Afri, thank you for the figures. The reason I asked that question is as follows:
I have absolutely NOTHING against black pilots. In other words, colour is not an issue to me personally. If you have the passion, the ability and the determination to be a good pilot, then we all talk the same language. SAA is currently employing pilots of colour in order to get the demograpics right. The problem here is that of a population of say roughly 35mil blacks in SA, only 150 out of 3000 commercial pilots are black!! Doesnt it stike you as odd?
What would you say,
Afri, is the reason for these low figures?
Are wannabe black pilots discriminated against if they walk into a flying school?
Is it that blacks dont have the money to finance their kid's passion for flying?
Are black kids not exposed to the posibility of becoming a pilot?
Or is it just that becoming a pilot is not on the top of the "to-do-list" of most blacks?
Maybe it is a combination of various factors, but I believe the reason for the low represention lies in the passion for flight....maybe only a few blacks took up what they were "called for in life", i.e flying.
Regardless of what the non-flying types may say, flying is NOT such a glamorous job they make it to be.......UNLESS YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR AEROPLANES!! It is damn hard work and takes determination to become a pilot. And then it is even harder to get a propper job.
I think that is why you got so many responses and critique from mostly the white okes....they had to work hard to get their wings, some holding two jobs to finance their dream just to be told that they are too white to be in the majors and most of the blacks at SAA were handed their wings on a golden platter. Let me emphasize....MOST, not ALL!!
Be greatfull for your achivement, whether you deserved it or not, and be sensitive to us wannabe's out there.
Experience comes with time and time is no-one's slave. Anyone can fly, but when the chips are down, and the s**t is approaching the fan at M.80, then the only thing thats gonna safe your ass, black or white, is EXPERIENCE!!
Fly safe and proud
