Young Kenyan Achiever Shares How He Became Kenya Airways Boeing Captain Before Age 30

Rising up the career ladder is everybody’s dream and the Generation Y workforce wants the rise as fast as possible. Its about no longer experience only but also what you can deliver.

In the past, becoming an Airplane Captain was a reserve of the middle aged people with considerable experience in flight.

But Dennis Gitangu, who got straight A’s at Starehe Boys Centre in 2001, it has been an early take off of his career.

In an interview with the Drum Magazine, the 29-year-old captain with Kenya Airways reveals how he got into the airline industry.

“After high school, I was called to University of Nairobi for a degree in medicine. I later applied for a pilot training programme with Kenyan Airways and was taken in. I deferred my medical degree in my forth year and went to Port Alfred in South Africa for 14 months to take up my aviation training.”

He shares his life which reads like a manual on how to become a captain, and below is an excerpt of the interview.

Why did you just get into flying from the very beginning instead of first studying medicine?
Medicine is what I was called to do after high school. But when I got the opportunity to pursue this, I jumped at it. I’ve always loved flying. As a medical student doing rounds at Kenyatta National Hospital I would see planes approaching Wilson Airport and always wondered who the passengers were and where they were from, how it was like to fly the planes. I believed it must be quite exciting. I don’t regret changing my career path.

What do you love most about being a pilot?
It is thrilling and exciting. I enjoy the destinations I go to. So far, I have been to over 30 cities I different countries around the world. It is always interesting to see new aces, experience new cultures and shop around for sunglasses, watches and other things. It is also always exciting to meet the passengers including come high profile personalities. The life of a pilot isn’t a drag.

What are some of your career highlights?
My whole career journey, training leading to my qualification as a captain, finishing my training programme with Kenya Airways in December 2007, converting my South African licence to a Kenyan one, going t Dubai for a jet orientation course, assimilated training for the Boeing 737 in the UK, flying commercially in March 2008 starting with the 737, 777, and now the Embraer.

What are some of your career goals?
I would love to go back to university. I am likely to finish my medicine degree. The fourth and fifth years are usually the clinical years requiring wards rounds daily. It’s very demanding as is flying. I’m away for up to five days. It would almost impossible to finish the course under such circumstances. I’d like to do a course in aviation though to supplement what I am currently doing and invest in real estate.

How do you balance your social life and your job?
I enjoy swimming, bowling, miniature golf and hanging out with friends. My closest friends don’t hold misses of birthdays and other occasions against me. Relationships with ladies are not always as easy, since I am always travelling. I am presently single and you can say I am searching. My kind of lady is understanding with a big heart. Her profession wouldn’t be such a big deal as long as she’s not a pilot as well. Someone needs to be available for and raise the kids should we decide to get married!

[Courtesy: Drum Magazine]