Redhill learner Jordan Pretorius has been following in his family’s aviation footsteps and achieved his private pilot’s licence. At the young age of 17, he completed his formal flight test on 8 November, thus becoming a fourth-generation pilot in his family.
According to Jordan’s mother Nicci Pretorius, her son grew up in a flying environment. “[He is] the great-grandson of a Royal Air Force aviator who flew two bombing tours over Germany in the Second World War, the grandson of an enthusiastic private pilot, and the son of a senior airline captain,” she said.
However, Jordan was constantly encouraged to find his own path. “He has always been encouraged to find his own passions and develop his own interests, but from a young age Jordan showed a fascination with flying,” Nicci added.
He approached his parents at the age of 16 with the possibility of getting his student pilot licence and a plan to get his private pilot’s licence before his matric year. “Thus the journey with Flight Training Services flight school at Grand Central Airport began,” she said.
The Grade 11 learner was able to pursue his passion for flying on the grounds that his school work would not suffer and even with the demands of school and sports, Jordan worked hard to study and pass all eight of the flight theory exams while honouring his practical flight skills on the weekend.
Nicci added that Jordan hopes to secure a spot at Wits University in 2021 to study aeronautical engineering.
What’s next? “He plans to complete his night flight rating, his instrument flight rating and multi-engine rating during his matric year, and then start the intensive study for his commercial pilot’s license once he has matriculated,” Nicci concluded.
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