NEWS

21-YEAR-OLD THE YOUNGEST FEMALE COMMERCIAL PILOT IN GHANA

BRIGHT FRANCISMay 18, 2022

0 4 minutes read

Audrey Maame Esi Swatson is the youngest female commercial pilot in the country of Ghana, having obtained her commercial license at the age of 21. She is currently a First Officer with Passion Air in Ghana, operating the Dash 8 Q-400 aircraft.

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Audrey started pursuing her passion in aviation when she was 18-years old. She attended the Mach1 Aviation Academy in South Africa for flight training where she also had her first solo flight just 1 year after.
She eventually obtained her Commercial Pilot License after completing a total of 210 hours that she has flown at age 21. She credits her education for her success.

RECOMMEDED

“Apart from God and my parents, I owe everything I am and everything I hope to be to school. Without the education I have received during my lifetime, the friends I have met and have networked with, the great teachers that have been there for me since day one, I would not be able to move on to a more positive place in my life. I would not be able to have a chance to even become a pilot,” Audrey said in a media interview.
Moreover, Audrey founded her own aviation company called Excel Aviation, where she serves as the CEO. She is glad to be given a chance to “inspire other children that whatever they dream of, they can actually be. Education has fulfilled me and I am a more positive person because of it

BECOME A PILOT IN GHANA

Being an airline pilot is an exciting experience and could be a highly rewarding job. But the big question is how exactly can one become a pilot? Becoming a professional pilot is one of the popular ambitions of children while growing up. However, many of these kids don’t end up on this career track as a result of lack of information.

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Ghanaian pilots are very respected professionals. Furthermore, a commercial aircraft pilot is one of the highest-paid profession in the world. Many pilots in Ghana operate international flight across Africa and other parts of the world.
On the road to a career as a commercial pilot, you’re going to have to make many decisions there are many different training routes, financing options and career paths to choose.

Requirements for Becoming a Pilot in Ghana

To get accepted as a pilot student in an aviation school, you need to meet the following requirements.

Age: Applicants must be at least 17 years old. This is the minimum age before you can even gain accepted into aviation schools in Ghana.

English requirements: Prospective applicants must also be fluent in English and any other native language. English is the language of aviation internationally. It is recommended to meet a Level 4 English standard before receiving your Commercial Pilot License.

Educational requirements: Have a Secondary School Leaving Certificate with a minimum of 5 credits including Mathematics, English, Physics, Geography, and any other science subjects. Have a University degree which is not mandatory but gives you a higher chance of getting a job

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Obtain a Commercial Pilot Certificate: This is the final requirement before you can get employed by any airline company in Ghana.

Medical Certificate: In order to start your pilot training you will need to secure a Medical Certificate – in order to get this, it is best to speak with the Flight School you want to start with and they will help arrange it for you

Aviation Schools in Ghana

Before you choose your aviation school, you have to learn the following important things about your future profession:

You will study a lot to become a pilot
You will have to pay a lot for your education
It will be difficult to find a good-paying job immediately after graduation because you need many flying hours if you wish to earn good money.

How much does it cost to study for a pilot? Usually, it’s expensive to study in aviation schools in Ghana. However, if you choose to study abroad, you will have to pay way more.
Below are the aviation schools in Ghana that offer training for the grant of full commercial pilot license with multi-engine ratings.

Institute of Aviation and Professional Studies
Ghana CAA Aviation Training Academy
APTECH Aviation & Hospitality Academy
Mish Aviation

Obtain Pilot Certificates

There are two main certificates you have to get if you wish to be a pilot:

Medical certificate

Aviation certificate

Actually, you can get several types of each certificate. Medical documents differ depending on your aircraft category. Ghanaians who are looking to work as private pilots might need a third or second class document. Those who will become commercial pilots will need to get the first-class document.
In addition to having a medical certificate, you’ll need to get your aviation documents to be eligible for flying on private and commercial jets and aeroplanes.