Who is the Real Force behind Westair? In the next few months those who make FlyWestair possible will be introduced to you, one by one. You will meet our pilots, our ground-crew, those who work behind the scenes in finance and operations, in maintenance, as trainees and strategists, deal-makers and groundbreakers. Meet the first of many faces behind Westair.
Chief Thomas
Gabriela Kamaahene
“The experience I get at Westair I could not have gotten anywhere else. One can do training at the best and most expensive schools in the world, but the quality and passion of the instructors at Signa Aviation flight-school at Westair made me progress as a pilot,” said pilot, Chief Thomas. Born and raised in Swakopmund, the closest Chief had ever come to an airplane before he boarded one to receive training in Florida on a bursary, was to look at the Ministry of Fisheries’ Cessna 406 at Arandis airport as a child. “After 18 months in the USA, getting dual-rated (qualified to pilot and navigate both fixed-wing and rotorcraft) and FAA (Federal Aviation Association) registered, I returned home with a licence. I sent my CV to every company I imagined would give me a job. Westair gave me an opportunity to not only work my way through all the departments, getting to know all systems, from flight-tracking, flight support, to assisting the chief pilot, but also to become a pilot with ratings on 8 of the 12 types of aircraft operating on Westair schedules and charters. “I now fly to Swakopmund Airport as pilot in command of the Westair Cessna 406 and when I am at the office at Eros Airport, in Windhoek, I am the airline’s Ground Operations Manager (GOM).’’
‘’It makes me excited that we are an airline now,’’ said Gabriela Kamaahene, currently the only female aircraft engineer on the team. ‘’The experience one gets at Westair is substantial. Actually, the sky’s the limit here. Every step of the way you learn something from someone. And, there is always the potential to move up the ladder.” Gabriela actually wanted to become a pilot but during tests for a bursary application, it came to light that she was more mechanically-minded. After completing her technical training, she returned home and tried to find a job. “I handed in my CV but because I was a girl, nobody wanted to give me a chance. Then, the CEO of Westair offered me an interview and I got the job. I am still a baby in terms of experience but I plan to get a license for every type of aircraft we have. I love to work at Westair because even though I am the only woman in this department, there is no discrimination. And, I love the sound of a plane starting up. I get such a pleasant feeling from hearing that.”
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