Meet Gonda, the go-getter
What started as a desire to become an engineer, saw an active and adventurous girl from Point High School becoming a military helicopter pilot.
In doing so, Gonda Goulooze (30) made history for Mossel Bay women.
She completed matric in 2008 and applied to study engineering through the South African Airforce.
“To obtain a bursary, I had to become a soldier first.” Gonda completed her basic training before she could start her studies. She enlisted together with 300 hopefuls. In 2013 she obtained her B Eng in mechanical engineering from the University of Stellenbosch.
As part of her bursary contract, upon completing her studies, she had to work in the airforce for four years. “As part of my engineering work, I often went on flights. For the first time, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in really being in the airforce and I found it so cool!”
Attracted to the excitement of performing manoeuvres and the exquisite bird’s eye view during flights, she soon realised she had found her niche. She always loved being outdoors and filing reports in an office had proved not to be her cup of tea.
She applied to become a pilot in 2015, was trained at the Langebaan Airforce Base in 2016 and by 2017, she was a qualified military pilot.
The training, she says, was one of the toughest challenges of her life, but one she will always be grateful for. In her opinion, flying a helicopter is more intense than handling a fixed-wing aircraft. “You cannot let your attention drift away for a moment. When you are in the cockpit, focusing on flying is all there is.”
She flies an Oryx. “I still can’t believe it. It’s powerful and flies like a dream.”
Although her engineering studies were tough, flying is a whole different kettle of fish. Gonda describes it as dynamic. “A lack of judgment can have consequences. You must think on your feet. Lives are at stake. It’s scary and it stays scary.” As a helicopter pilot, she is often involved in search and rescue missions in mountainous areas.
She doesn’t see herself being in a man’s world or as less or more than her male colleagues. “It was hard in the beginning, but your confidence grows over time. If you are confident, regardless of your sex, you will not be a pushover. It is a tough environment and the job must get done. Regardless of who sits in the cockpit.”
Every day, Gonda says, gratitude follows as she lands on Mother Earth. Moreover, she feels proud to be entrusted by her country with flying a multi-million aircraft on a daily basis.