Elizabeth Expands Her Wings 

From Cabin Crew to Commercial Pilot: How Elizabeth Mapatle worked to achieve her dream of holding a commercial pilot’s license 

Following years of working as a passionate cabin crew member, Elizabeth Mapatle has achieved her dream of becoming a commercial pilot, joining the less than 6% of female commercial pilots in the world, according to the Air Line Pilots Association International trade union. 

When asked how she feels about achieving this goal, Elizabeth says, “It feels absolutely amazing! It’s a mix of pride, gratitude, and disbelief. It’s the kind of dream you work so hard for that when it finally happens, you need to pause and remind yourself – Wow, I really did it!”

Elizabeth has been working as a cabin crew member for LIFT for five years, with an impressive 15 years of airline industry experience. She grew to love aviation as a little girl, when her father would take her and her siblings to the then Jan Smuts Airport to watch planes take off and land. “That’s where it all started. I was amazed at all these incredible machines taking to the skies”. In 2022, Elizabeth completed her private pilot license, her first step towards becoming one of South Africa’s few female commercial pilots. 

“I’ve been with LIFT since the very beginning, and it’s been nothing short of magical. Being part of starting an airline was a rare opportunity and an incredible learning curve. I’ve grown so much, and along the way I’ve built friendships that have turned into family.”

Speaking on this feat, she says, “It’s empowering. Being a woman in this space means showing that gender doesn’t define ability. It’s about inspiring the next generation of women to know they can own their space in the cockpit too.”

She adds that women can unfortunately be undermined in the industry, noting that women are questioned before they even get the chance to prove themselves. “It pushes you to work twice as hard – not only for yourself but to change perceptions”. 

Elizabeth’s success has not come without its challenges and sacrifices, and she explains her sacrifices as ‘very real’. “At times, I had to choose between buying groceries or paying for flying, between getting a new car or just fixing the old one. I studied before work, sometimes after work, skipped holidays, and even sold a bed from my second bedroom just to cover flying expenses. Every sacrifice was a reminder of how much I wanted this dream.”

Apart from her perseverance through financial challenges and time constraints, Elizabeth suffered the loss of both her parents last year, just one month apart, right in the middle of a very intense and critical phase of her training. “I managed it through exercise and reading, because I strongly believe that a healthy body equals a strong mind. Most importantly, I took it one day at a time.”

Elizabeth admits her achievement hasn’t fully registered, “It still hasn’t fully sunk in that I, Elizabeth, hold a Commercial Pilot’s License. The celebration will come, but for now, I’m still soaking it all in!”

Being the ambitious woman that she is, she already has her eye on the next goal; writing her Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) exams. Beyond that, she is also considering the pursuit of a law degree. 

On advice for young women seeking to become pilots, Elizabeth says, “You’re going to hear more “no’s” than “yes’s.” But if you know your why, you stick to it, no matter how tough it gets. Keep your eyes on the goal and never, ever give up.’