Women pilots get the Jordan experience

Women in aviation are still a minority group in the region but the numbers are growing.

In early September the Arabian Section of the famed 99s – the international women pilots group – held its first whole regional gathering in Jordan.

Arranged by the group’s governor, Alia Twal, the lady pilots travelled for a wonderful flying experience in the Jordanian skies and for an opportunity to network and share views about the role of female pilots in the region.

“It was an epic meeting this year over the Jordanian skies for the first time ever,” Twal said. “The Arabian section currently has more than 30 members and is growing. This meeting was set to mark their spot on the Arabian map as an empowered team. Gathering all the female pilots out of their extensive schedules across a geographical area that stretches from Lebanon down to Oman was not an easy task.”
The participants represented a broad spectrum of airline pilots, private aircraft and glider pilots, who all operate in the region.

And the group – Alia Twal, Yvonne Trueman, Captain Carol Rabadi, Captain Vanessa Umba, Samar Oran, Teressa Quemada, Adelle Nahhas, Hadeel Khamash, Li Yan, and Houda Matar – got the chance to try out different flying experiences in Jordan as well experiencing what the country has to offer from natural beauty, brilliant weather, wealth of history and character and generous hospitality.
The adventure started in Amman, where the group met the association’s sponsors and enjoyed the jet flight simulators at Jordan Airline Training Simulation (JATS) before visiting the magical desert beauty of Wadi Rum, where they went up in a hot air balloon and enjoyed and serene experience before flying micro-lights.

In Aqaba, hosted by Ayla Aviation Academy and Royal Aerosport Club of Jordan, the ladies enjoyed flying over the Red Sea in the single engine DA40 and the ultra-light aircraft. They also toured the Dead Sea and Petra.

The group welcomed two new recruits – Samar Oran, only the second female pilot in the history of Jordan and the first Arab Muslim female pilot to cross the Atlantic; and Houda Matar, a Lebanese pilot who has just successfully secured her commercial instrument rated licence.
“We are now looking forward to make this an annual meeting,” Twal said. 

A number of the region’s aerospace companies were involved in sponsoring the landmark meeting in order to promote the need for more women to join the industry. They included: Royal Jordanian Airlines, DHL, Gulf Air, Jordan Airline Training and Simulation, Royal Aero Sport of Jordan, Ayla Aviation Academy, Mideast Aviation Academy, Bait Ali Lodge and Marriott Dead Sea Resort.
The 99s was formed in 1929 by the legendary Amelia Earhart, who called a meeting in New York and 99 lady pilots turned up – hence the name.

There are now more than 5,000 members in 35 countries ranging from micro light pilots to astronauts. Anyone wanting details of the 99s or related flying enquiries should contact Aliatwal@hotmail.com