Malawian pilot Lt Meki qualifies on Enstrom 480B helicopter in Zambia

Malawian military pilot Lieutenant Andrew Meki has completed helicopter conversion training on the Enstrom 480B at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Helicopter Training School in Lusaka, marking a significant step in his flying career.

Meki began his training on the SF-260 fixed-wing aircraft at the Zambia Air Force Flying Training School in Livingstone before moving into rotary-wing aviation.

The change demanded a different kind of flying, in which precision, co-ordination and an understanding of the aircraft’s handling are essential.

The conversion course combined ground school and practical flight training. It covered helicopter aerodynamics, flight controls and handling, hover operations, take-offs and landings, traffic patterns, navigation and standard operating procedures.

It also included emergency response, including autorotation, which lets a pilot manage an engine failure in flight.

The Zambia Air Force said Meki’s completion of the programme reflected his determination to broaden his knowledge and build on the foundation laid during his earlier training in Zambia.

The training, the force said, showed the value of military co-operation in developing aviation capabilities and strengthening relations between Zambia and Malawi.