DOHA- Precious Sibalo trains at 43 Air School, building hours toward her first airline cockpit position.
Precious Sibalo overcame teenage motherhood, family loss, and relocation to earn an Integrated Airline Transport Pilot License with Airbus A320 MCC qualification.
The former Qatar Airways (QR) cabin crew member from Plumtree, Zimbabwe, now inspires women in aviation while leading global charity initiatives launched during the COVID-19 crisis.
Qatar Airways Cabin Crew to Pilot
At age 8, Precious visited Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) in Bulawayo on a school trip.
She watched pilots in crisp uniforms but saw no women among them. “I could not see any female pilots,” she recalls. She asked her teacher if girls could fly. The teacher replied, “You most definitely can be a pilot as a girl.”
From that moment, Precious decided she would become one of the few women in the male-dominated field, “even against all odds.”
Motherhood at 17 ended her university plans. Shortly afterward, she lost her mother. To support her daughter and family, Precious left Zimbabwe for South Africa. Leaving her child in safe hands broke her heart.
“I often asked myself what kind of a parent leaves their child,” she says. “A lot of women go through this, forced to leave their children behind to provide for them.”
She worked as a waitress and part-time model, then moved to the Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) area for better opportunities. “Wishing without action does not fulfil dreams,” she told herself and kept pushing forward.
From Passenger to Cabin Crew
Precious first flew Qatar Airways (QR) as a passenger to Dubai. She admired one crew member’s professionalism.
Three months later, she joined the same airline as cabin crew. Years afterward, she met that same colleague again and shared how the encounter had inspired her. “Each time I walked down the aisle, I knew I might be inspiring someone,” she says.
During 5 years of flying, cockpit visits reignited her childhood goal. Captains and first officers encouraged her pilot ambitions and mentored her on duty.
When promotion to senior cabin crew coincided with pilot training options, she chose the flight deck.
Global Giving on Layovers
Precious used layovers to visit orphanages and schools worldwide. She collected unused essentials from friends and donated them.
She also taught children practical skills, including a dental hygiene program where she showed orphans how to brush teeth properly.
“Charity isn’t just about giving food or material things but rendering your services too,” she explains.
Pilot Training at 43 Air School
In 2017, Precious enrolled at 43 Air School in Port Alfred, South Africa. She completed the full Integrated ATPL program and Airbus A320 Multi-Crew Cooperation course.
According to AeroTime, she currently builds hours in a Cessna 172 and prepares for her flight instructor rating.
In August 2020, at the pandemic’s peak, Precious launched “Birthday with a Purpose.” Instead of gifts, she asked for food and essentials.
With friends and the district mayor, the team delivered packages, including motivational books, to over 100 struggling families, going door to door wearing masks. The initiative quickly spread globally, reaching Canada and beyond in a snowball effect.
Mentoring the Next Generation
Precious mentors aspiring pilots on social media and builds a sponsorship structure for disadvantaged students.
She hopes sponsors will fund trainees who lost jobs or cannot afford training. “My wish is for people to better themselves and never give up,” she says. “It is always darkest before dawn.”
Her ultimate goal remains flying the Airbus A320 for Qatar Airways (QR) or another major carrier, proving that determination turns the toughest turbulence into clear skies.
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