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.
Theo Naude – Chief Pilot Part 135
Jacky Horn – Accountant
Like most of the employees at Westair, Theo Naude fills more than one position. Not only is he Chief Pilot 135 (turbo props) but also the security manager. “It’s fun to have many hats, Westair gives you many opportunities to do more than one thing, to build knowledge and improve yourself in aviation.” As the chief pilot he has to know all the manuals, to have a good understanding of the aircraft. “The end goal is to be safe.” The best thing about his job, though, is to be a part of the next generation. “To say to a guy you can go to the next level of your career (by qualifying to fly a plane) is the best feeling. You put in time, did everything you can do, and now I get to give you your licence. It’s teamwork. The whole company comes together to get that person there. The whole company applauds a person to achieve and grow.”
Driving past the airport after dropping off her son, Jacky Horn loves looking out of the car window and seeing the Westair Embraer V5-WIN flying overhead. “That red tail… It symbolises success. It’s being proud of yourself.” Jacky has come a long way with Westair, starting out in 2005 as a fresh-faced girl from Aranos straight out of high school. She began her career as a scheduler, which in those days meant dealing with just a few charters here and there. In time, more and more was added to her plate. She was learning all she could while on the job, gaining insight and an understanding of all the departments. No matter what challenges come up, her motto is to “make it work.” And she does. Now, almost fifteen years later, she is an accountant at Westair and continues to grow together with the company. “We help each other to progress.”
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