Navigator Lieutenant Koobendra Chetty, 27, enjoyed his first flight in a Gripen fighter aircraft last week at Makhado Air Force Base in Limpopo, along with three other SAAF members trained to operate the aircraft.
The other members were Major Catherine Labuschagne, who became the first woman to fly the supersonic aircraft, Lieutenant-Colonel Gys van der Walt and Major Lance Mathebula.
As a navigator, Chetty's primary job is to control the systems of the aircraft, as well as the radar.
The Gripen is used by several air forces around the world and is designed for air combat.
Chetty said his first flight in the aircraft was "a lot of fun".
"It's a feeling of accomplishment because it is the first in the country and it's a milestone," he said.
The speed junkie said it was the first time he had gone faster than the speed of sound, travelling at 1500km/h.
"The Gripen is an awesome aircraft. It is quick and phenomenal regarding the way it turns and how it performs in air combat.
"The systems that it has on it - with regards to navigation, radar and weapons - are first-class. It is very advanced."
While studying for a journalism degree in 2001, Chetty found the course was not for him.
The following year he found his calling in the SAAF.
During the World Cup, Chetty was a member of a squadron that patrolled the South African skies.
As part of his ongoing training, he will be called upon for air defence and will focus on long-range enemy targets and reconnaissance.
"It's quite cool and it is something I wanted to do. I feel good about it and useful when I go to work. Actually, my job is not my job - it's something I love to do."
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