At just 19 years of age, ambitious teenager Besa Mumba has just secured her dream job as a pilot flying with the nation’s scheduled airline, Proflight Zambia.
The bold move makes Ms Mumba the country’s youngest commercial pilot and a role model for women across the world, as well as cementing Proflight’s positon as a champion of training and nurturing young local talent.
Ms Mumba was born in December 1996 in Lusaka. She began school in 1999 at Sunshine Primary School, then went to St Mary’s where she was head girl for the 2011 to 2012 school year before heading for flight training in South Africa.
But what spurred he to have the heart and passion to become a pilot?
“Curiosity made me venture into an aviation career. Initially I wanted to be cabin crew but I thought to myself: ‘why not be the person who flies the aircraft?’ From then I had questions on how planes fly, how they moved in the sky and I wanted to know how pilots knew where they were and where they were going. My curiosity grew,” said Ms Mumba.
“That’s why I decided to venture into the aviation as a pilot. I am very blessed, and proud to have had the opportunity to go to flight school to study and become a pilot,” she said.
Shortly after receiving grade 12 results in March 2013, Besa was accepted to attend the South African Flight Training Academy in Heidelberg, Gauteng. There she started her Private Pilot Licence course in April 2013 and began flying the same month. The flight training course lasted two years.
To get her commercial licence she underwent extra and more complex training at SIMU Flight in Pretoria. Through the first quarter of 2015 she did final training towards obtaining a Commercial Pilots Licence, which she earned in July of that year at the age of 18.
She was employed by Proflight Zambia as a First Officer this month and she has already flown more than 15 hours, on Zambian domestic routes to Kasama, Lower Zambezi, and Luangwa.
As a First officer she flies alongside the captain of the aircraft on the airline’s Caravan aircraft.
“Proflight Zambia was impressed with Besa’s determination and drive and we believe she has the will to succeed in what is very competitive industry,” said Proflight’s Director of Government and Industry Affairs Capt. Philip Lemba. “We will support Besa all the way, and look forward to her growing her career with us.”
Besa comes from a family of three and is the last born. One sister is a fourth-year law student at the University of Zambia and the other is a medical doctor. She is very grateful to her parents as they supported her career plans. “I love you mum and dad. Thank you for your support, as you never doubted me,” she said.
Besa is happy to have been given an opportunity by Proflight Zambia, “I am extremely humbled they gave me a chance to live my dream and this shows they have confidence in me to have given me the opportunity.”
“I am grateful to all the pilots I have meet so far both at Proflight Zambia and in South Africa during my training. I have been received very warmly, everyone has really been nice to me as a young female pilot and, I don’t feel intimated I actually feel at home when in the skies, my colleagues are doing everything to make me feel comfortable,” she said.
A vibrant and intelligent young woman, Ms Mumba looks forward to inspiring more women in Zambia to take up flying as an attainable lifetime career.
Her experience so far shows that the industry is not biased nor favors anyone be they male or female, it is equal opportunity for everyone, only hard work and determination will take you there.
“If you have a dream, work hard you can get to where you want,” she said. “I feel amazing! I hope the Zambian people will be inspired by my story to also reach for their dreams and goals because I think the sky is not the limit.”
In five years she sees herself becoming a captain, flying the big jets at Proflight Zambia. She is proud of her country and wants to continue working for her home country to make it better. Otherwise, for Ms Mumba things look pretty good and she seems to love what she does.
Ms Mumba is following in the footsteps of a number of illustrious female flyers, including Zambia’s first female pilot Yichida Ndhlovu, and Major Nina Tapula, who was the first female pilot in the Zambian Air Force.
Speaking in 2012 at a Proflight-sponsored Women’s Day event, Major Tapula told guests about her career path and its highs and lows and said: “Becoming the first female pilot in the air force – you will all agree it is still a man’s world and as much as we are trying to break down those barriers there are still a few hurdles to get over.”
But she added: “My trailblazing has paid off and there are now quite a few women in the air force. I would like to encourage ladies to think about what you want in your life. What goes hand in hand with the importance of time is good decision making. Even if you make a wrong decision it is important that you keep going or know when to back down.”
(flyzambia.com)
be careful with these kids that you are giving responsibility of flying people. These planes will start dropping from the air. Be careful.
Don’t live the past
The young are the future of tomorrow
Don’t live in the past
The young are the future of tomorrow
Niña Tapula is a Colonel not Major
A cultural trance that has kept Zambia behind! The fear of venturing beyond the unknown. Some of the best airline captains at British Airways are only in their early 40 and you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure how old they were when they started flying!
Congratulations mwanawandi for your achievements. You could do even better if you concentrated more on your flying lessons/training than wearing those ugly vima Wigs. Be real, be original because you’re already born beautiful.
keep it up my girl God Almighty will definately see you through till the close of the age.You have really made us proud.You brother from Liverpool of Zambia.
The future of this country depends on this kind of positive stories from the young people. Let us all support our children’s education. We should always push our governments to provide an equal opportunity for all in education, so we can have the best talents run this country’s economy. Forward is the way to go.
God be with you.
We need such determination if we are to all contribute positively to our country and its economy and development.
Wonderful indeed.
She started primary school when she was 3 years old?
Good for her,I know selfsame women who started primary school when they were six months old.A woman’s age is her secret and I respect that.Me as a lazy bu3m I give her thumbs up ^It is no longer a man’s world.I know that selfsame negative comments are coming from women.Get your lazy bu3ms up and stop twerking or looking for the selfsame blessers like JayJay or Saulosi and do something like this beautiful lady.
I thank you
Flying a plain is not as complicated as some people want us to believe. The only hindrance is the cost of training; as a result only those from affluent families are able to afford, otherwise you can fly a plain within three months of training and you can go commercial in under two years. In-fact, my late father (he was an architect) once told me that there isn’t a major difference between a motor driver, train driver and air pilot, except the later is seen as elitist.
So for me as much as it is a plus for our women to penetrate the mainly male dominated industries I will be more elated if as a country we began celebrating innovators and value adding professions. too much of service industry may not be so good for our future aspirations as a third world country.
All the same…
I don’t THINK SHE FLIES A PLAIN!!!!!
I believe she flies a PLANE!!
Anyone can take the controls and keep the airplane from crashing. Becoming a pilot is different. You must learn weather, map reading, regulations, blind flying (instruments) and many other aspects of the craft. You’re father was most incorrect. There are millions of driver but only hundreds of thousand pilots. I’ll make you this offer Shichandaweyaya, you come to Texas to my home where I have an airplane and I will take you flying and see how you do and see if your father was right!
Well done young lady. Keep the fire burning. We are proud of your achievements!!!!!
According 2 the news she was 3 yrs wen she started grade 1. Great achievement n I’m a record which will never be challenged. Howbeit, I think she’s 21 since the time she was getting her NRC they reduced 2 yrs. Are cheating is not just in football but on most NRCs. Congratulations Mumba n keep it up
Doesnt look 19 to me. Anyway its non of my business
These achievements the young girls must speak the truth on challenges they face even ZAF female officers , it is plain truth that to achieve such at an early age (Though too much age cheating here, 3yrs grade 1, 1 month training and flew a plane hmm) the girl child is often asked for sexual favours and this part is never told WHY??? IN The army how does a lady officer raise ranks , buttom power its not everyone though but those that passed through such please share with public not kulionesha and yet una nyengewa nama bearing finished
Manje what will you gain from knowing that she was or wasn’t sexually harassed. Am sure if she was your sister you would not have demanded to know. Focus on more important things.
Well done young lady the sky is not the limit continue going higher
Mugwileni kawalala uyo.Tate wake anabba Eurobond money nama road contracts then invested as a partner into proflight.Recently we had a Bemba kid who flew 2100hrs & now another Bemba Teenage child who is youngst pilot.I smell a rat with Proflight.I think most PF cadres from CB owns shares in this company & hence only employing their children & families.There is no such a coincidence,there is heavy Caderism under this coompany,and i can confirm that when PF is gone,this flight company will be gone too.They are moving too fast,where are they getting all this money from?New flight routes every month,sponsoring of Zambian athletees to olympics,Employing under age BEMBA kids to fly adults.Risks are very high.
And what makes it even more funny is that,the first boy also went to the same aviation school where this girl went.Is it a PF aviation school or what?You cant be trusting kids to be flying commercial flights like flash buses in Chawama.Flying planes is a complex process.This is science just like Medicine.Where do u get a 19 year old qualified Medical Doctor?that can only happen under PF.Anything is possible,cadres in all embassies,cadres in Parliament,a drunkard in state house.So am not surprised.But wait when these flights flown by cadres start crushing,the company will close within 1 month.
young lady…….Go Girl…Girl Power!! Theresa May is Prime Minister of Britain! Hillary Might just clinch the american presidency in November so go on…reach for your dreams…you have a right to be here!! Never mind the chauvinistic naysayers!!!
Last I heard the Chinese were stealing all of the copper from Zambia. I’m sure it’s still going on. The Diaspora must come together and stop the self-hatred or we are going to be exterminated off this planet forever.
woow this is amazing like u just did it girl…………… no lie u inspire me and challenge the hell out o me lol
Amazing…… amazing……amazing.Am really inspired.To everyone who is in the school of flying,and those who currently pilots I wish toothed best of God in your careers. Am also determined to be one of the pilots despite of financial challenges but am convinced within myself that one day i will be a pilot and become a first pilot in my community.