New SAA Captain Annabel Vundla

[Coyote44]

Does anyone know how many flying hours the new SAA Captain Annabel Vundla has, and what types she has on her license? Was in the SAAF 22 years as VIP pilot. I'm curious, because I know the BBJ was unserviceable for quite some time, and that Zuma & co used chartered a/c many times ....

[Asturias56]

I think the headline FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 88 YEARS, SAA NOW HAS AN AFRICAN WOMAN PILOT CAPTAIN is quite astonishing - when you look at the progress of national pilots and women in the rest of the world

30 years since apartheid fell

[EladElap]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

I think the headline FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 88 YEARS, SAA NOW HAS AN AFRICAN WOMAN PILOT CAPTAIN is quite astonishing - when you look at the progress of national pilots and women in the rest of the world

30 years since apartheid fell

Well the issue was SAA V1's rather long seniority list and time to command. Over 20 years towards the end. So whilst it's 30 year's since apartheid, someone like her would have gone into the SAAF flown fairly few hours annually and then eventually joined SAA at the bottom of the seniority list. She'd likely still be in the RHS had they not retrenched a large portion of the flight deck crew based on their skin colour, and retained others to meet certain demographic targets. There most certainly have been other ''African'' (which any of us born in Africa are by definition) women captains at other operators in SA. Many of them from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.

[Asturias56]

Airline Seniority lists are all well and good but they don't override national priorities

I'm sure people at SIA saw the same thing

Interestingly there was a report last week that it'll take 10 years for the senior judges in the UK to reflect the percentage of the asian population and 80 for the black British. You can see why black british barristers aren't happy..............

[evanb]

Originally Posted by Coyote44

Does anyone know how many flying hours the new SAA Captain Annabel Vundla has, and what types she has on her license? Was in the SAAF 22 years as VIP pilot. I'm curious, because I know the BBJ was unserviceable for quite some time, and that Zuma & co used chartered a/c many times ....

SAAF does have other aircraft other than the BBJ. She likely flew the Citation and Falcon as well. She's been at SAA for 12 years though. A lot of her SAAF time was as a reservist.