Props to young South Coast pilot
Hendrik has always been an inspiration to her and still is.
From aspiring pilot to flying search and rescue missions, this young pilot’s story is one to admire.
Daniél Ludick is the only woman commercial pilot in the Margate area. Her father Hendrik inspired her to start flying as he was a pilot for the Saps.
He took Daniél on her first flight when she was just 11 years old, and she fell in love with the excitement of flying. Her first formal training of any kind was at the age of 16 at an aviation awareness camp her father encouraged her to join. This was part of the South African Air Force youth development programme called the Young Falcons.
She was invited back for an advanced camp that was joined by the Royal Air Force Cadets from Ireland. She was then invited a third time as a senior (only six remained of the 40 that started the original camp).
Wasting no time at all, she started flying as a student straight after school. She applied to the air force in Pretoria where she was unfortunately not selected due to height and weight restrictions. But, that didn’t stop her.
To graduate from private to receiving her commercial licence, she had to pass a set of rigorous exams and complete over 200 hours of flying time. Most of which was flying all over the Wild Coast. The experience there taught her a lot, the landscape makes any emergency situation difficult as it is not easily accessible and the weather is unpredictable and unforgiving.
Receiving her commercial licence now enabled her to start working for Airtrack Aviation, a company her father, Hendrik, started after leaving the police force. She has been involved in a wide range of operations and projects. One notable project was helping with the construction of the Msikaba Bridge which started in early 2020.
She was responsible for the transport of passengers from the south to the north side and vice versa, saving personnel a two-and-a-half-hour car journey around the gorge. Her cousin Caleb Walton was part of the ground crew and played a major role in arranging fuel, passengers and other operations. She mentions “she couldn’t have done it without him.” A cable car has since been installed but was delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions. She is on-call to help if the accessibility of a helicopter is ever needed.
She says working with her father has never been complicated and there is a lot of mutual respect between them. Hendrik has always been an inspiration to her and still is. Growing up, they would often fish or ride motor bikes together and she has learned a lot from his flying experience.
Daniél humbly mentions that her flight time has now surpassed that of her father’s at the young age of 26.
Daniél has also been involved in search and rescue missions. One of the more exciting ones being last year where she had to rescue a lost couple from a steep hillside, precariously balancing her front skids on uneven ground.
She says she has never once been in a life-threatening situation. In most rescue missions there are a lot of factors working against you but that doesn’t get to her. She says “I am aware of the dangers, but I have faith in my mechanics and aircraft and don’t let fear get to me.”
Brave yet humble.
In her own time she works as a commissioned artistic painter, currently makes jewellery by method of electroplating and enjoys riding horses although not as much as she would like. She says flying her helicopter is her primary profession and passion in life.
Props to this South Coast pilot, Daniél deserves recognition.
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