High on life: why being a pilot is the best

Chantel Manning

I blame television for making me think that a pilot’s life was a glamorous, five-star affair. But, as is the case when starting out in any career, you have to take what you can get and work your way up. In aviation, you literally have to put in the hours – 1,000 hours in fact, if you want to fly a commercial aircraft.

The first 1,000 hours

Finding my first job after completing my Airline Transport Pilot’s License was tough. It was the usual conundrum – airlines wanted people with experience but I couldn’t get the experience without a job.

My first job was in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An engineer and I shared an apartment, the walls of which were riddled with bullet holes from rebel attacks. My next job was in Afghanistan, where I stayed in a military camp with 3,000 soldiers that were stationed there for war. You’ll do anything for flying hours – even if that means being away from home for extended periods in hostile territories, waking at 3:30am in winter, or flying in weather that plummets to -9°C and soars to above 35°C. Flying in snow storms, dust storms, strong winds and heavy rainfall keeps you humble.

But don’t get me wrong, flying is the most wonderful job in the world. The freedom of flight cannot be described. Opening the thrust levers and accelerating to 300km per hour while maneuvering a 70,000kg aircraft into the breath-taking African sky is simply riveting.

There’s nothing quite like the African coastline; we have such beauty right on our doorstep. Pemba is my favourite destination. The approach into Pemba is challenging as it creates an optical illusion when coming over the final pass. With no navigational aids at your disposal, it certainly tests your flying skills and your decision-making ability. Cape Town is also a spectacular sight – the coastline explodes before you as you fly over Table Mountain.

It took me five years to clock those first 1,000 hours. I was then able to do a jet conversion and got a position as a first officer on a Boeing 737-200. It was a slow start but it took just 12 months to get my next 1,000 hours and I’ve now been fortunate to fly almost all the 737 Boeing designs for a range of international and African airlines.

More ladies in the flight deck

Aviation is a growing industry for women - it’s exciting to see more ladies in the flight deck. But I think of myself as a professional pilot rather than a female pilot. If a girl wants to be a pilot, she should follow her dreams and not let her current circumstances define who she is or where she’s going. Flying can be tough but there is no other career that offers you the freedom of the sky.

If I hadn’t taken that opportunity to view the flight deck all those years ago, I might not be where I am today. I am so grateful I had the courage to follow my dreams and the tenacity to keep on the rocky road, even when I felt like I was ready to give up. That’s why, when I have visitors to my flight deck, I share my enthusiasm for flying with them as I never know when I can ignite the passion for flying in someone else.