Flying with the dreamers

This is by far my favourite time of the year! Perfect summer days flying into Cape Town with Table Mountain visual miles before we commence our descend into the city. The pressure mounts as I have to ensure that my PA announcements are buttoned up and that my landings are to be envied.

Apart from everyone being in a festive mood, I get to transport really precious passengers – the future pilots of our country. This time of the year and especially during school holidays, I have the privilege to have these young guests on board as they either travel with their parents or on their own, as unaccompanied minors to visit relatives in different parts of the country.

After landing, their curiosity overwhelms them as they try to have a peek as to who the pilots are. Some are confident enough to ask the Flight Attendant to have a look at the flight deck or meet the Captain and some of the curious, friendly looking faces are invited by yours truly. My brief tour of our seemingly interesting ‘office’, raise a few interesting questions and requests but by far the biggest treat to their eyes are the lights in the flight deck.

The priceless expression on their faces cannot be captured as they wonder how we know where all the buttons are, their functions, what drives the engines, how we know which way to go when we are in cloud or when its dark, whether the autopilot flies ‘all the time’ or whether it landed the aircraft and sometimes a request if they can have my wings as a souvenir. Every visitor to our ‘office’ is somehow fascinated by its spaceship look and has dreams of becoming a pilot. Sometimes we are treated to the artwork or a letter from our young pilots-to-be. A week ago a thirteen year old requested the Captain’s autograph! How adorable! The Captain obliged with a little note as well, while I continued my tour with him.

At our national airline, we keep the South African flag flying high as we aim to inspire, motivate and dream with our future pilots.

The author's office