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Nqobile Tshili,[email protected]
ONE of the significant attractions at the 64th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) was the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) stand, especially for those with dreams of soaring through the skies. However, the stand can also serve as a bitter-sweet reminder for many.
Exhibiting an aircraft engine, the CAAZ display rekindles childhood aspirations of becoming a pilot, aspirations that, for many, remain unfulfilled. The high cost of pilot training, a staggering US$12 000 for private pilot certification alone, effectively renders the profession a privilege for the few.
A Chronicle news crew observed a steady stream of visitors to the CAAZ stand on Friday. Mthandazo Moyo, a 34-year-old from Gwanda, couldn’t resist inspecting the aircraft engine, a tangible connection to his long-held dream of taking the controls.
“To see an aircraft engine is fascinating to me. When I was a child, I wished to be a pilot but my parents couldn’t afford it. I ended up studying mechanics and I’m now a motor mechanic and I have a Class 1. So when I’m looking at this plane engine is similar to the engine of trucks,” said Moyo, who was still inquisitive about a career in the aviation sector.
Even pupils from various schools flocked to the stand, their eyes gleaming with dreams of piloting a plane. CAAZ officials reported that many inquired about becoming pilots. While the cost of pilot training may be a barrier for some, CAAZ Flight Operations Inspector Tapiwa Nyasha emphasised that the aviation industry offers a wealth of lucrative career options beyond the cockpit.
“The most expensive part in the aviation sector is being a pilot, especially when you want to finance yourself. Because for an hour here you might need to pay US$300 or US$400 per hour and to qualify you might need to be in the air for 40 hours and there are additional costs.
“But besides being a pilot there are various other opportunities that are available within our industry. For example, the aircraft engine that you are seeing here is maintained by aviation maintenance technicians. To become an aviation maintenance technician this is a course you can take up after leaving school and the entry point is five O-Levels,” said Inspector Nyasha.
Inspector Nyasha highlighted other alternative, yet equally fulfilling, career paths within aviation. One such option is the aircraft audit technician, responsible for meticulously inspecting aircraft quality and ensuring passenger safety.
CAAZ Public Relations and Communications Manager, Firstme Vitori, echoed this sentiment, urging young people to explore the vast opportunities beyond the cockpit. The aviation industry offers a diverse range of exciting careers, Vitori said.
“In terms of opportunities that are available, obviously the sector is a very big sector but let me start from the point of what CAAZ does as regards the aviation sector. We are the regulator with different operators that fall under this sector so when we talk of opportunities not only within the regulatory space but also operators like Air Zimbabwe, National Handling Services, among others,” said Vitori.
CAAZ is also actively working to dismantle the stereotype that aviation is a male-dominated field. Their commitment is evident at the ZITF exhibition, where female professionals are prominently featured as part of the CAAZ stand.
“The aviation sector is offering opportunities not only for the boy child but the girl child. That is one of the issues that we are pushing as an organisation to ensure that we have got a gender balance. You have seen on our stand one of the things that we are doing is we are actually having girls who are in those technical fields,” she said.
“Air Traffic Control is an area that one may pursue as a career opportunity and it is good that as CAAZ we also offer the training itself. We have a state-of-the-art simulator that we have at our offices in Harare. It is an on the job training within various categories. We have air navigation services, we can also talk about security and facilitation, which is another sector within the regulatory framework.”
Vitori further highlighted that the Aviation Training Academy of Zimbabwe is operated by CAAZ as an accessible entry point for aspiring aviation professionals. She stressed the importance of thorough research for children and young people before embarking on any career path, including those in aviation. — @nqotshili
Online Reporter