As one of the first five female pilots to join the South African Air Force, Kerryn has turned her passion into a lifelong career as a commercial aviator.
Kerryn was surrounded by aviation from a young age as her father flew privately. Occasionally, she would join him on flights, and at the age of 10, her father handed over the controls for a short moment. That is all it took for a spark of passion to be ignited. One that lit a flame that would burn for a lifetime.
From that day, aviation became a focus of Kerryn’s, and she fondly remembers her first solo flight. “I obtained my pilot’s licence before my driver’s licence. The irony was that someone had to drive me to the flying club so that I could jump into an aircraft and fly it solo!”
“There will be hardships and you may meet resistance along the way. However, if you believe in yourself and follow your dream, nobody can stop you.”
Many in aviation would have had similar experiences were they to start at a young age. For Kerryn however, lacking a driver’s license was not the greatest challenge. “I wanted to make aviation my career”, she recounts, “but there were limited opportunities for female pilots in the pre-1994 years.”
Persistence paid off and after completing a Bachelor of Science degree, Kerryn was accepted into the air force as one of the first five female pilots. A pioneer in many ways, she eventually joined South African Airways, then Safair.
Met with resistance in the industry early on, she believes her ability to remain persistent is important. In advice to aspiring pilots she says, “Believe in yourself. There will be hardships and you may meet resistance along the way. However, if you believe in yourself and follow your dream, nobody can stop you.”
Outside of aviation, Kerryn qualified as a dance teacher when she was younger. During the lockdown, she has busied herself with online short courses, having taken one in contact-tracing. She notes, “I have been fascinated by COVID-19 from a geographical and medical perspective.”
The themes of persistence and a willing determination shine through in Kerryn’s approach to aviation and life beyond. Her ability to pursue her goals is a quality all pilots require in abundance and she remains a beacon in that respect.