11-05-2025
Breaking records and soaring to new heights
Celebrating one's 16th birthday is a giant milestone for most parents. It is a coming-of-age moment where their children embark on their last years of being teenagers before becoming young adults.
Leslie Anthony Lebenon's 16th birthday was one he will never forget, as he achieved a historic milestone, completing his first solo flight, making him the youngest student pilot in South Africa to achieve this award. Having a passion for aviation at a young age, Leslie was inspired by his father, Les Lebenon, a licensed fixed-wing and helicopter pilot, and knew that this was his destiny.
According to his mother, Michelle Pretorius, he began flying remote-controlled aircraft on their family's game farm at just the mere four years old. This later turned into a deep and growing enthusiasm for aviation.
On Leslie's 16th birthday (April 6), he accomplished his first-ever solo flight in a Robinson R44 Raven II after only 10 hours of training with a Helivate helicopter instructor. He is currently the youngest student pilot to ever achieve such, and notably, he did so with one of the lowest recorded flight hours for a solo flight in the country.
'Leslie's aviation journey has been marked by ambition, dedication, and a drive to surpass expectations inspired by his father. Les made history in his own right by becoming the youngest pilot to obtain a helicopter Private Pilot Licence (PPL) in South Africa on his 17th birthday. That achievement on its own set a powerful example for Leslie, who was determined not only to follow in his father's footsteps but also to set a new benchmark.
'Following the completion of his PPL, which Leslie wants to achieve on his 17th birthday, the required flying hours are 50, which he needs to complete. After this accomplishment, he will then aim for his fixed-wing private pilot's licence.
'Once he has obtained both qualifications, he plans to advance toward earning his commercial pilot licence, further solidifying his professional aviation credentials,' Michelle adds.
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