Asnath Mahapa who took to the skies in 1998 as the first
black female pilot in South Africa, has revealed that her father never liked the
idea of her becoming a pilot, but his resistance didn’t stop her.
black female pilot in South Africa, has revealed that her father never liked the
idea of her becoming a pilot, but his resistance didn’t stop her.
In an interview with CNN, Mahapa said, “When I told my
father I wanted to become a pilot, he never even entertained the idea.”
father I wanted to become a pilot, he never even entertained the idea.”
The sight of the big things (planes) flying in the skies
intrigued her as a teenager, and she decided she would one day be in control of
those planes.
intrigued her as a teenager, and she decided she would one day be in control of
those planes.
“It just dawned on me that those big things that we see in
the skies, someone is actually in charge of them. I thought if someone can fly
this thing, that means I can also do it,” she said.
the skies, someone is actually in charge of them. I thought if someone can fly
this thing, that means I can also do it,” she said.
Mahapa initially enrolled in the University of Cape Town to
study electrical engineering, but dropped out after a year and went to a flight
school, but the school soon came with its own challenges.
She was the only woman in her class throughout, which meant
she had to work ten times harder than the men she attended classes with.
“My first time, I felt sick. I was persistent, I went back
again, I went back until I stopped feeling sick,” she said.
again, I went back until I stopped feeling sick,” she said.
“I didn’t know I was the first black woman until 2003, until
about four years later. And I was still the only one at the time and I did not
know. Before I knew it I was on TV, front page of newspapers, and that came as
a shock because I was still young, I was 22 at the time, I was very young,” she
said.
about four years later. And I was still the only one at the time and I did not
know. Before I knew it I was on TV, front page of newspapers, and that came as
a shock because I was still young, I was 22 at the time, I was very young,” she
said.
In order to set the stage for others to follow, Mahapa
opened the African College of Aviation in 2012.
For her, it’s about trying to help women who aspire to
become pilots. She sees a lot of black women going through the same things that
she went through as a very young lady, they still struggle to get jobs after
they qualify, most of them they struggle with finances because it’s a very
expensive industry and also Mahapa wants to do is help such women.
become pilots. She sees a lot of black women going through the same things that
she went through as a very young lady, they still struggle to get jobs after
they qualify, most of them they struggle with finances because it’s a very
expensive industry and also Mahapa wants to do is help such women.
“I don’t think there will ever be enough women in the
industry. If I can change the world I would tell the girls go out there, do it
and I will tell the boys there is nothing wrong with a girl becoming a pilot,
becoming an astronaut for that matter,” she said.
industry. If I can change the world I would tell the girls go out there, do it
and I will tell the boys there is nothing wrong with a girl becoming a pilot,
becoming an astronaut for that matter,” she said.
She is of the strong view that, boys must accept that girls
can be anything they want to be and that girls should believe in themselves
that they can be whoever they want to be.
can be anything they want to be and that girls should believe in themselves
that they can be whoever they want to be.
Despite the challenges Mahapa insists she has no regrets about
her decision to pursue a career in aviation.
“Ask any pilot, they’ll tell you, our view from our office
is the best in the world, so why would you get bored doing a job like that?”