk avoidance) and juxtapose that need with the desire for self-actualisation. Understand the trade-offs where but don't halt your progress due to fear of the unknown.

2. Surround yourself with the right people
In the 1600s, the poet John Donne wrote that 'no man is an island'. No matter how driven you are to succeed, you always need to have good family members, mentors, and friends in your corner. They can provide you with the advice you may need during crucial times and may speak up for you when opportunities for your advancement arise.

3. Allow yourself to fail
Success and failure are two sides of the same coin and failure will always present itself, irrespective of the choices we make. What is important is not to allow the fear of failure to stop us from doing what we know is necessary for our lives- and reaching for the stars.

4. Ask the right questions
One of my biggest regrets was wasting time asking myself what I would do if I failed. That error led to my procrastination in key areas. What I should've spent more time asking myself was, what I would do if I succeeded – as success brings its own obligations and requires us to keep projecting our evolving intentions into the future.

5. Show up for yourself
Beginning a journey is far easier than pursuing it to completion. The key ingredient to finishing what you started is showing up daily. This requires perseverance in the face of considerable difficulties, plus consistency, humility, and hard work. You will never feel like doing certain things every day, but you do them because you know they are in your best interests in the long run.

I always joke that when God handed out luck, I stood first in line as I have had amazing people in my life and enjoyed amazing opportunities that made it possible for me to realise my dreams. Luke 12:48 states, 'To whom much is given, much will be required.' This verse perfectly encapsulates my current desire to give back to the community that gave me so much. At this stage it is through inspiring young people in the hopes of hearing many more stories like mine.

This article is republished with permission from the August 2025 issue of SA Flyer magazine.