Pilot, Sanele Mkhize soars towards his goal
Sanele believes not having the full support of his family actually pushed him to reach his goals, and put the naysayers aside.
Young pilot, Sanele Mkhize (20) is flying beyond borders, using his inspirational story to give others wings.
Born and bred in Sibongile, Sanele grew up in a loving home with his mother and 3 siblings. He attended Emphathi Combined School and later Thalana High School, and achieved his Matric Certificate in 2015.
Sanele says his love of aviation began when he was in high school, as he developed a fascination with flying after attending the Dundee Airshow.
“When I was in matric, I spent most of my time doing research about the aviation industry. That’s when I found out about the three different licences: a Private Pilot Licence (PPL), a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and a Airline Pilot Licence (APL) , which you can only get when after 1 500 hours of flying.”
Shortly before completing his matric year, Sanele applied for aviation bursaries online. One of these was the KZN Premier’s bursary.
“I met all the requirements and was awarded a full bursary at Durban Aviation Centre, where I got all my training. This was a three-year course and I have since completed my PPL training and I am currently a PPL holder.”
This means Sanele can fly any aircraft, as long as he has a specific rating on it. He is now working towards attaining his CPL, and is also undergoing his final year of studies in Superior Pilot Service. Sanele believes not having the full support of his family actually pushed him to reach his goals, and put the naysayers aside.
Sanele says working in the office of the KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala has been amazing. He is also grateful for his sponsor, his mother, and all others who have a hand in his success.
When Sanele is not in the air, he loves spending time at the Mall of Africa in Midrand. He enjoys movies. playing pool and reading, and his favourite foods are lasagne and asparagus.
“To anyone who is thinking or dreaming about something massive, I want to tell you it always seems impossible until it is done. I am doing it. If you can dream about it, that means you have it already, but you have not done it yet. Whatever the mind can conceive, the heart can believe and the body can achieve.”
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