Startup to Shutdown

New Blog Post: On making mistakes and moving on. it has been a somewhat cathartic process for me as I share in this latest near death experience. Comming to terms with reality after my first aviation incident... #aviation #blog #pilot #life

throwback to my first solo (2009). One of the most vivid flying memories a pilot will experience and remember for the rest of their lives. Shortly after this photo was taken, my instructor Terrence dunked me into an ice cold bath. My rite of passage into the world of aviation. #tbt #student #pilot #firstsolo #ftc #cirrus #tbt

Updated Pilot Requirements: ✔️ Serious grip strength ✔️ Ability to fit through window 😂👌

Air Races, Rallies and Competitions: A great way to brush up on your flying skills is to enter one of the #SAPFA events (sapfa.co.za) Some of the lessons I have taken away from these events: 1. Navigating without GPS is tough! Limited to maps and compasses, these races put pilots and navigators to the test. 2. It's a team sport! Because GPS is not allowed, the pilot relies heavily on his/her navigator to keep the team on track. 3. Become a Springbok! You might not have the power of Bongi or the feistiness of Faf, but you can still become a Springbok by participating in and competing in the season events. 4. It sharpens your skills! Navigation, Flight planning, CRM operating multi-crew, Situational awareness, Operating under pressure, and much more. This is, at its heart, a great learning experience. For more, check out the link below: https://lnkd.in/dzcmwPgw

Career Prospects: Airlines Before getting started, it helps to know where you're going. What are your aviation goals? This will help streamline your decision-making and keep you focused on the tasks that will move you in the right direction. Aviation as an industry is evolving, with the introduction of VTOLs, UAVs, and AI, there are many new exciting opportunities for people looking to enter the space. For those with their minds already set on the conventional path, Airlines have never looked so good. There is incredible demand for pilots in this category. With a projected #pilotshortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2030. Why, you might ask? ▶ Ageing workforce (mandatory retirement) ▶ Barriers to entry (high cost of training) ▶ Demand (post covid & emerging markets) The airlines' path is the most common and well-known progression. Any flight school will be able to guide you through the following steps: 1. PPL (50 hrs) 2. CPL (200 hrs) -> NR, ME, IR 3. Hour Building (500hrs) -> Turbine 4. ATPL (1500 hrs) -> CRM, DG, SMS Four steps to make yourself marketable to the airlines. Under this area of operations lie three main areas where one could focus: ▶ Passenger ▶ Cargo ▶ Corporate For more on each of these, check out my blog post below: #airlinepilot #pilotcareer #studentpilot #pilotjobs #pilotlife #pilot #firstofficer #captain #airline #aviation #career #nightrating #multiengine #crewresourcemanagement #dangerousgoods #instrumentrating

ATTENTION ASPIRING AVIATORS: Hi there, This is the story of my page and passion project. Startup to Shutdown started in a time of great uncertainty for me, one of the few tragedies that touched everyone on the planet - The Covid Pandemic. Throwback to early 2020: After finally making it to what I considered the dream job, flying float planes in the Maldives, I felt a great sense of pride and relief. It had been over 5 years of blood sweat and tears to get there. Coming from South Africa, where floats are outlawed, I had to move abroad for two years. Working the dock for a scenic seaplane operation on the coast of Australia. Volunteering my days in exchange for hours in a C182 on straight floats and serving tables in the evenings to make ends meet. Once the visa ran out, I returned home to build important hours and experience required in the market. Moving to Johannesburg (not ideal for a coastal lover), to work as a Cirrus flight instructor for another two years was incredibly beneficial. This opened the doors to my first commercial gig with Trans Maldivian Airways Pvt. Ltd.. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, this was just a few short months before the pandemic took hold of the entire planet. Too soon, I was back home - locked down and recovering from a hip surgery that promised to rid me of my chronic pain. It is, in this period of immobility and suspension that I decided to learn a new skill. Building a website was the goal, and I got to work. Day and night ticking away with online courses and webinars, building the platform you see below. The main motivation for Startup to Shutdown was to inspire, motivate, and guide new aspiring aviators (young and old) through the complex industry that is aviation. The challenges can seem momentous and the costs for self-starters are incredibly overwhelming. I hoped that I could create something to help reduce the barriers to entry. Sharing stories, resources, and material that I wish were made readily available when I was navigating the world on my own. Fast forward four years and the platform has been somewhat neglected, as I took a sabbatical from flying to pursue a beekeeping business for two years and another two working sales for a small company that has grown quickly into a corporation. Today I find myself in a similar position to early 2020. Back at home without a job, facing the possibility of another surgery in my early 30's. And again, I'm choosing to focus on the possibilities. First is the Startup to Shutdown platform. I'm going to take a second swing at growing the site and adding more quality content. For any aspiring pilots interested, this is for you. I hope you find value in the work I have done below and look forward to creating more helpful content in the months to come. The cyclic nature of life teaches us that nothing is permanent. Neither the wins, nor losses will stay for good. Whether you're facing one of life's ups, or downs, remember - This too shall pass.