In this special episode of The Pilot Podcast, we mark Women’s Month and National Women’s Day with our first ladies’ podcast, while Jana steps behind the microphone for the first time as host.

Joining her is airline pilot Fran Laidler for a wide-ranging conversation about an unconventional journey into aviation, building a career in the cockpit and the changing role of women in the industry.

Fran shares how a 30-minute helicopter flight helped set her on a completely different path, taking her from studies and a career in finance to pursuing flying professionally. She reflects on the setbacks that shaped that journey, the determination required to keep going and the experiences that eventually led her to flying professionally in Africa and later into the airline environment.

The conversation explores what it takes to build a career as a pilot, from gaining experience and making connections to remaining humble, continuing to learn and being willing to take opportunities when they appear. Fran also discusses the value of flying in Africa, instructing and the different lessons each route can offer a developing pilot.

With Women’s Month as the backdrop to the conversation, Fran reflects on her own experiences in a traditionally male-dominated industry, the growing presence of women on the flight deck and the different perspectives they can bring to a crew. She also speaks about the importance of mentorship and encouraging young women who are considering aviation as a career.

The conversation also touches on automation, the future of the two-crew cockpit and the importance of continuing to learn throughout a flying career.

From career changes and difficult decisions to memorable flights, early mornings in the cockpit and inspiring young aviators, Fran’s story is ultimately about remaining passionate about flying, continuing to learn and remembering what drew you to aviation in the first place.

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered.

In this episode of The Pilot Podcast, we welcome back our inaugural guest, David Le Roux from Pilot Insure, for a wide-ranging conversation about protecting pilots’ careers and supporting South African aviation.

David explains why many pilots remain unaware that loss-of-licence cover exists and discusses how the right insurance can provide financial protection when a pilot can no longer fly because of a medical condition. He also explores the importance of planning for the cost of rebuilding a career, retraining or starting a new business after losing a medical certificate.

Beyond insurance, David shares how his involvement in aviation events developed from a commercial sponsorship opportunity into a genuine commitment to the general aviation community. He reflects on his work with the President’s Trophy Air Race, speed rallies, fly-ins and the Pretoria Airshow at Rhino Park, as well as the people and experiences that shaped his approach to supporting the industry.

The conversation also covers the challenges faced by private pilots and aviation business owners, the thinking behind the Aviation Wealth Club and the importance of building businesses that can continue operating without depending entirely on their founders.

From candid stories about industry friendships to the role Airshows play in inspiring the next generation, David offers an honest look at the community, passion and commitment required to keep aviation growing.

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered.

In this episode of The Pilot Podcast, we sit down with airline pilot, entrepreneur, and avid skydiver Jana Niemoller to explore her inspiring journey into aviation.

Inspired by her father's passion for flying, Jana earned her Private Pilot Licence in 2017 before leaving a successful career as a Sales and Marketing Manager in the logistics industry to pursue her dream of becoming a professional pilot. Today, she flies the Boeing 737-800 as an airline pilot.

Jana also shares the story behind SkyCandy, the aviation apparel brand she founded after recognising the need for premium, tailored pilot shirts designed specifically for female pilots.

Beyond the flight deck, Jana has completed hundreds of skydives and gives a fascinating insight into the mental preparation, focus, and mindset required before every jump. We explore how those experiences have shaped her confidence, decision-making, and approach to risk—both in the air and in business.

From changing careers and building a successful brand to pursuing two passions in aviation, Jana shares the challenges she's overcome, the lessons she's learned, and the successes that continue to drive her forward.

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered.

Atharine is well know in aviation circles internationally and is a qualified Psychometrist in independent practice who specializes in administering, scoring, and interpreting psychological, neuropsychological, and educational tests. She has decades of experience in administering psychometric assessments to aviation personal from the flight to the executive lounge. In this interview she pulls the curtain back on what airlines are truly looking for in their employee's and answer one of the most commonly wondered about questions, "What are airlines really looking for in their flight deck crew." This and more in this episode of the Pilot Podcast,

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Andrea Ehmke, we dive deeper into the relationship between emotional awareness, human performance, and aviation safety.

Drawing from her research in aviation psychology and human factors, Dr Ehmke explores how emotion, self-awareness, stress, confidence, and psychological safety influence pilot decision-making and performance in high-pressure environments. The discussion touches on topics such as gut feel, leadership, fear of losing medicals, pilot culture, emotional suppression, and the importance of creating psychologically safe environments within aviation.

We also explore the role of confidence versus arrogance, the impact of energy and communication in the cockpit, and whether aviation focuses too heavily on procedures and technology while overlooking the human element behind the controls.

A fascinating and thought-provoking conversation on what it truly means to understand the human behind the pilot seat.

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered.

n this episode, we sit down with Dr. Andrea Emhke a Brigadier General in the South African Air Force, qualified air traffic controller, PhD specialist in industrial psychology and is a Aviation Human Factors and Neurological Ergonomic Specialist.

We explore a topic aviation doesn’t always address directly, the psychology of pilots. From emotional awareness and internal state to situational awareness and human error, this conversation challenges traditional thinking around CRM and highlights the importance of understanding the human behind the controls.

Drawing from both operational experience and academic research, Dr. Emhke shares insights into how self-awareness and emotional regulation may influence performance in high-pressure environments and why aviation may need to evolve how it approaches human factors.

Michael is an Aviation Historian, Journalist and Boeing 737 writing for various websites and publications. In this episode of the pilot podcast Michael dives into the South African Airforce''s formative years and their extensive involvement in WW2 From operations in Madagascar to the first photographs of Auschwitz, Michael unpacks how these extraordinary airman punched way above their weight and help to turn the tide of one the worlds greatest conflicts. Coming up next on the Pilot Podcast. Aviation. Unfiltered.

In this episode of the Pilot Podcast, Captain Dennis Spence continues to reflect on his exciting career, from light aircraf, High Performance Aerobatics to landing not only Boeing 737's but Boeing 747'a into Rand Airport,South Africa's oldest airport with a very narrow runway. He takes us through the planning, how this was achieved and more importantly his vision for South African and global aviation, and what needs to be done to ensure the continued success of the aviation sector. This and more up next on the Pilot Podcast.

Aviation.Unfiltered