Malawian pilot Andrew Meki earns helicopter rating in Lusaka
Lieutenant Meki finished rotary-wing conversion on the Enstrom 480B, moving on from his fixed-wing training in Livingstone.
Lieutenant Andrew Meki, a Malawian military pilot, has finished helicopter conversion training on the Enstrom 480B at the Zambia Air Force Helicopter Training School in Lusaka. He had first flown the SF-260 fixed-wing aircraft at the Zambia Air Force Flying Training School in Livingstone before switching to rotary wings.
The course mixed ground school with practical flying, covering aerodynamics, flight controls, hover work, take-offs and landings, navigation and standard procedures. It also drilled emergency responses, including autorotation, the manoeuvre a pilot uses to land safely after an engine failure in flight.
The Zambia Air Force said Meki's completion showed his determination to widen his knowledge. The force added that the training showed how military co-operation can build aviation skills and strengthen ties between Zambia and Malawi.
Why it mattersMeki's rating adds a qualified helicopter pilot to the Malawian military, and the training was carried out through Zambian military cooperation.