When it comes to women in aviation, the name Amelia Earhart often comes to mind. As the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – and not to mention, made popular by pop culture – Earhart was and still is an inspiration to women all over the world.
Earhart was a woman of sheer courage, ambition, and determination. Her feats have inspired many to follow in her footsteps. However, it is often forgotten that there were other women in aviation before Earhart. Aida de Acosta, the first woman to pilot a motorized aircraft (1903), Emma Lilian Todd, the first female aircraft inventor and designer (1906), and Raymonde de Laroche, the world’s first licensed female pilot (1908) were among the few female pioneers in aviation. In fact, the first flying school in England, The Hewlett-Blondeau School, was started up by two women, Hilda Hewlett and Gustave Blondeau in 1910.
The achievements of these women were plenty. Yet, the aviation industry was not as receptive as we’d envision it to be. Women were not given priority, and were often assigned support roles. Thankfully, the industry is now moving towards a more inclusive approach, so that women, too, can excel and achieve their dreams!
Source: Dviation Group
Here, at Dviation, we welcome all; gender is never a barrier. We encourage women to follow their aircraft maintenance dreams, and we strive to help them achieve their aspirations!
Athila (Source: Dviation Group)
For Athila, her passion has always been in aviation. ‘I’ve always wanted to learn about aircraft,’ she shares. Now, she is enjoying her career as a technician. Her role involves aircraft inspection, component installation and removal, and defect rectification.
Fazlia & Aleena (Source: Dviation Group)
Aleena Azlin is an avionics technician with the Dviation Group. She admits that it hasn’t been an easy journey as a woman in aviation, ‘It is a challenge, especially for girls because there are not many women doing this’. Nonetheless, she did not let that stop her – her love for taking on challenges further pushed her towards this field. On her journey to becoming the successful aircraft maintenance technician she is today, Aleena experienced discrimination and unequal opportunities. But she persevered: ‘Just keep pushing yourself to be the very best. Soon enough, you will see that there are advantages being girls in this industry!’
Fazlia, another female avionics technician with the Dviation Group, was once trained under ex-Royal Air Force personnel in Scotland, UK. Despite being an outstanding student – having been awarded a scholarship for a diploma in aircraft maintenance – Fazlia felt anxious after graduating from her training, ‘I felt scared because I knew a few guys who were still looking for jobs one year after graduation. I knew that I needed to work hard.’ And, just like many other women in aviation, her determination landed her a position in Dviation, ‘Dviation gives us, fresh grads, an opportunity to begin our career. It is a good place to learn’.
For these three women, the journey does not end here. The aviation industry abounds with opportunities for women – even more so, with its current growth!
Kudos to all women in aviation; we salute you!
If you wish to join the Dviation team, head over to www.dviation.com/recruitment for the latest job openings. And if you wish to kick start your career in aviation, check out our training courses available at www.dviation.com/training.