Reaching for the skies while staying grounded, with News24 subscriber David Howie
While his day job looks like a scene straight out of ‘Top Gun’, Head of Systems Engineering at Cobham Aerospace Communications, David Howie, grounds himself with quality time with his family… and keeping up with the latest News24 updates.
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By: Saara Mowlana & Visuals By: Tando Guzana
With great power comes great responsibility – especially when shooting for the skies.
Unassumingly located in the green and tranquil landscape of Tokai, Cape Town, you’ll find a lab for Cobham Aerospace Communications which transports you, upon entry, to a scene that looks straight out of an action film like Top Gun.
Working away behind code-filled screens, circuit boards, and in dynamic lab testing spaces, you’ll find technicians, researchers and engineers making sure those flying high can safely touch base with their relevant ground staff while in the air.
Known for his intricate knowledge, quick wit, and a love for news – we caught up with David Howie, the Head of Systems Engineering at Cobham to find out how he spends his downtime after a busy day at the office.
Howie is one of over 80,000 subscribers who have partnered with News24 in its mission to bring quality, trusted journalism to South Africa. In this series entitled I Am News24, we get to know and celebrate some of our loyal subscribers.
Cobham's experts create satellite communication technology for use in commercial aircraft, military vehicles, and helicopters. Surrounded by multi-coloured cables, circuit boards, testing enclosures, and model aircraft, Howie walks us through the business operations.
With a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Cape Town, and a rich engineering legacy passed down from his father, Howie’s decades of expertise and knowledge shine bright.
When he isn’t immersed in the Tom Cruise-esque world of Cobham, he spends his downtime with his family of four, playing sports and getting outdoors.
“When I’m not here, I like to spend as much time as I can with the family,” Howie shares. “We like to play squash – we’re all squash players.”
And with a mind as analytically driven as Howie’s, he appreciates news that’s punchy, concise, and to the point – which is what draws him to News24.
“I think the thing I like is that I’m not a bulk newsreader,” explains Howie.
“I’m a skimmer, so the thing I like is getting the abbreviated ‘Good Morning South Africa’ articles where you can get three or four relevant articles. And, if you’re interested, with a single click you can dig deeper,” he adds.
As for his go-to sections to read, Howie likes to hop between the News24 tabs depending on what updates catch his eye.
“I do, obviously, look at the local news, the subscriber information – where I think you get the benefits of being a subscriber and get a few articles there that you otherwise don’t get to see. Then I’ll jump to the world news side to remind myself that we’re not the only country in the world with problems,” he says.
As a golfer as well as a cricket and rugby lover, Howie enjoys browsing News24 Sport too. He takes comfort knowing everything he reads is accurate and up-to-date.
“I think there’s just so much false information out there, you know, there’s ChatGPT and AI and everything else now that you very much need to go to a news source where you’re happy with the content that's well background researched and reliable,” he adds.
“I also think the advantage that you’re getting out of a paid service is the in-depth investigations where they really go in like a dog with a bone and find the story.”
As for those who steer clear of the news, Howie encourages taking baby steps.
“You can just get stuff like the Good Morning essay – just get three or four stories if you don’t want to be hounded by news articles,” he says. “There are good stories out there – you can start by just looking at the good news stories, but you have to be kept aware.”
The important thing, Howie emphasises, is choosing a trustworthy news source that also offers variety – like News24.
Howie’s days are filled with technical, engineering issues. He finds a dynamic news stream provides him respite while still sparking his desire to learn about how things work.
News24 is home to some of the country’s most groundbreaking, trusted and quality journalism. These stories are made possible by not only the journalists who write them, but also the subscribers who read them.
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