George Tower
9th Jun 2004, 22:43
Make of this what you will......this article appeared in the Sunday Tribune on the 9th of May
My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down
May 2, 2004
Having resigned from the SAA cadet pilot programme a little over a month and half ago, I feel it necessary to let prospective cadets know of the situation in the programme before they apply or join.
For most of my life I wanted to be a pilot. This led me to obtain my private pilot's licence. However, I wanted to pursue flying as a career. I applied to the SAA cadet pilot programme, hoping to realise my dream.
After six months of a variety of tests and exams, I was informed I had been accepted. Naturally I was excited to be joining our flag carrier.
I heard good things about the programme when it was held in Australia and though we were only the third group to train in South Africa, I thought it would be just as good - in keeping with SAA's standards. The initial portion of the training was academic and took place in Johannesburg over three months.
This part of the course lived up to everything I had imagined, and I prospered as the top cadet in our group of 11.
The problems started when we moved to the flying school at the Port Alfred 43 Air School in October. I was very disappointed with the conditions we were meant to stay in for the next 18 months. The premises are run-down and dilapidated.
Even the water was undrinkable and our main source of drinking water was rainwater. On at least two occasions we did not have any water for a bath for at least a day.
No real effort was made to cater for my religious eating constraints and the isolation of the base prevented me from purchasing food elsewhere. In addition, the food provided was poorly cooked and unhygienic.
After a while it became apparent that in the flying school there was a great deal of underlying politics aiming to fail a student rather than help him succeed.
It seemed only certain persons were targeted, which I feel is very unfair.
I don't mind a bit of pressure, but when a student is discouraged to the point where flying becomes a nightmare, that's where I think the line should be drawn.
Needless to say, save for one person, all the instructors were white.
Though some of our concerns were voiced, they fell on deaf ears.
No one in SAA seemed to care about our situation. Eventually two of my fellow cadets had their training terminated. Though a reason was given, it didn't seem valid.
This is certainly not the sort of treatment I expected to receive when joining the SAA. I really wonder how this air school, which is run like some sort of concentration camp, was chosen.
The cadet programme is supposed to produce motivated pilots. However, with training that is aimed to make a person fail, as well as an environment that sucks away enjoyment of flying, the programme is going absolutely nowhere.
As long as the training remains at this air school, my advice to anyone thinking of applying is to stay very far away from the programme.
It's not worth going through all the politics, antagonism and conditions just to get into SAA. There are a lot of better options out there if you want to be a pilot and the cadet programme truly should be seen as a last resort.
I commend the SAA for having such a programme, it's a good idea, and was run very well while it took place in Australia. However, the SAA should have thought about it much more carefully before it was moved to South Africa, especially to a dingy, isolated flying school.
I have since continued my flying training at Virginia Flight School, where I am happy to report that things are progressing nicely.
Neshav Nirmal
Durban
Quote:
Failed pilot needs to accept he is to blame
May 9, 2004
The letter from Mr Neshav Nirmal ("My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down" - Sunday, May 2) refers.
Clearly no organisation could hope to remain in business were the services and facilities it provided as Mr Nirmal claims 43 Air School\'s are.
We have provided a much sought-after pilot training service to the broader African market for 15 years, and have up to 150 clients/trainees enrolled with the school at any one time.
Of these, about half are people "of colour" from South Africa and the balance of the continent are mostly self-sponsored individuals here by choice. Most of them successfully complete their training courses, and go on to fulfiling careers in airlines and other organisations around the world.
Interestingly, one of the SAA cadets "of colour" has elected to join the school as a flight instructor.
In any business (and life, for that matter) there are bound to be hiccups that have to be overcome. We take careful notice of what our clients say, acknowledge problems, and endeavour to develop and improve the services we provide; though we can hardly be held responsible for a temporary breakdown in the municipal water supply to the town.
Mr Nirmal\'s difficulties can largely be attributed to the fact that he is relatively young and not, as he has proved, emotionally ready to leave home and cope in what is a demanding environment. No amount of counselling, including an interview with an external professional contracted by SAA, was effective in helping him to cope.
Furthermore, Mr Nirmal was experiencing considerable difficulty with the flying training. Unfortunately, no selection process is 100% foolproof, and candidates who are unsuitable or do not have the aptitude to become airline pilots are sometimes admitted to the course - hence the failure rate, also in Australia, at times exceeds 40%.
It is understandable (though not excusable) that such individuals sometimes feel the need to explain their failure by blaming the training organisation or other factors.
Mr Nirmal falls into this category: he required excessive remedial training throughout, and was aware that termination was a possibility.
Suffice to record that Mr Nirmal broke down and wept during our last counselling session, and told me that he was afraid to admit to his parents (and to SAA) that he did not want to do so demanding a course because he did not, in his words, "have what it takes".
He believed his parents would have to carry the cost of his training up to that stage, and did not want to bear this responsibility.
He was offered the opportunity of leaving to help him out of his dilemma.
No amount of scapegoating will change the facts Mr Nirmal endeavours to conceal from those he feels it necessary to explain himself to. He should realise that there is no shame in admitting the truth: we all have different preferences, talents and needs.
A less demanding course in a familiar environment close to home with the support of his family, where he feels secure, will undoubtedly be more suitable for him at this stage of his development.
He should also realise that it is dishonest to lay the blame for his perceived failures anywhere but squarely where it belongs: on himself.
Steve Goodrick
Director of Training: 43 Air School (Pty) Ltd
Quote:
43 Air School, SAA doing a fine job
May 9, 2004
Neshav Nirmal\'s letter last week regarding the SAA Cadet Pilot Training Programme warrants a response, as my experience, and that of my fellow cadets, has been contrary to that of the writer.
SAA\'s task of exposing previously disadvantaged people to the world of flying is enormous, but is already producing fantastic results.
Equally inspiring is that SAA\'s reputation for having the best-trained pilots in the world is being upheld by a school in our very own South Africa. Selected from a few schools, 43 Air School came out tops.
Students have access to many resources - the instructors and management, radio procedures in the tower run by the school\'s cadets, an aviation library, and a fine fleet of aircrafts. We are encouraged to make use of all these facilities. And staying on campus contributes to a marked improvement on performance.
Cadets are assigned a mentor on arrival at 43 Air School, and this goes a long way to monitoring our progress and ensuring that we stay on track.
Our accommodation is adequate and hygienic and we each have our own room that provides space for studying.
The kitchens do cater for religious or health needs and special tastes. Nirmal\'s remark that the food is poorly cooked and unhygienic distorts the reality. As the tap water in nearby Port Alfred is not to everyone\'s taste, the school has a store of rainwater.
Anyone who has not lived away from home might find it difficult to adjust to these facilities, but the setting, tucked away in the Eastern Cape, provides an ideal atmosphere to focus, and dedicate oneself to the task at hand. SAA and 43 Air School provide the management and amenities for us to succeed, and it is up to us to present ourselves in a dedicated and professional manner.
To any future budding pilots out there: I encourage you to apply for this life-changing opportunity that SAA and 43 Air School provides.
Tarryn Sawyer
SAA Cadet Pilot, 43 Air School
Quote:
Flyer blew golden opportunity
May 9, 2004
As a proud and happy SAA cadet, I would like to respond to Neshav Nirmal\'s May 2 letter ("My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down").
I have also wanted to be a pilot all my life. Being accepted by SAA was a dream come true. I realise what a golden opportunity I was given and I am doing all I can to make it a success. My experience at 43 Air School had been nothing but positive, and I was shocked when I read some of the ridiculous statements that he made.
In the few months Nirmal spent at 43 Air School, I hardly ever saw him; he spent most of his time, hermit-like, in his room. He never spoke to me, or anyone he didn\'t know.
If you have a negative attitude, you cannot expect to have positive experiences. Not even in Australia.
Does he know that by moving the training scheme to South Africa, SAA can afford to train twice as many cadets? This means more people would be given the opportunity of a lifetime. And the money would be invested in our own country.
The flying school that he calls "dingy" and "some sort of concentration camp" happens to be the biggest and best in the country. And his criticism of the drinking water is unfounded.
He also says "no real effort was made to cater for my religious eating constraints". The school\'s catering department always has a list of the different dietary and religious meal requirements of the students and it is adhered to. There is nothing wrong with the food. There are two town runs every day, so how can he claim that "the isolation of the base prevented me from purchasing food elsewhere"?
His most ridiculous statement was, "with training that is aimed to make a person fail".
Such a far-fetched aim would not benefit the school at all: It would spell financial loss and risk losing the SAA contract.
However, if a cadet does not have what it takes to be a safe pilot, the school cannot push him through.
Nirmal says that "save for one person, all the instructors are white". Does he know why? They all applied to SAA to get the wonderful opportunity that he wasted, but weren\'t accepted - because they are not previously disadvantaged. So now they have to do it the hard way. No first-class ticket into the airline for them. And from my experience, our instructors are doing an excellent job.
He says "the programme is going absolutely nowhere". He is wrong. The success rates are now better than ever.
I have come to the conclusion that Nirmal\'s letter was a sad excuse for his failure.
Annique Joubert
Port Alfred
My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down
May 2, 2004
Having resigned from the SAA cadet pilot programme a little over a month and half ago, I feel it necessary to let prospective cadets know of the situation in the programme before they apply or join.
For most of my life I wanted to be a pilot. This led me to obtain my private pilot's licence. However, I wanted to pursue flying as a career. I applied to the SAA cadet pilot programme, hoping to realise my dream.
After six months of a variety of tests and exams, I was informed I had been accepted. Naturally I was excited to be joining our flag carrier.
I heard good things about the programme when it was held in Australia and though we were only the third group to train in South Africa, I thought it would be just as good - in keeping with SAA's standards. The initial portion of the training was academic and took place in Johannesburg over three months.
This part of the course lived up to everything I had imagined, and I prospered as the top cadet in our group of 11.
The problems started when we moved to the flying school at the Port Alfred 43 Air School in October. I was very disappointed with the conditions we were meant to stay in for the next 18 months. The premises are run-down and dilapidated.
Even the water was undrinkable and our main source of drinking water was rainwater. On at least two occasions we did not have any water for a bath for at least a day.
No real effort was made to cater for my religious eating constraints and the isolation of the base prevented me from purchasing food elsewhere. In addition, the food provided was poorly cooked and unhygienic.
After a while it became apparent that in the flying school there was a great deal of underlying politics aiming to fail a student rather than help him succeed.
It seemed only certain persons were targeted, which I feel is very unfair.
I don't mind a bit of pressure, but when a student is discouraged to the point where flying becomes a nightmare, that's where I think the line should be drawn.
Needless to say, save for one person, all the instructors were white.
Though some of our concerns were voiced, they fell on deaf ears.
No one in SAA seemed to care about our situation. Eventually two of my fellow cadets had their training terminated. Though a reason was given, it didn't seem valid.
This is certainly not the sort of treatment I expected to receive when joining the SAA. I really wonder how this air school, which is run like some sort of concentration camp, was chosen.
The cadet programme is supposed to produce motivated pilots. However, with training that is aimed to make a person fail, as well as an environment that sucks away enjoyment of flying, the programme is going absolutely nowhere.
As long as the training remains at this air school, my advice to anyone thinking of applying is to stay very far away from the programme.
It's not worth going through all the politics, antagonism and conditions just to get into SAA. There are a lot of better options out there if you want to be a pilot and the cadet programme truly should be seen as a last resort.
I commend the SAA for having such a programme, it's a good idea, and was run very well while it took place in Australia. However, the SAA should have thought about it much more carefully before it was moved to South Africa, especially to a dingy, isolated flying school.
I have since continued my flying training at Virginia Flight School, where I am happy to report that things are progressing nicely.
Neshav Nirmal
Durban
Quote:
Failed pilot needs to accept he is to blame
May 9, 2004
The letter from Mr Neshav Nirmal ("My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down" - Sunday, May 2) refers.
Clearly no organisation could hope to remain in business were the services and facilities it provided as Mr Nirmal claims 43 Air School\'s are.
We have provided a much sought-after pilot training service to the broader African market for 15 years, and have up to 150 clients/trainees enrolled with the school at any one time.
Of these, about half are people "of colour" from South Africa and the balance of the continent are mostly self-sponsored individuals here by choice. Most of them successfully complete their training courses, and go on to fulfiling careers in airlines and other organisations around the world.
Interestingly, one of the SAA cadets "of colour" has elected to join the school as a flight instructor.
In any business (and life, for that matter) there are bound to be hiccups that have to be overcome. We take careful notice of what our clients say, acknowledge problems, and endeavour to develop and improve the services we provide; though we can hardly be held responsible for a temporary breakdown in the municipal water supply to the town.
Mr Nirmal\'s difficulties can largely be attributed to the fact that he is relatively young and not, as he has proved, emotionally ready to leave home and cope in what is a demanding environment. No amount of counselling, including an interview with an external professional contracted by SAA, was effective in helping him to cope.
Furthermore, Mr Nirmal was experiencing considerable difficulty with the flying training. Unfortunately, no selection process is 100% foolproof, and candidates who are unsuitable or do not have the aptitude to become airline pilots are sometimes admitted to the course - hence the failure rate, also in Australia, at times exceeds 40%.
It is understandable (though not excusable) that such individuals sometimes feel the need to explain their failure by blaming the training organisation or other factors.
Mr Nirmal falls into this category: he required excessive remedial training throughout, and was aware that termination was a possibility.
Suffice to record that Mr Nirmal broke down and wept during our last counselling session, and told me that he was afraid to admit to his parents (and to SAA) that he did not want to do so demanding a course because he did not, in his words, "have what it takes".
He believed his parents would have to carry the cost of his training up to that stage, and did not want to bear this responsibility.
He was offered the opportunity of leaving to help him out of his dilemma.
No amount of scapegoating will change the facts Mr Nirmal endeavours to conceal from those he feels it necessary to explain himself to. He should realise that there is no shame in admitting the truth: we all have different preferences, talents and needs.
A less demanding course in a familiar environment close to home with the support of his family, where he feels secure, will undoubtedly be more suitable for him at this stage of his development.
He should also realise that it is dishonest to lay the blame for his perceived failures anywhere but squarely where it belongs: on himself.
Steve Goodrick
Director of Training: 43 Air School (Pty) Ltd
Quote:
43 Air School, SAA doing a fine job
May 9, 2004
Neshav Nirmal\'s letter last week regarding the SAA Cadet Pilot Training Programme warrants a response, as my experience, and that of my fellow cadets, has been contrary to that of the writer.
SAA\'s task of exposing previously disadvantaged people to the world of flying is enormous, but is already producing fantastic results.
Equally inspiring is that SAA\'s reputation for having the best-trained pilots in the world is being upheld by a school in our very own South Africa. Selected from a few schools, 43 Air School came out tops.
Students have access to many resources - the instructors and management, radio procedures in the tower run by the school\'s cadets, an aviation library, and a fine fleet of aircrafts. We are encouraged to make use of all these facilities. And staying on campus contributes to a marked improvement on performance.
Cadets are assigned a mentor on arrival at 43 Air School, and this goes a long way to monitoring our progress and ensuring that we stay on track.
Our accommodation is adequate and hygienic and we each have our own room that provides space for studying.
The kitchens do cater for religious or health needs and special tastes. Nirmal\'s remark that the food is poorly cooked and unhygienic distorts the reality. As the tap water in nearby Port Alfred is not to everyone\'s taste, the school has a store of rainwater.
Anyone who has not lived away from home might find it difficult to adjust to these facilities, but the setting, tucked away in the Eastern Cape, provides an ideal atmosphere to focus, and dedicate oneself to the task at hand. SAA and 43 Air School provide the management and amenities for us to succeed, and it is up to us to present ourselves in a dedicated and professional manner.
To any future budding pilots out there: I encourage you to apply for this life-changing opportunity that SAA and 43 Air School provides.
Tarryn Sawyer
SAA Cadet Pilot, 43 Air School
Quote:
Flyer blew golden opportunity
May 9, 2004
As a proud and happy SAA cadet, I would like to respond to Neshav Nirmal\'s May 2 letter ("My plan to fly with SAA came crashing down").
I have also wanted to be a pilot all my life. Being accepted by SAA was a dream come true. I realise what a golden opportunity I was given and I am doing all I can to make it a success. My experience at 43 Air School had been nothing but positive, and I was shocked when I read some of the ridiculous statements that he made.
In the few months Nirmal spent at 43 Air School, I hardly ever saw him; he spent most of his time, hermit-like, in his room. He never spoke to me, or anyone he didn\'t know.
If you have a negative attitude, you cannot expect to have positive experiences. Not even in Australia.
Does he know that by moving the training scheme to South Africa, SAA can afford to train twice as many cadets? This means more people would be given the opportunity of a lifetime. And the money would be invested in our own country.
The flying school that he calls "dingy" and "some sort of concentration camp" happens to be the biggest and best in the country. And his criticism of the drinking water is unfounded.
He also says "no real effort was made to cater for my religious eating constraints". The school\'s catering department always has a list of the different dietary and religious meal requirements of the students and it is adhered to. There is nothing wrong with the food. There are two town runs every day, so how can he claim that "the isolation of the base prevented me from purchasing food elsewhere"?
His most ridiculous statement was, "with training that is aimed to make a person fail".
Such a far-fetched aim would not benefit the school at all: It would spell financial loss and risk losing the SAA contract.
However, if a cadet does not have what it takes to be a safe pilot, the school cannot push him through.
Nirmal says that "save for one person, all the instructors are white". Does he know why? They all applied to SAA to get the wonderful opportunity that he wasted, but weren\'t accepted - because they are not previously disadvantaged. So now they have to do it the hard way. No first-class ticket into the airline for them. And from my experience, our instructors are doing an excellent job.
He says "the programme is going absolutely nowhere". He is wrong. The success rates are now better than ever.
I have come to the conclusion that Nirmal\'s letter was a sad excuse for his failure.
Annique Joubert
Port Alfred