Empowering Skies: Celebrating International Women's Day with Airtask

As the world celebrates International Women's Day, Airtask is excited to join in honouring some of the incredible women who are making waves in the aviation industry.

Today, we share insights from three remarkable female pilots within our ranks, highlighting their experiences and triumphs in navigating the skies. Join us as we celebrate their expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence on International Women's Day and beyond.

Jasmine

“Having no immediate family involved in this industry, my interest and passion for flying came from a family holiday when I was little. I was lucky enough to be on a safari throughout Kenya and Botswana and had to hop between bush camps in a Cessna Grand Caravan. I had asked to sit up front and was transfixed at the pilot doing 10 jobs and making it seem so easy and seamless.

I came home with a new life plan, and after some trial flights and gliding stints, I ended up training at CAE Oxford Aviation Academy. Sometime later I found myself doing aerial survey at Ravenair, building vital single-pilot experience and allowing me to envision my dream job... and so I’m very fortunate and excited to have started at Airtask!

I feel like there is a great culture and lots of encouragement and support for a young female pilot like myself! I was not hired due to my gender, and equally would not be discounted due to my gender.

Gender plays no role in good piloting and shouldn’t be a barrier for anybody. If you have the passion and drive for flying, don’t listen to anybody who is negative or doubts you - go for it!”

Clare

“I started out as a member of the Air Training Corps where I had my first taste of flying. On one particular sortie on a bumpy day, I felt a real connection between my fingers on the controls and the wingtips, and from then I was absolutely hooked.

After leaving university, I had no intention of flying commercially as it was way out of my financial reach, but I did become a so-called hangar-rat at my local airfield and over four years built up enough time to earn my PPL. Around this time I also committed to a share in a vintage taildragger aeroplane; we’ve been together now for over 20 years. This gave me access to inexpensive flying while I was working in a regular public sector role.

Eventually a combination of factors came together to nudge me into completing my commercial flight training. I was lucky to receive a couple of scholarships which I would encourage anyone to try for. The British Women Pilots Association is a fantastic place to start, and they have been incredibly supportive to me over the years.

I became a part time flying instructor and air-display pilot, in part thanks to my little vintage steed. My first flying role was in aerial survey. From there I moved into flight calibration and then I was lucky enough to be hired for a new project with Airtask Group several years ago.

I have been based at Oban flying with Hebridean Air Services for just over a year now. It’s a really personal service where you get to know the passengers. This is an essential life-line service to the islands of the Inner Hebrides. During the summer we fly more charters which includes places like Barra, where we land on the beach.

On good days it is absolutely glorious; there really is no better place to fly. On not-so-good days there is a real sense of achievement having done a good job in getting people to where they need to be.”

Jess

“I wanted to be a pilot since the age of 4 - inspired by my Dad’s tales from National Service.  After completing gliding and flying scholarships, I joined the University Air Squadron at Edinburgh where I was awarded a Bursary to join the RAF as a pilot. 

I flew various types of aircraft through training; Bulldog, Tucano, Hawk and Jet Stream, before finally reaching the frontline on the Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft, flying from RAF Kinloss. Our main role was anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface unit warfare (ASUW). However, in the wake of Sep 11th we began providing surveillance support to ground forces.

I met my husband in the UAS, and after 6 years at Kinloss I left the RAF to have a family. 3 boys later, I returned to the RAF as a Reservist, flying air cadets from Leuchars in the Grob Tutor and delivering Ops and Plans support at RAF Lossiemouth. My dream job was to return to the maritime surveillance role, flying with Airtask from Inverness, and I am super excited to have been given the opportunity to join the Airtask team recently!

I’m always pleased to help encourage the next generation of aspiring aircrew, of any gender!”

In commemorating International Women's Day, Airtask is privileged to highlight the extraordinary stories of these great female pilots.

Their journeys - from early inspirations to professional achievements - serve as a beacon of empowerment for aspiring pilots everywhere. As we celebrate their contributions and the countless other women shaping the future of aviation, let us continue to champion diversity and equality in the skies.