44
GA
/ Vol. 5 / No. 2 / FEBRUARY 2013
ADDRESS: P.O. Box 201322, Durban North, 4016, South Africa Hangar 123, Virginia Airport, Durban North
031 571 6600
www.starliteaviation.co.za
Committed. Experienced. Passionate.
Starlite Africa Aviation:
Contact:
Kate on 082 552 2001
email:
katee@starliteaviation.co.za
Starlite Aviation Operations:
Contact:
Dimmie on 072 599 4676
email:
dimmied@starliteaviation.co.za
OPERATIONS
TRAINING
Starlite Maintenance Durban:
Contact:
Wimpie on 082 402 7117
email:
wimpier@starliteaviation.co.za
MAINTENANCE
Starlite Aero Sales:
Contact:
Klara on 083 324 8530
email:
klaraf@starliteaviation.co.za
SALES
At the grand old age of 5 years I
informed my parents that I was going
to be a helicopter pilot. Some years
later, whilst completing Matric in
2006, I put my plan into action and
started a PPL (H). It was immediately
apparent that the five year old had
made the right career decision I
loved everything about it from the
very first lesson! From 2007 to June
of 2009 I continued with Starlite
Aviation at Rand airport where I
successfully completed my CPL as
well as my Night and Instrument
Ratings. I was then lucky to be offered
the opportunity to relocate to Durban
and do my instructors course through
Starlite, on completion of which I
began working for them as a full-time
Grade 3 Helicopter Instructor.
I have been instructing for
Starlite for 3 years now and under the
guidance of many very experienced
instructors I have amassed over 1000
hours of instruction and have trained
over 80 pilots from all over the world,
including military and paramilitary
students from the South African Air
Force, Botswana and Kenyan Defence
Forces and Namibian Police. In June
2011 I moved to Mossel Bay in the
Western Cape to assist with setting
up the Starlite International Aviation
Training Academy and now work
there as the Senior Grade 2 Instructor.
Instruction helped me to grow as
a pilot and I found it to be a very
rewarding job. Every student will tell
you of that indescribable feeling when
they first fly solo in a helicopter. I can
tell you from an instructors point of
view that every time I send another
of my students solo I pace like an
expectant father waiting for his child
to be born, and I am just as proud as
said father when they have landed
safely again. Of all the lessons I love
teaching hover the most, as a student
only really feels like he/she can fly a
helicopter when they have successfully
held the little Robbie 22 in a stationary
3-5ft Hover.
Starlite continued to assist me
in the development of my career and
with the arrival of the R66 in 2011. I
completed my Turbine conversion and
began to build turbine time instructing
on the very special Turbine Robinson.
In October of 2012 I was offered the
incredible opportunity to complete a
contract tour for Starlite in Kosovo,
on the beautiful PUMA S330J. I
have been in Kosovo for 12 weeks
and have had the opportunity to fly
with many skilled pilots and some
very experienced PUMA instructors.
It has been an amazing experience
and I have learnt a lot, particularly
about multi crew operations and a
more technical flying style. I have
been flying over snow which is a
stark contrast to my flying in South
Africa and I have also completed
Night Vision Goggle (NVG) training.
Flying with NVG's is a once in a life
time opportunity and I have fallen
in love flying with the world painted
in green light. Wilbur Wright best
described it when he said, "More than
anything else, the sensation is one
of perfect peace, mingled with an
excitement that strains every nerve to
the utmost, if you can conceive of such
a combination."
I count myself to be a very
fortunate individual, as over the last
6 years I have flown with and learnt
from many pilots here at Starlite and
have grown enormously as an aviator.
I look forward to learning yet more
and continuing to grow for many years
to come. ·
A career
with Starlite:
Sky has no limit
Helicopters
Above: PUMA S330J Helicopter landed in the snow.
Above: Skye inside the PUMA cockpit, flying over the snowy Pristina Kosovo.
Top to bottom:
Skye in the Co-Pilot seat of the PUMA, learning the layout of the instruments in
preparation for her conversion.
Skye's on her first operational flight in Kosovo. Landing at Decani Monastery.
PUMA S330J Helicopter landed in the snow. Photo taken by one of my Commanders,
Michiel Veltman on my first landing in the snow.