User:Tumi Carter

Boitumelo Katisi as also known as Tumi is one of the Youngest South African female Pilots who was born and raised in Pimville, Soweto.

Early life
Boitumelo Tumi Katisi was born in 11 April 1992 in Pimville at Soweto. Tumi attended her primary school at Rivonia Primary school, and she attended her high school in Braynston High School, both schools are based in Soweto. Tumi is a very passionate and ambitious young female from Pimville.

Career
Tumi faced challenges of insufficient funds and sponsors to assist her to fulfill her career dreams. She wrote motivational letters and sent them to every brand or companies asking for help. However, after she got rejected for many times she had a feeling that she was aiming too high. Anglo American ZA, Breitling and E Oppenheimer & Sons came to her rescue to save the dream that was about to fade because of financial challenges. Breitling SA offered her a watch that weighs about R79 900 to help her raise funds in order to complete her private pilot license. After a very challenging time raising funds but Tumi finally graduated and got her private pilot in 2014. She was also awarded R290 000 for her studies by Anglo American and E Oppenheimer & Sons to complete her licenses. Now Tumi is a qualified private and commercial pilot from Loutzavia Flight School which is based at Rand Airport. Tumi is one of the founders of Aviation Development in Africa (ADA), an NGO established in 2015 with 10 members. ADA has set up the Young Aviators Fund to raise finance for previously disadvantaged aspiring pilots.

Career Early 2010’s
Tumi had the dream of being a lawyer, doctor, engineer or architect; like any typical South African high school learner. Never did it cross her mind that today she would be viewed in the same light as powerful women like Phetogo Molawa who had the nerve to join such a male and white dominated industry. It was in 2008 when Tumi was given a Life Orientation project to go visit a place she would like to work for one day that she had her first encounter with aviation. Her mother suggested that she went with her aunt to her workplace, South African Airways, to do the school assignment. On her way to OR Tambo with her aunt, Tumi spotted huge aircrafts making their way to land at the airport; she never saw the aircraft close to that extent, so it caught her attention and made her to be interested on the planes. She went and sat with pilots where she got the chance to question the manager if there were any female pilots as I was there for several hours and only met male pilots. She was told that not many females flew and most settled to be Cabin crew. That’s when she decided that she wants to be a pilot. Upon attending her first airshow in 2012 at Rand Airport, organized by Southern African Women in Aviation & Space, she fell even more in love with aviation.

Awards
Tumi’s awards include the following: Most Dedicated Student of the Year 2014 with Loutzavia Flight School, Rand Airport; and named Most Aspiring Pilot of 2015 by Matthew C. Martino, aviation guru and philanthropist. She is a motivational speaker and inspiration to many. In 2014, she featured on YFM Radio talk show with Mo Flava; on Eldos FM Radio talk show; and again with Mo Flava on Metro FM Radio talk show. In 2015, she was profiled in the Sunday World Newspaper.

Relationships
Tumi is a very determined young female who is focused on her career. She is the first daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Katisi. Tumi is currently not married and does not have kids. She is staying at home with her family and siblings.

Endorsements
Tumi is a motivational speaker and inspiration to many South African females. Tumi has been shadowed by German Airline, Lufthansa JNB on their A380-800 Aircraft. She has been featured on YFM Radio talk show with Mo Flava 2014. She has been featured on Eldos FM Radio talk show 2014. She has been featured on Metro FM Radio talk show with Mo Flava 2015. Featured on the Sunday World Newspaper 2015. Tumi is also motivating pupils about the journey of aviation around Gauteng province schools. Tumi is also one of the Founders of Aviation Development in Africa (NGO).