(Posted 20th August 2025)
Airlink, Southern Africa’s premier airline, has donated a decommissioned Embraer 135 passenger jet to the Gauteng Department of Basic Education (GDE) to be used as an aviation skills training aid for learners at Rhodesfield Engineering School of Specialisation (SOS) in Kempton Park.
Airlink will also fund the two-year deployment of two newly-qualified aircraft maintenance technicians to the school as trainers on the aircraft.
The school offers courses in aviation skills within the GDE’s Engineering SOS initiative which is addressing the province’s critical engineering skills shortages as part of its economic development priorities.
“The aircraft will be an invaluable teaching aid for our Grade 11 and 12 learners taking aviation classes as their eighth matric subject. This year we have 45 learners (13 girls and 32 boys) across both grades that are enrolled. Most of them are from Tembisa,” said Caroline Ngxanga, Acting Principal of Rhodesfield Engineering SOS.
“The aircraft, generously donated by Airlink, will provide Rhodesfield Engineering SOS learners with invaluable, hands-on experience to complement their classroom learning. It will be incorporated into specialised programmes, including Search and Rescue training and multi-certification courses, equipping students with the skills needed to pursue a wide range of high-demand careers in the aviation sector. Beyond Rhodesfield SOS, the aircraft will also benefit other schools across Gauteng, as learners from these institutions will have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning,” said Hon. Matome Chiloane, Gauteng’s MEC for Education and Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
“Airlink’s donation forms part of our broader strategic investment in focussed aviation education. By placing a real aircraft in learners’ hands and providing qualified engineers as trainers, we can help bridge the gap between theory and practical experience. Students will now get their hands on authentic aircraft systems, components and structures and see how they are integrated and used – an experience that is typically inaccessible to many youngsters who aspire to have aviation careers,” said Airlink CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht.
The technicians who will train the learners are two young black women who served apprenticeships at Airlink. While they currently work in the airline’s aircraft maintenance centre at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport, they applied to be part of this education initiative.
The aircraft was delivered new to Airlink in 2013 and logged 32,080 flight hours in over 30,100 flights before it was decommissioned. Although certain components were removed to support Airlink’s active fleet, the airline pledged to donate additional aircraft parts to the school over time.
The ERJ35ER is a regional jet manufactured by Embraer in Brazil. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce AE 3007/A3 turbofan engines and in Airlink’s configuration it seats 37 passengers and has a 2,400km range. It is 26.3m long and 6,76m high and has a wingspan of 20.04m. The aircraft fuselage provides plenty of space for learners to explore the aircraft’s internal systems and to study its structural design while also learning about cabin layout, avionics and other equipment. Similarly, its wings and tail section are examples of modern aerodynamic engineering. Together they have a striking presence on the school’s grounds.
