Cadet Bayan Al Turabi shares her journey at the Emirates Flight Training Academy. She discusses her flight training and hopes to inspire other women.
What the video covers
Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.Finding inspiration to fly
Bayan Al Turabi is 21 years old and comes from Bahrain to train as a cadet pilot. She explains that she always wanted to explore the world from a young age. Initially, she did not consider a career in aviation because she did not see any female pilots while growing up. Her perspective changed when her sister began training as a cadet. Seeing her sister in uniform and watching her fly made her realise that becoming a pilot was a real possibility. A significant moment occurred when her sister flew her to London, which she describes as one of the best experiences of her life. After making the decision to pursue aviation, she informed her parents. They were very happy and supportive. Her parents had always encouraged their children to achieve their best and taught them that nothing is impossible. Putting on her own uniform for the first time made her feel proud, happy and like a real pilot.
Training at the academy
At the Emirates Flight Training Academy, the cadets in her class were very welcoming. She is glad to have met them and notes that they supported each other through difficult times, resulting in lifelong friendships. The instructors at the academy emphasise that they are not just training the cadets to be pilots, but rather to be captains. She believes this is an important lesson because the role of a captain carries significant responsibility. The training programme is unique because cadets learn to fly on both a single engine piston aircraft and a jet aircraft. Specifically, they fly the Cirrus and the Phenom. She prefers the Phenom over the Cirrus because its larger size gives her the feeling of flying a real jet. During her flights over the United Arab Emirates, she enjoys the beautiful views. Even when she is on the ground, she constantly thinks about flying, a feeling that is amplified by having the runway located right outside the academy facilities.
Graduation and female representation
As she approaches the end of her long journey, she expresses pride in becoming the first international graduate from the Emirates Flight Training Academy. She highlights a significant disparity in the field, noting that while women make up half of the population, they account for only five percent of the aviation industry. She hopes to see this percentage increase in the future. By being at the academy, she wants to motivate young girls and tell them that a career in aviation is entirely possible and that they should pursue it. Reflecting on her path, she mentions that she started making paper planes in a school physics club about five years ago. Now, she is flying a jet aircraft. She wants people who hear her story to follow their dreams and never give up on their passions.
