Have you ever wondered who is flying the plane when you travel on SA Express? Or wanted to know more about what a job as a cabin crew member is like? Well, now’s your chance! Every month we will introduce a few members of our SA Express family, because by getting to know them, you become part of the SA Express family too.
Boy Burger van der Merwe
First Officer on the Q400
Length of service at SA Express: Seven years. I joined SA Express in May 2007 as a Flight Dispatcher in the Johannesburg OCC. From there I was promoted to Operations Controller. From there I was privileged enough to be accepted into our in-house cadet pilot programme in November 2011.
What is your favourite part of your job?As soon as the take-off power has been set and we start with the take-off roll down the runway. Nothing beats the absolute thrill of that!
What do you find most challenging about your job?There are different variables involved in ensuring that an aircraft departs on time. It is one big team effort from within the different SA Express departments, as well as external factors, all having to work together to avoid delays.
What do you like about working for SA Express?There are endless opportunities for career development and growth within SA Express. I started working for SA Express compiling flight documentation for the crew in 2007, and with the support and encouragement of various people from the HR Department straight through to the Training Department, I was able to achieve my goal and fly for the national feeder airline.
What would you miss the most if you ever stopped working for SA Express? The sense of community spirit that makes SA Express the company it is. We are still of a reasonable size so that one is able to know staff from different departments within the airline.
Christopher Jooste
First Officer
Length of service at SA Express: Ten years as cabin crew and two years as a pilot.
Please tell us briefly what your job involves? My job involves providing the Captain with information prior to and during the flight in order to operate in a safe manner according to our standards manual, helping us to get our passengers to their destinations safely.
What is your favourite part of your job? I enjoy manually operating the aircraft so that the aircraft becomes an extension of my arm.
What do you find most challenging about your job? Navigating through thunderstorms, fighting through wind shear and landing during strong crosswinds, but therein also lies the most fun.
What do you like about working for SA Express? There are a lot of opportunities and, as long as you work hard, your dream can become a reality. After all the years of working here, I feel that we are a family.
What would people find surprising about your job? Pilots are ordinary, gentle people, despite having the skills of winged angels. And we can multi-task better than the best housewives in the world!
Have you ever had any funny incidents or encounters while on the job? A lady pilot from one of our competitors broadcast a detailed message intended for their passengers that the toilet on-board their aircraft was broken. She unfortunately broadcast this message on the wrong frequency and about ten other aircraft in the airspace sarcastically responded with: “Thank you, ma'am, noted.” Quite a laugh to brighten the day.
What would you miss the most if you ever stopped working for SA Express? I would miss the family ethos, as well as our beloved “turbo profits” aeroplanes.
Alan Macaulay
Q400 Fleet Manager
Length of service at SA Express: 15 years
Please tell us briefly what your job involves: The easy part is flying the schedule as a Q400 Captain. The more difficult part involves the safe and efficient running of the Q400 fleet. This involves constant interaction with the manufacturer, Bombardier, to ensure we incorporate the latest “world’s best practises”, primarily from a safety and efficiency perspective. This is accomplished with the assistance of a great team of Line Check Captains reporting to the Chief Pilot and GM Flight operations. We also work closely with the Q400 Training Section to achieve our training objectives.
What is your favourite part of your job? I still find it incredibly satisfying to simply get into an aircraft and really strive do my job in the most efficient and professional way. It is great seeing happy passengers disembark and to set a good example for junior crew members to hopefully follow. I also enjoy solving some of the complex tasks and completing projects with my team in Flight Operations. Some of the junior crew members in our ranks share a real passion for aviation and seeing them develop into competent airline pilots is great to be a part of.
What would people find surprising about your job? Definitely the many, many, many hours I spend bashing away at my computer after hours. We live in such a connected world that there is always a lot going on and people have become accustomed to getting answers on things fairly instantly, so that is something that requires managing on my part to stay sane and to keep things in balance at home.
What would you miss the most if you ever stopped working for SA Express? I speak from experience on this one. I emigrated to Australia in 2008. I missed the country, the people, the Q400 and my work colleagues. I came back six months later and I am happy to say I came back **home**.
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