I was not going to get involved in this brawl but as emotions are clearly getting in the way of clear thinking here goes.
Firstly, very well summarised Nugpot
I have been in aviation for more than twenty years. I have never met an SA born black pilot or student pilot who paid his own way. Please note, I'm not saying there are none, I'm simply saying I have not met any. I have met Congolese, Nigerian, Kenyan and Malawi nationals. I count a Nigerian who trained at 43 Air School (sponsored by a Nigerian church, no less) as a very dear friend and would happily have him in the left seat at any time. But nope, still have not met any South Africans!
Secondly, my response to saywhat. Yes, there was AA applied by the National party government after 1948. Yes, they did try to uplift the Afrikaner. And guess what? They were right to do so too. This due to the policy of the previous SAP government of promoting only english speaking South Africans and top jobs in state departments being reserved for english speakers only. Now, measured with the same yardstick, its time to uplift the black population of SA too. No quarrel with this at all. But why force the issue when the interest isnt there? Why penalise willing whites to force in unwilling blacks? How does this uplift anyone? If I meet an SA born black man or women who can convince me they have the same burning ambition to fly. The same all-consuming desire that I had and still have, incidentally, then I will sponsor that person myself! I will spend time coaching him/her and assisting with studies, etc. This because, in my book, aviation must be the winner and not half baked racist motivated, get-even-with-whitey, intervention to score political brownie points. Before you point fingers at past injustices first ask yourself What have I/could I do to improve the situation? One suggestion is to make the skies safer by passing on your own hard-earned knowledge.
In closing, any one else notice how SA based ppruners(is that right?) dont seem to interfere in other countries problems/concerns, etc. But post something about SA and everyone and his mate from all over the world, judging by this one topic, wants to tell us off or f
with us? Maybe the time has come to get the gloves off and do the same?
