Category Archives: women in aviation

Air India’s first woman pilot Harpreet Singh has been appointed as the CEO of the state-run airline’s subsidiary Alliance Air, becoming the first-ever woman to head an Indian carrier. Singh, who is currently Air India’s executive director (flight safety), was appointed as the first woman commercial pilot of India in 1988. However, due to healthRead More

Throughout the last decade, there has been an increase in the types of roles women hold within the aviation industry. Before Covid-19, Women in Aviation International reported that roughly 7% of pilots are women. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 290 airlines, only 3% of women hold C-level executive positions withinRead More

Shaesta Waiz made history as the first Afghan-American woman to pilot a single-engine airplane solo around the globe. Waiz marked the feat in 2017, following her graduation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the foundation of Dreams Soar. Fly, Girl, Fly! a picture book authored by Nancy Roe Pimm—with illustrations byRead More

Saudi International Airshow 2021, to be held February 16th to 18th in Riyadh, has announced the participation of the Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter, a non-profit association dedicated to providing opportunities to women striving for careers in the aviation industry. Launched in the UAE, this Chapter shines a light on female role models inRead More

Usha Padhee, joint secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has been given additional charge as director general of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). She is the first woman and third IAS officer to have been appointed to the post. The aviation security body has usually been headed by an IPS officer. Earlier,Read More

For Alia Al Shamsi, the past few months have been relentless. Having been interested in aviation since she was 17, she was one of the first Emirati women to study aviation engineering and now works at Etihad, the UAE’s national airline, as a cargo quality officer. In her role, she’s responsible for overseeing shipment loadsRead More

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has joined the Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter, reaffirming its commitment to promoting and supporting gender balance in the sector and delivering on equality commitments outlined in the government’s 2018 Aerospace Sector Deal. The Charter, which was established at the Farnborough Air Show in 2018, is an industry-ledRead More

The US Navy’s first Black female tactical aircraft pilot, Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle, received her ‘Wings of Gold’ recently, marking a historic milestone for naval aviation. Swegle was named a naval aviator and awarded her gold naval aviator wings alongside 25 classmates during a small ceremony at Naval Air Station Kingsville in Texas, accordingRead More

Only in its sixth year, Girls in Aviation Day has garnered a huge following of aspiring female pilots and aviation enthusiasts. The 2019 Girls in Aviation Day was a huge success with more than 20,000 attendees participating in 119 events in 18 countries. This year the virtual event is made possible through the new AviationRead More

With new scholarships being posted weekly, the 2021 WAI scholarship program officially opened on July 1, and members reviewed dozens of scholarships. Currently, there are 56 scholarships offered for flight training, engineering, maintenance, dispatcher, and professional development for individuals in all stages of life. Additional scholarships and internships will be added in the coming weeksRead More