Inobubele Dube: The Gwanda girl developing wings

Ambitious pilot trainee Inobubele Dube is eager to carve a niche for herself in the male-dominated aviation space.

Aged 10, after taking her first flight, she got curious as to how this big bird could stay afloat in the air.

"It was in 2009 when I was 10 years old when I had this dream of flying. This was after my first flight. I wondered how this big machine could keep from falling from the sky," Dube recalls.

In 2018, the 22-year-old enrolled for her pilot training with the Flight Training Service in Johannesburg.

She believes she is cut out to make a difference and pave the way for more girls in the aviation space.

"I want to make a difference because this industry is male dominated and I want to be an inspiration to the young ones behind to notice that her dreams are within her reach," says Dube, who is funded by a Pretoria company.

Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic clipped her wings, delaying her from completing her private pilot license, which is the first phase of her training. But she remains resolute knowing that her dream will soon come true.

Dube, whose parents are both teachers, hails from a small town called Gwanda in Zimbabwe.