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<\/p>\nHayley Cumming has always wanted to soar to dizzying heights and glide on currents of wind. So she became a pilot … and never settled for anything less than a life full of adventure.<\/p>\n
It all started when she was just a little girl \u2013 always running outside to get a glimpse of the helicopter next door. She didn\u2019t know it at the time, but it was like the aviation seeds were sowed each time she saw it take off or land.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember bolting out onto the edge of our holiday home deck with my dad whenever we would hear the chopper next door. And sometimes, we would look at each other and joke … Hey, one day that\u2019ll be us.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, since the family business has always been real estate, Hayley Cumming never really considered aviation as a serious career path. Even though she didn\u2019t really know what she wanted to do right away, Hayley just knew she didn\u2019t want to work your average 9-5 job, so she started dabbling in property after graduating high school.<\/p>\n
Luckily for her, what is meant for us, will find its way, right? And so, it wasn\u2019t long before she very much stumbled into the aviation industry \u2013 right where she belongs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt happened almost accidentally as I had no plans to start my pilot training. In fact, I didn\u2019t even consider it. I suppose it\u2019s because I didn\u2019t know any pilots or have any interaction with aviation. I was simply going to go into the family business.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil one random occasion led me to a flight in a helicopter in the most beautiful of places \u2013 the Drakensberg. And well, that\u2019s where it all started \u2013 two weeks later I had signed up for pilot training. A huge privilege offered to me by my parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the scenic landscapes, the golden sunsets, and the immense sense of freedom that Hayley came to know and love. We mean, who wouldn\u2019t want an office in the clouds?<\/p>\n
After some years of getting their Pilot\u2019s Licence, and overcoming their fair share of challenges, Hayley and her dad started Helivate Helicopter Services, with just one chopper.
\nFast forward one decade and eight choppers later, Hayley and her team offer helicopter pilot training, unique flight experiences, charters, flying tours, aerial security, as well as drone training and services.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose being a female in such a male-dominated career will always have its challenges. Such as not always being taken seriously and having to prove oneself capable. But, I don\u2019t feel I let it affect me negatively \u2013 actually, it\u2019s rather motivating to further progress one\u2019s skills and drive.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Walking through her hangar door, the first thing you\u2019ll see \u2013 you know, except for the multiple choppers – are the words \u2018Do more of what makes you happy\u2019 prominently mounted onto the main wall. And just that, is what Hayley is all about.<\/p>\n
It goes without saying that for this down-to-earth pilot, happiness goes hand-in-hand with flying. And one of the highlights on her calendar will always be her dad\u2019s brilliant brainchild, the Helivate HeliOlympics. The advanced hover skills event usually includes exciting challenges like bucket hoisting, egg drops, and skid beer bottle opening for trained pilots. And gosh, does Hayley love a challenge!<\/p>\n
Speaking of such, this thrill-seeker likes to push her limits outside the helicopter too. She\u2019s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and cycled across England … two of the most daring adventures she\u2019s ever taken on!<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just always loved the outdoors, the wild coast, beaches and, waterfalls. It\u2019s just so breathtakingly beautiful, and I will never get enough of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also giggles at the thought of some embarrassing flight ventures. \u201cAs helicopter pilots, we end up landing in some of the most random and remote places. Often without a toilet … I\u2019ll leave it at that, haha.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having already reached such impressive heights, what\u2019s next for Hayley? Well, because of her admiration for all the untouched destinations along the coast, she hopes to expand her services by doubling up her business in the Cape soon.<\/p>\n
When she isn\u2019t 25 000 feet in the air, trail running with her dad, or soaking up nature, she simply enjoys getting home to her partner, kicking up her feet, and watching a good series. With wine and chocolate!<\/p>\n
For Hayley it\u2019s quite simple \u2013 when you do what you love, you never have to work a day in your life. And, as she likes to say \u2018Don\u2019t sweat the small stuff\u2019.
\nDetails: Follow @helivatehelicopterservices on Insta and Facebook.<\/p>\n
A few quick tips if you want to become a pilot<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Know your value Don\u2019t work for free, but recognise an opportunity and if it presents itself, take it with both hands. Hard work always pays off. What makes a good pilot?<\/strong><\/p>\n Being a successful pilot requires a combination of skills. Hayley shares the qualities she believes every pilot worth their salt should have. Text: ALANICKA LOTRIET. \u2022 Photographer: JACO BOTHMA. \u2022 Make-up and hair: ELAINE BOSHOFF<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hayley Cumming has always wanted to soar to dizzying heights and glide on currents of wind. So she became a pilot … and never settled for anything less than a life full of adventure. It all started when she was just a little girl \u2013 always running outside to get a glimpse of the helicopter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":15982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[2555,5770,5775,455,5771,5776,5773,5769,580,579,5772,5774],"class_list":{"0":"post-15980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-adventure","10":"tag-alanicka-lotriet","11":"tag-flying-high","12":"tag-get-it","13":"tag-hayley-cumming","14":"tag-helicopter","15":"tag-helivate-helicopter-services","16":"tag-magazine","17":"tag-people","18":"tag-personalities","19":"tag-pilot","20":"tag-stereotypes"},"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2022 Be flexible The first job is always the hardest to get and sometimes that means relocation, often far from home and families.
\n\u2022 Have a backup plan The journey to becoming a pilot isn\u00b4t a straight line and sometimes the dream doesn\u00b4t work out. There are plenty of factors that are out of our control – such as the global economy, pandemics, and so on.
\n\u2022 Be unique If possible, have a skill or an experience that makes you stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Clear communication – While clear communication skills help in almost any job, it really matters for pilots. In fact, incorrect or incomplete pilot-controller communication is a factor in almost 80 percent of situations that could\u2019ve been avoided.
\n\u2022 Situational awareness – This means appreciating everything that is going on throughout flying, controlling and maintaining an aircraft. Pilots must learn to have a mental picture of the location, flight conditions and energy state of their aircraft \u2014 as well as any other factors that could affect its safety.
\n\u2022 Decisiveness and quick-thinking skills – Time and resource constraints, as well as other pressure-adding factors like turbulence, can make decision-making challenging for pilots. They have to always keep a cool head despite knowing that making the wrong decision can result in a fatal outcome.
\n\u2022 Leadership – It\u2019s both an inherent personal quality and a learned set of skills. Pilots must understand both the elements of effective leadership and the consequences of poor leadership.
\n\u2022 The ability to understand technical information – Pilots need to understand how their aircraft works. There are a set of typical procedures and technical tasks that pilots carry out.
\n\u2022 Mathematics and creative skills combined – Many people might be surprised to hear that a pilot can\u2019t be just a \u2018numbers person\u2019 or a \u2018creative person\u2019. Flying requires critical thinking in both realms.<\/p>\n