Family of high-flyers...Kate is fourth generation to be a pilot
MEET the woman who is in the fourth generation of her family to be a pilot in a line of succession that goes back to the dawn of aviation 100 years ago.
Kate Newton, 30, recently qualified as a commercial airline pilot, following in the footsteps of her dad Mark, 58, grandfather John and great-grandfather Hugh.
She told her family from a young age she wanted to fly. Kate is now a senior first officer and has flown in the easyJet cockpit with dad Mark three times.
Not only has she trailblazed her family’s tradition into a second century of flight, she is one of only 5 per cent of female pilots with easyJet.
Kate, from Bristol, said: “Flying has always been part of my life – apparently I was telling people I was going to be a pilot when I was 12 or 13.
Aspire
“I was always interested in what my dad was doing and playing around with his flying stuff at home. Having him and my grandfather and my greatgrandfather as role models has given me someone to look up to and somethng to aspire to.
“I’m really proud to be continuing the family tradition – not just as another pilot but as a woman.”
Mark, who doubles up as Kate’s colleague on easyJet, added: “I could not be more proud of what Kate has achieved. It has been a rare privilege to fly with her and see her skills develop.”
The family’s flying dynasty began in the First World War when Hugh Newton flew Sopwith Camels and served again in the SecondWorldWar.
Kate’s grandfather John trained to fly with the RAF but was diagnosed as colour blind and had a weakness in his left leg which stopped him from making it as a front-line pilot.
He worked in the poultry industry for 30 years but he never lost his love of flying which was inherited by his only son Mark, who joined the Royal Navy. He became a helicopter pilot and served in the first Gulf War, Iraq and Northern Ireland. He continued flying as a civilian, first with British Midland at Heathrow, and moved to easyJet in 2003.
Mark is now a training captain in Bristol, teaching the next generation of pilots to fly the Airbus A320.
To his delight Kate, the younger of his two daughters, joined the same airline ten years after him.
She had already made a name for herself as a rugby player, winning eight England caps as a prop, and she still plays for Bristol Bears.
In 2013 she faced a choice between rugby and flying and decided to continue her family’s proud tradition.