As part of its 2019 scholarships programme, the British Women Pilot’s Association (BWPA), supported by the Aviatrix Project, offered a range of taster flights to aspiring female pilots at Old Buckenham Airfield in September and October.
In total, 13 aspiring pilots took to the skies in a Piper Warrior. Between their flights, the recipients and their families also enjoyed lunch and a tour of the museum at Old Buckenham. At the September session, some of the girls also enjoyed an aerobatic flight in an Extra 200 as an additional surprise on the day.
Participant Jemma said: “I have still not come down to earth. I really had such an incredible day. I can’t tell you how long the drive back to Dartford was as I was replaying the flights over and over in my mind the whole way!
Flying is definitely changing my life.
“It’s doing so in the sense that it is breaking the magnetic force of the conveyor belt 9 to 5 commuter lifestyle that has consumed me for the last 10 years. When I’m up in the air doing either a skydive, having a lesson in the C42, or being pinned to the seat of the Extra 200 during a trial flight, I’m alive, happy, and engaged with the NOW. It’s pretty clear that I’m not the only one either! You just had to look at all of the beaming faces on the women who went flying yesterday to see that!”
Dalia added: “It was an unforgettable and amazing experience to have my first taster flight with Sergei, to go up in the aerobatic plane and to meet and mingle with everyone at the airfield. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and was very touched by the generosity and kindness that we received.”
