WANT TO BECOME A HELICOPTER PILOT?

“It took me three years to get my licence, but all your exams have to be completed within a period of 18 months,” Delport explains. “Time management is important. Some people fly and study full-time, others do it part-time. I flew two days a week to build up my hours and studied on the other days.

“The process started in Bloemfontein, where I got my private licence at Westline Aviation. You have to pass eight exams and fly with an instructor for 50 hours. I then moved to Thabazimbi to obtain my commercial licence, where I had to write exams again (eight of them!) and fly 150 hours, this time without an instructor, before I could do my test flight.

“Do your research if you’re interested in becoming a helicopter pilot – the industry can be unpredictable. Pick a speciality and work hard. You don’t need any specific school subjects to apply, but maths, physics, geology and biology will give you an advantage. Your health is important – you have to pass a medical test. Colour blindness is one of the common reasons people can’t become pilots.”