‘I Live My Dream Every Day’ Says Rwanda’s First Female Commercial Pilot
The Akilah Institute is committed to developing strong women leaders. Every week we’ll be featuring inspiring role models from around East Africa. Join us in celebrating and learning from the region’s best entrepreneurs, creatives, and businesspeople.
Esther Mbabazi is Rwanda’s first female commercial pilot.
By: Didier Bikorimana
Talk of a female commercial pilot? It would almost certainly go unnoticed in cities like New York, London, or Tokyo.
Not so in Kigali, Rwanda.
In this hilly East African country, some roles — despite the government’s efforts to promote gender equality — are still largely perceived as a man’s domain, including piloting a plane.
But in 2009, Esther Mbabazi, 27, defied that only-men-can-pilot-a-plane thinking to become Rwanda’s first female commercial pilot. She works for RwandAir, the country’s national carrier, and flies passengers to cities all over the continent.
Taking advantage of Mbabazi’s rare free time, Didier Bikorimana asked her about herself, her career, and for her best advice for aspiring female pilots.
Excerpts follow. (This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.)
How did you know you wanted to become a commercial pilot? Did you love flying as a kid or did you simply discover it later in life?
I loved commercial flying as a kid (because of the free backpacks kids got). But I didn’t have any pilot mentors growing up, so it was just a dream. I discovered more about it as I grew up.
What challenges have you faced as the country’s first female commercial pilot? How did you overcome them?
As a female pilot in Rwanda, I am given the same training opportunities and treatment as my male colleagues. So I can’t say there have been challenges specific to being a female in a male-dominated field in Rwanda.
Can you describe your first time piloting a plane?
The first time I ever piloted a plane solo was in December 2009 — the experience was filled with so much excitement and so much thrill. It was a priceless moment filled with both happiness and nerves over landing safely.
What was your scariest moment behind the controls? And your favorite moment?
Every day is my favorite moment, as I live my dream every day.
My scariest moment was when I was on a solo cross-country flight with bad weather at my destination. I needed to land at an alternate airport with minimum fuel — I was lucky to find one where I could wait the storm out.
Are there any challenges specific to East Africa for pilots? How did you overcome those?
The airline industry in East Africa is growing. However, there are not enough professionals to grow with it.
Aviation is an expensive industry. This makes it hard for the younger generation to transition into the airline industry from school.
What type of training do you need to become a pilot? Are there specific subjects people should study in school or university programs they should consider?
There are countless websites that can help one choose a pilot course and many other aviation-related courses online. I would never be able to exhaust them all.
Here are a few to get people started:
Akagera Aviation (Rwanda)
East Africa School of Aviation (Kenya)
Aerial View of Soroti Flying School (Uganda)
Kenya School of Flying (Kenya)
Regional Aviation College (Tanzania)