Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
For pilots, no truer words have been spoken. The lure of the skies beckons them, offering immense freedom and beauty.
Quentin Ferreira is one of Newcastle’s residents who escapes to the heavens on a regular basis, soaring high above the world. “From primary school days, I loved cricket. But, if a plane flew over the field, I would forget about cricket and watch the plane fly over. I have even done this in important matches.”
Realising he had a passion for aviation, Quentin sought the path to taking the first steps in realising his dreams. It was in Grade 9, while at Ferrum High School, that his dreams started materialising. “An old teacher of mine, Riaan Buitendach, brought a model aircraft to school. I bombarded him with questions and I soon got my first model plane.”
As his collection of model aircraft grew, so did Quentin’s passion for flying. In 2007, he received his pilot licence for microlights. “The problem with aviation is the cost factor, which makes it difficult for a person to get their pilot licence in a private capacity. But, I was fortunate to get the opportunity and get a microlight.”
Since then, he has never looked back. “I should have been a bird, as I love flying. It feels like you are in an entirely different world up in the sky. In fact, after all these years, I still get butterflies when I take off. After a hectic week at work, one of the best methods to destress , is to fly around town, I feel refreshed after landing.”
But, Quentin explains obtaining one’s pilot licence is no easy feat. He says before pursuing a pilot licence, you first need to determine what form of aircraft you want to fly. “You need to determine if you want to fly long term as a career or as a hobby. Then you need to look at the costs to rent or buy a specific aircraft.”
Then there is the medical check-up, a potential pilot has to undergo. Quentin explains that there are various forms of pilot licenses one can go for. There is private plane licence, commercial licence, a light sports aircraft licence and an airliner licence. All these require a different medical check-up.
One then needs to put in 100s of hours of flight practice. This all adds to the costs, which often kills the dreams of potential pilots. “For those who want to become pilots, I advise you to get good maths, science and English marks at school and join the Air Force.”
Iemei Tseng is another local pilot who has made it into the aviation world. “My dad was a pilot and as a child, I was fascinated and went on all his trips with him.”
This lead her to developing a deep-seated passion for flying, which in turn saw her opening Eagle Air, a flight school in Pretoria, alongside her father, Tommy, brother, Iewan, her fiancé Brandon Mendillo and Percy Rudman.
“Becoming a pilot requires a lot of work and studying. It also takes hours of practice, perfecting your landings, decision making and so forth.”
At the moment, Iemei holds a Private Plane licence and is acquiring her Commercial Licence.
“The Private Plane Licence is not that difficult, if you are willing to put in the work. You need 45 hours total flying time, of which 15 hours is solo time. Then there are the exams and studying.”
The Commercial Pilot Licence is a bit more daunting, as there are different forms of Commercial Pilot Licence, which includes single engine and multi engine licences. With this licence, a total of 200 hours of flying time is needed. Of which, 100 hours is as pilot and command.
However, despite the work, Iemei says nothing compares to the feeling of flying. “You feel detached from everything that usually brings you down. Flying truly adds a special form of meaning to your life.”
For those who yearn to become pilots, Iemei says one needs to put in the necessary work and really want it. “I’ve seen so many people get sponsorships, but they don’t really want it and it is the sponsors who want them to fly. Then there are those who really want to become pilots, but don’t have the finance. You need to have the passion and set up goals to achieve your dreams.”
However, she advises people to do thorough research on becoming pilot before jumping into to, as to ensure this is what they want from their lives.
Soaring through the air in a helicopter is Alan Wilson, a man whose introduction to flight happened in 2007.
“I went to Durban and was offered an introductory flight, I paid the guy, went on the flight and I was immediately addicted. Initially, you are scared as you build your confidence, but once you realise you can do it, it is amazing. It is either in your blood or not.”
Alan immediately set about obtaining both his Private Plane Licence and Commercial Plane Licence. “Finance is a big factor when obtaining your licence. You also need to put a lot of effort into your studies, as the exams have a set pass rate.”
But, Alan explains the effort required to obtain your pilot’s licence is worth it. After flying for 11 years, he still finds himself smitten with the freedom flying offers. “Looking out of the cockpit, through the window, I still get the wow feeling. It is so beautiful up there and everyday is different.”
The joy found in flying is so great, that he encourages others to try their hand at it. “Some people thrive on it. It can also be a great career,” Alan says.
Which is exactly what he does, Alan operates a charter and flight school from Grey Goose. “Teaching others is not actually all that scary, as I have dual controls. So, if something happens I am always in control.”
Flying a helicopter might seem daunting to some, but Alan explains that great fun can be had with a chopper. “While planes are faster, you can do so much more with a helicopter. You can duck weather, land on beaches. It just is amazing.”
The joy and passion expressed by these 3 local pilots, truly does inspire a person, to want to take to the skies.
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