‘Women can soar in aviation’
FORMER CAPTAIN AIMEE CARANDANG-GLORIA
AS a child, Ma. Aurora “Aimee” CarandangGloria was encouraged by her parents to dream, not big, but high. They explicitly told her that if she worked hard for her goal, “The sky is the limit.” Little did the Carandang couple know that their daughter would live up and live out their words of wisdom literally when their Aimee made history as the first Filipina commercial airline pilot and the first female airline captain in Southeast Asia.
On the first Monday of International Women’s Month this March, The Sunday Times Magazine had the honor of meeting Carandang at the sidelines of Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) historic sendoff and celebration of yet another aviation milestone with the dispatch of the most number of allfemale flight crews in a single day. (See sidebar)
And who best to lead the sendoff for this new generation of female pilots, pursers, flight attendants, and crew members but Carandang herself? It was, in every possible way, a momentous occasion brimming with inspiration.
Therefore, it was surprising when Carandang told The Sunday Times Magazine that becoming a pilot — much less an airline captain — was never really a part of her initial life plans.
“Not at all,” she exclaimed, laughing, and revealed she actually holds a degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines.
“But I was always a firm believer in women empowerment and that there are no boundaries on what women can do,” she pointed out.
As fate had it, Carandang earned her college diploma in 1986, the very year in the Philippines when women’s empowerment was arguably at its peak.
“I graduated in the year of the EDSA revolution when women empowerment was huge because we had the first female president [the late Corazon Aquino] leading the country,” she nostalgically recalled.
“So when PAL opened its doors to female pilots, I thought, why not give it a try? Even though I had no idea what I was getting into, I just took the exam to see if I would pass.”
And that she did with flying colors at age 21. She officially earned a seat at PAL’s aviation school only to realize she was the only woman in the batch of aspiring pilots.
A proud moment for Carandang and her parents, her dream come true hardly proceeded like a fairy tale.
Armed with a different skill set she honed in Economics, Carandang quickly had to catch up with her aviation class and learn the technical basics of flying.
“Our training was semimilitary, so it was a little difficult for me because I had no idea how the study would progress or what it would require, which turned out to be everything from rigorous training to discipline and continuous studying.”
However, the would-be history-maker affirmed that she thoroughly enjoyed learning how to become a pilot.
“I must say I enjoyed flying, the discipline as well — [aviation] is a very disciplined field — and our camaraderie. I really loved working with PAL and the people I worked with.”
By 1989, Carandang became the first female commercial pilot in the Philippines and Asia. Then, in 1993, at only 29 years old, Carandang became a full-fledged captain, again making her the first female airline captain in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
“Of course, I am so proud and humbled that I was given the opportunity to be the country’s first female commercial airline pilot and captain.
“But truly, it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering faith of my parents. They instilled in me the conviction that there are no limits to what women can achieve.”
Between 1993 and her eventual retirement in 1998, Carandang shared her most unforgettable times in office, or to be more specific, the sky.
“We had an all-female flight back then. I was flying the Fokker 50 from Manila to Dipolog, Jolo to Zamboanga, and back to Cebu.
“Unfortunately, we had hydraulic failure. It was my first emergency. I remember saying, ‘Of all the times we could have a failure, it had to be during the all-female flight.’
“But we were able to do our work. As professionals, we were able to fly safely.”
Asked if she could cite any particular advantages of having women as pilots and captains, Carandang said it would be their diligence and calmness.
“I also think we are very detailed. We really look into the details whenever we study and are very diligent [in that sense],” Carandang added.
Using herself as an example with regard to calmness, she shared, “I remain calm during emergency situations, trying to think what’s best for your passengers and for everyone on board.”
Believing these are common traits among women, Carandang expressed that while she takes pride in her accomplishments, she is prouder to see more and more women thriving in aviation today.
“I would say it’s much better now for women pilots,” she said, remembering how she only used to work with four other lady pilots until she hung up her wings.
Today, there are more than 60 women pilots at PAL, equating to 12 percent of the total pilot population. For Carandang, this is a solid testament to the belief that women can achieve anything they set their minds to.
During the formal program, Carandang also publicly thanked Captain Lilybeth TanNg, PAL’s AVP for Pilot Affairs and Flight Operations, for opening the doors for more women to be part of the airline.
“I would always say that skill is not a question; women can do it. But the opportunity for women is what’s lacking. So, I would just like to thank Capt. Lilybeth [for providing that].”
In conclusion, Carandang shared these words of wisdom for young women who want to navigate the skies someday.
“Go ahead and pursue the dream [but] you have to study really well. You have to be diligent and you have to persevere. You must be determined to be a pilot if that’s what you want.
“The same goes for anyone who wants to be in a male-dominated field. Just keep on going because, again, there are no limits to what women can do.”
Since her retirement in 1998, Carandang has shifted to philanthropic work. In 2002, she established the Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation to address malnutrition among marginalized children in the Philippines.
Currently, she is the Executive Director of Fair Employment Training and Assessment Center Inc. (FTC), a social enterprise that seeks to reinvent predeparture training for migrant domestic workers. FTC’s goal is to prepare workers for their jobs and life overseas.