It used to be that the African girl child was not only relegated to the kitchen but also forced to couch her dreams in socially approved professions, such as hair-styling, catering, or being a nurse (rather than a doctor). Well times have changed, and these days women are making inroads in to the aviation sector. Here, Face2Face Africa underscores female African pilots who have succeeded in this male-dominated sector.
Irene Koki Mutungi
Being the only female pilot for Kenya Airways, Mutungi is the captain of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Mutungi’s goal to become a pilot traces back to the career of her father who was also a pilot. And with six years of experience, Mutungi is here to stay.
“I started flying in 1993 during my first courses in piloting. I remember having flown with my father in London when I was 8 years old, and I was sitting with him in the cockpit during the entire route,” Mutungi told Africatopsuccess.com.“Since then, I knew that it was what I wanted to do.”
Watch a video of her first flight below:
Rachel Bianchi-Quarshie
After earning her ACCA Part 2 at just 22, Bianchi-Quarshie became the youngest female pilot in Ghana. Her first flight in Ghana was as a co-pilot, where she flew to Kumasi and Tamale for Africa World Airlines.
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