Liezel Gen Maree

She could even fly a chopper before she could drive a car! Not even ol’ GI Jane has got anything on Liezel when she’s hovering with her Airwolf Bell 222. SPICE contributor, Anton Pretorius had a quick Q&A with female chopper pilot, Liezel Gene Maree.

How long have you been involved with helicopters?
I could fly before I could drive a car. I started flying when I was 17, that makes it 7 years

How did you get involved with choppers?
After finishing off grade 9 in South Africa, I started home-schooling grade 12. With all the free time on hand, my mother suggested I get a hobby, perhaps painting or pottery. I spotted a picture of a Bell 222 on the internet and thought, great, that looks fun, why not make a career out of it whilst I’m at it…

Helicopters can assist in many fields. (rescue, combat, search) What kind of field have you been involved with?
The fun side of it, I fly mostly for pleasure, but I have done some mountain and coastal flying courses. Mountain flying is by far being the most challenging as you get many strong down drafts and changing weather conditions. I take my hat off to pilots that do search and rescue.

And stolen vehicle tracking?
A very interesting field, often used by most pilots to build their hours in South Africa, is stolen vehicle tracking, I have been along on a few of these flights and, although it’s not fun having your car stolen, its rather exciting chasing baddies from above.

Explain the process of becoming a helicopter pilot?
Firstly, you need to make sure you can handle the ups and downs, literally. I suggest you book an introductory flight and do some maneuvers with a trained instructor. The more you experience, the better you will know if your heart. The next step would be to get your aviation medical done, to make sure you are fit and healthy.
Becoming a pilot involves practical and theory lessons with subjects such as human performance, aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, and air law are covered in your course. Your first solo flight will take place when your instructor is confident with your abilities, usually after you have logged around 15 hours of flying experience.
During your course you have many exciting lessons such as hovering, landing in confined spaces, flying backwards, sideways and off course the emergency landings and after 50 hours of flying, and an exam – then you get your wings!!
After completing you PPL (Private pilots license) you can then decide if you keep flying as a hobby or want to make a career of it and complete you CPL (commercial Pilots License)

What’s your most memorable moment in a chopper?
When I was flying along the coast from George to Plettenberg bay, at a low level above the waves and hugging the coast. I got to see first hand, how close the surfers come to the sharks. I flew over a huge great white around Nutzi beach and many Hammer-heads.
Another memorable experience was would be flying over a small village with huts in the Drakensburg, all the children ran along the hills waving

Would you say you are an adrenaline junkie?
I love pushing myself to my limits and will never say no to doing something extreme, I have jumped out of planes more than once and I am always up for a challenge. The feeling of having a very expensive, very powerful machine in my control beats everything I’ve done before…

Have you ever had a scary, close encounter in a chopper?
Yes. I have had a very close call with an engine failure simulation before, and I have lost all radio contact on my very first solo cross-country navigation, which was quite challenging. Also, flying to a bush strip once I found myself in a very close formation flight gone wrong and the third aircraft went left instead of right - that woke me up quickly.

Helicopters can be an expensive hobby. What makes the whole thing so expensive and is obtaining funds easy?
Helicopters are very expensive to maintain as they have so many moving parts. They are mostly 3 to 4 times more expensive than learning on a fixed wing aircraft (normal aeroplanes). Most helicopter pilots are self funded and unless you have a contract lined up after completing your CPL, you have a big effort ahead of you getting your hours and experience up to be employable. It’s all about the contacts you make. Unlike fixed wing aircraft, there aren’t many organisations that would sponsor you, due to a lack of big fleets to further your career.

In your opinion, is there enough participation from women in the world of choppers or is there still more room for improvement?
I believe most people think that pilots are supposed to be men, but in my opinion, women are much better at flying helicopters than men are. I have been told by instructors that woman master hovering quicker than men as the controls are very sensitive and a guy’s controlling tend to be more abrupt movements. Nowadays, I see more women in the aviation industry and I am always very supportive of programs to get them more interested and confident.

Helicopters require a lot of concentration. How do you prepare yourself mentally and physically before stepping foot into one?
I never get into a helicopter if I am feeling even the slightest bit tired or have a headache. I take the 30 minutes before a flight to familiarise myself with all the information relating to the flight, from weather conditions, to weight, fuel and range to eliminate any surprises.

Who do you consider as your role model or inspiration?
I have a list of people who inspire me, mostly people who have been closely involved in my life such as instructors, friends or past partners. People with no fear, no shame and loads of confidence inspire me.

Where do you see yourself in the next few years in terms of flying helicopters?
At some point, I would like to have my own flying, cooking, traveling show involving flying helicopters to exotic locations and filming local cooking and traveling hotspots, combined with a bit of extreme sports and adventure. I have approached a few film companies and gotten good responses but I have never found myself in a certain area long enough to pursue it further.

SPICE is dedicated to connecting women with purpose, which is about embracing their selfworth, passion, inspiration, commitment and edutainment. What would be your message to the women of SA in embracing their full potential?
We only have x amount of time on this earth and we need to connect. What will our life be other than a memory amongst others when we leave? It’s your life and it’s for you, it’s a playground, an adventure, the unknown. Can you feel it? Do not get yourself stuck doing something you don’t want to? Before you know it, a few years would have passed and then? How long does it take to change your life? Focus. All you have to do is believe in your dreams, your goals, your ambitions, and ultimately – your own individuality. Then live your life true to yourself. Sometimes, the simplest things are the hardest ones to achieve. Some people run this world, some people keep it running, and some enjoy it… It’s a choice. Immerse yourself in it, BE you, don’t conform, create. Stay in control of your own destiny, it’s your life. There’s more out there, but most important, just be HAPPY.

If you could invite any four people to dinner (living or dead) who would it be?
My future husband, whomever he might be, my friend Kerry (She knows how to break the ice and get the party started) and my friend Sheona because she will spend the entire dinner laughing at everyone.

5min with Liezel
Age: 24
Residence: Australia for now, I’m a citizen of the world
Favourite song: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. My dad always sang it to me.
Favourite book: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Favourite movie: Apocolypto, an art film by Mel Gibson
Favourite colour: Teal (green blue)
Airwolf or Knightrider: Airwolf Bell 222
Motto: Expand you horizons by exploring the unknown