Sithenkosi Dondolo has dreams of flying and now that he has passed his Private Pilot Licence, he is searching for the opportunity to tackle his Commercial Licence.
Eastern Cape, South Africa (26 May 2023) – Completing flight school is a massive accomplishment for any pilot but it can take a fair bit of time to make it happen. 22 year old Sithenkosi Dondolo recently completed his Private Pilot License (PPL) and is now looking towards his Commercial Pilot License (CPL). His hope is to find a sponsor or bursary to complete the next phase of his education.
Born in Cala (Mnxe Location) in the Eastern Cape province, Sithenkosi set out to Gauteng to follow his dream of becoming a pilot. He joined a flight school in Pretoria and with the help of a student loan, he completed his PPL.
“I have found the course interesting, thought-provoking and rewarding. I grew up in a town where one has to conform to the “known” degrees, my dream is to introduce something new in my community, perhaps in the long run there could be a school that seeks to better the youth in aviation studies.
I was studying using a student loan which I, unfortunately, cannot afford for this year. I have applied for bursaries for the 2023 intake, however, I was not fortunate enough to receive one.
I wish to study further and complete my however, I do not have financial assistance to venture into this course.”
With an average of 83% on his exams and a total of 67 flying hours on a single engine, Sithenkosi hopes he can find a solution for his next phase of flying and studies. He shared his story online along with a breakdown of all his marks, in the hope that it crosses the desk of someone in need of a hopeful young pilot.
He isn’t looking to raise funds so much as he hopes to find a bursary or sponsorship with a company that needs someone like himself.
Like Sithenkosi, there are many young and older pilots looking to fund their CPL studies. It can be an expensive education but a worthy one in the end. Those wanting to know more about bursary options, can find details listed below.
One can apply for the South African Civil Aviation Authority bursaries that are opened each year or approach the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) for bursary options. Both these organisations have limited slots but with a compelling cv, anything can happen!
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