History In The Making
The SAAF is the second oldest Air Force in the world, after the Royal Air Force, but it was only in 1995 that the first women were selected for pilot training in the SAAF. Ten women were selected but before training started, three fell out as their final Matric Maths exam results did not meet the required standard and one woman decided to go to university first. The six who started training were Renét Venter, Lisl Bennett, Tanya Livingston, Velma Scholz, Kerryn Swemmer and Francis (Frankie) Bester.Lisl, Tanya, Karin and Francis started their training in early 1996, first going through the SAAF’s 3-month basic training course at the Air Force Gymnasium before going on to the Candidate Officer’s course at the Air Force College. Renét and Velma had already completed their basics. Five of them completed the full training and earned their wings in December 1997. Lisl (24), Renét (21), Kerryn (24), Tanya (24) and Velma (24) received their wings at a wings parade at CFS Langebaanweg. They were part of 43 pupils to receive their training on the Pilatus PC7 MkII Astra.
In April 2003, Lt.-Gen. Roelf Beukes, Chief of the Air Force, announced headhunting had lost the SAAF four female pilots, leaving 12.
Lisl Bennett
Lisl Bennett was 13 years old when she decided to become a pilot. Her 17th birthday present from her father was a flight in a Cessna, which was meant to scare her off flying lessons. In 1995 she graduated from Wits University with a degree in aeronautical engineering and was honoured as the top engineering student. When she joined the SAAF in 1996, she already had her private pilot’s licence and 95 flying hours. After her Candidate Officer’s course in July 1996, she was the top academic student, obtaining an average of 88%. Eighty-two students completed the course. Lisl became the first female instructor on the Pilatus PC7 Astra and the Alouette III helicopter. She went on to become the chief ground instructor at 87 Helicopter Flying School, AFB Bloemspruit. She was also part of the SAAF’s purchase project for the Augusta A109M helicopter. In 2003 she earned her Master’s degree in aeronautical technology from the University of Kingston in England. Lisl was one of 18 pilots who took the Royal Air Force Aerosystems course from September 2000 to July 2001. She was the only South African student, the youngest and most junior in rank. She passed with an 83% average, placing her in the top seven students. Lisl is the daughter of Chris Bennett and Mrs. Marion Taite. She has two sisters, Tania and Kirsten. She grew up in Somerset West and Stellenbosch, and matriculated in Boksburg. To relax she reads or does martial arts.
Francis Bester
Francis (Frankie) Bester is from Cape Town and was in the Navy at Simonstown before joining the SAAF. After completing her Candidate Officer’s course in July 1996, Francis was named Victrix Ludorum. The following year she withdrew from the pilot training course after the ground school phase.
Renét Venter
Renét Venter is from Sannieshof and joined the SAAF after matriculating.
Tanya Livingston
Tanya Livingston is a former Zimbabwean who lived in Amanzimtoti before joining the SAAF. She has a degree in sports management. She spent eight years as a part-time crew member of the John Rolfe rescue helicopter. Tanya (33) was recently made a Superintendent when she was appointed as a SAPS Air Wing helicopter pilot in Nelspruit. After her training in Langebaanweg she went to Bloemspruit for the Rotor Wing Conversion course. She did her training on Alouettes for three months, followed by a three-month Oryx Conversion course. Tanya spent two years at 15 Squadron as a co-pilot. She also qualified as a BK117 commander. After Durban, she was transferred to 17 Squadron in Pretoria, and later to 19 Squadron in Hoedspruit. Tanya was the first female pilot doing duty in Burundi. She has more than 2 000 flying hours and left the SAAF with the rank of Major.
Velma Scholz
Velma Scholz is from Swakopmund in Namibia. She was part of the helicopter rescue efforts during the Mozambique floods in 2001. After leaving the SAAF, she joined the SAPS Air Wing in August 2001, becoming the first female pilot there.
Kerryn Swemmer
Kerryn Swemmer is from Benoni and earned a BSc from Wits University before joining the SAAF. She had a private pilot’s licence obtained in her Matric year. Her father used to fly privately and she started flying at 16. After school, she could not get into the SAAF or find a flying job, so she went to Wits. By the time she had graduated, the SAAF was open to female pilots. She flew the Oryx and Alouette helicopters in the SAAF. After leaving the SAAF, she spent some time flying the Hunter’s Gold helicopter as well as operating tourist flights out of the V&A Waterfront, and doing traffic reports for Kfm. Kerryn also spent some time flying in West Africa. She became the first female helicopter pilot to join the South African Red Cross Air Mercy Service in 2001, first on a full-time basis and recently on a part-time basis. She has flown more than 700 mercy flights. Kerryn currently flies for SA Express.
Tamara Thomas
Tamara Thomas from Glencairn Heights is the first coloured female pilot, receiving her wings in March 2005 at Langebaanweg. Flying planes was a childhood dream, after her parents took her to an air show at AFB Ysterplaat when she was eight years old. She matriculated in 2001 at Fish Hoek Senior High. She joined the SAAF in 2002 and spent three years in intensive training. During her first year she did basics and Candidate Officer’s course. In her second year, she attended the military academy in Saldanha Bay, doing subjects such as aerodynamics under a University of Stellenbosch programme. Her third year was spent flying at Langebaanweg. After earning her wings she became the second female fighter pilot in the SAAF. She was born in Grassy Park to Edmund and Serena Thomas. The family later moved to Glencairn Heights.
Igneet Jordaan
Igneet Jordaan was born in 1977 and matriculated from Hoërskool Garsfontein. She joined the SAAF in January 1997 and qualified as a pilot in April 1999. She flew for 41 Squadron until going to CFS Langebaanweg in September 2002 where she qualified as an instructor. She was transferred to 44 Squadron in October 2004, where she qualified as the first female multi-engine flight instructor since World War II within the SAAF. Igneet is married to Bedford.
Annabel Macauley
Annabel Macauley, from Mafikeng, was the first black female pilot, and later instructor, in the SAAF. Her dream started when her father showed her a Boeing’s cockpit when she was 5 years old. After Matric, she spent a month at a chartered accountant firm, followed by a year as an assistant teacher, but neither career interested her. In 2002 she did a six-month instructor’s rating course in the USA. She taught her first pupils at Langebaanweg in 2004. She was also the Ground Liaison Officer for the SAAF’s aerobatics team, the Silver Falcons. Annabel has taken part in flying formation for parades, the Opening of Parliament, and the Ten Years of Freedom celebrations. Annabel is the daughter of Sydney, a church minister, and Annie. She has a twin brother who is a university lecturer, an older sister who studied economics in England and a younger brother.
Mandy Lee Dilley
Mandy Lee Dilley is a qualified aircraft instrument fitter in the SAAF, having completed her apprenticeship in 1996. Her duties include apprentice training on Oryx helicopters. Mandy became interested in aviation when her brother joined the SAAF when she was in Grade 4.
Caren Kok
Caren Kok was in standard seven when she saw a helicopter and decided to become an aviation engineer. In 2006 she moved to Cape Town where she is responsible for maintaining the Red Cross AMS fleet of four helicopters. Caren spent nine years in the SAAF as a helicopter engineer and technical instructor with the rank of Sergeant. This was followed by five years at CHC Helicopters Africa, where she lived in Luanda for a year. Next she worked for eight months at Eurocopter.
Kerina Moodley
The first Indian female pilot in the SAAF, Kerina Moodley, received her wings at Langebaanweg in April 1999, just prior to her 21st birthday. She graduated along with four female pilots – Melanie Habben, Ignette Jordaan, Lauren Pipes and Michelle van Wyk. A female navigator, E. van Rooyen, also received her wings. Since the SAAF started accepting females for pilot training in 1996, nine women had received their wings by April 1999.
Kerina, a former pupil of Burnwood High School in Durban, was inspired to join the SAAF after reading a newspaper article about SAAF female pilots. She initially wanted to join the Police but went to the University of Natal to do a B.Sc. She left university when she was accepted by the SAAF in 1997. Kerina’s first solo flight was on 12th June 1998. She is the daughter of Tharum, a teacher, and Malitha, a pharmacist originally from Cape Town. Kerina has younger twin sisters and a brother.
Melanie Habben
Melanie Habben
Melanie Habben and Musa Mbhokota were the first two SAAF pilots to undergo flight instructor training in the Swedish Air Force. Melanie was previously with 21 Squadron, the SAAF’s VIP squadron based at AFB Waterkloof. Musa was a Cheetah pilot with 2 Squadron at AFB Makhado. They started their 14-week training course in August 2005 in Melmen. Afterwards, they were part of a group that included all the SAAF instructors, to design the SAAF’s new training system.