GETTING GIRLS INTO THE COCKPIT

ACCORDING to official statistics released in 2019, out of 664,565 active pilots in the world, only 52,740 were women.

It is against this maledominated backdrop that Kaone Kamanakao has gone all out to encourage young girls to consider a career in aviation.

The impressive 31-year-old is a qualified commercial pilot.

The Motopi native plays a leading role in NGOS Girls Fly Programme in Africa and Women in Aviation International Botswana, of which she is the President. Through these organisations, Kamanakao has been sensitising and coaching schoolgirls on the aviation industry, even organising scholarships for successful ones.

In this interview, the passionate pilot talks to FRANCINAH BAAITSE about the challenges, opportunities and achievements in this career, which like many other industries, has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

I understand you are Ground Training Manager at Wilderness Safaris. Please tell me about your experiences as a woman in the aviation field?

I was the Ground Training Manager but left in February because of effects of Covid-19 on the company. My experience with aviation has been that it is a challenging yet equally rewarding industry.

So what do you do for a living at the moment?

I am running my own aviation firm that deals with technical advisory as well as asset management.

What is the name of your company and how is it

doing in the market?

I have been working as an independent consultant for some time. We are finalising registration with new partners but business has been slow because of Covid-19. I am currently the Managing Director of Girls Fly Programme in Africa and I sit as President of Women in Aviation International Botswana.