The Deal Alliance Team Members

Deborah MannCEO, Co-founder & Lecturer

Deborah has been flying since 1977, instructing initially in Zimbabwe, then at the Cape Aero Club in Cape Town. She has flown for the SA Red Cross in the Citation 550 and became the first woman pilot at Nationwide Airlines before joining South African Airways in 2001 as First Officer.

Deborah started Deal Alliance in 1999 and has provided the reliable and dedicated theoretical training for which the school has become well known in the professional aviation circles.

Deborah has a CELTA diploma qualifying her to teach English as a foreign language. She also has a Degree in French and Linguistics and is a competent French speaker.

Since 2020, Deborah has been training French pilots wanting to do the DGCA Proficiency test in France and has gained experience in the overseas requirements for the ICAO language test. Deborah now offers English language training to foreign pilots in South Africa, to assist them with English language integration and use of Radio phraseology in both the VFR and IFR applications

Alyson DawsonCo-founder & Linguistic Expert

Alyson Dawson is the other founding member of Deal Alliance Aviation Training. She has assisted with CPL lecturing and is now one of our English Language Proficiency Raters.

Alyson has held a Commercial Pilot’s Licence and Instructor Rating both in Zimbabwe and Canada. She is now fully involved in her own French Language Training Center situated in Fish Hoek and also teaches French for a prestigious private school in Cape Town. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts majoring in French and Geography.

Michelle MannLecturer

Michelle’s passion for flying grew from her high school years. She worked towards her private pilot’s licence during her vacations from Rhodes University where she completed and Industrial Psychology Degree at the end of 2004.

Her path took her into the flight training environment where she gained valuable experience as a Grade II flight instructor and lecturer. From there she spent three years flying as a King Air contract pilot in Africa. She spent 6 years as a Senior First Officer on the Q400 with South African Express Airways before joining Mango for 3 years on the Boeing 737-800. Since the sad demise of Mango, Michelle has been flying with SAFAIR, gaining considerable experience on the B737-800.

Michelle obtained her Facilitators training from a UK-based organisation and has been facilitating the Crew Resource Management courses for Deal Alliance since 2013.

Vanessa MannLinguistic Expert

Vanessa Mann is one of Deal Alliance’s Aviation English Language Proficiency Raters, bringing a strong academic foundation with a Master’s Degree in Linguistics from Sorbonne University in Paris, France. With aviation and tourism having always played a significant role in her life, Vanessa’s career naturally led her into the tourism industry, where she organised bespoke trips for French-speaking tourists in Southern Africa. Driven by her passion for helping businesses grow, she transitioned into digital marketing and is now a Digital Marketing Account Manager & Team Lead at a South African marketing agency. Vanessa manages a diverse portfolio of clients, guiding them to achieve their business and marketing goals with strategic expertise and a client-centered approach.

Vanessa has many years experience teaching English to Foreigners in language schools here in Cape Town and in Paris.

Wayne AsramQuality Assurance Manager

Wayne runs his own company training Cabin Crew in Cape Town. Wayne is our new Quality Assurance Manager and deals with the Authority on all matters administrative. He is a great asset to Deal Alliance.