46 Years Hunting Criminals from the Sky ✈️ SAPS Pilot Lt Col Div de Villiers

Yeah, I can imagine that.

Let's get to the highs and the lows, uh, of the career.

Uh, we're gonna get to the conversion to the bigger aircraft and stuff like that.

I've, I've got pictures and stuff.

I can't wait to, to, uh, have you chat us, uh, through that.

Uh, but let's get to some of the absolute highs of your career.

Let's start there.

What would you say, looking back over an unbelievable 46 years in aviation, if you had to single out your biggest moments, what would you call that?

That is a good question.

Um, are you talking about ex- well, flying-wise or basically highlights in my career itself?

I would say anything that stood out in the aviation career for you for the past 46-

Well, what, what was, what was great, yeah, I can call it a highlight, is, um, because I grew up in an environment, like I told you earlier, um, between or with Air Force pilots as a civilian coming in between them, but they trained me, but I wasn't Air Force trained.

And, uh-

Mm

... with, with these guys to made it, to got my license and get my wings on a parade with the Special Task Force.

General Johan van der Merwe was still the commissioner those days, and he came physically and he brought the wing and he put the wing there on your chest.

That was, yes, yeah, I'm getting goosebumps just-

Yeah

... just thinking about it.

Yeah.

But yeah, that was, that was awesome.

And on the flying side, yeah.

Yeah, all the different con- every time the conversion was...

But I, I don't suppose it's a highlight, but it's still a highlight when you fly that thing by yourself.

Yes.