Flying higher and higher
SINCE the Women’s Suffrage movement in 1848, women over the world have made tremendous strides towards equality. And since the millennium, many traditionally male-dominated professions such as engineering, architecture and construction have opened their doors, with women making headway, such as senior manager at Tesla's Renewable Energy Development Julia Collignon.
One industry that has consistently seen low participation from women up till today is in aviation.
Even last year, UK newspaper
The Guardian noted “female pilots remain a rarity; worldwide, just 3% of pilots are women while in the UK, the figure is 6%”.
But Indonesia AirAsia’s first female pilot Captain Monika Anggreini does not agree that the aviation industry is solely a “boys’ game.”
“I think it is not easy for me to become a pilot as it takes a lot of effort,” she shared, “Being a pilot is not an easy job. It takes accuracy, discipline and diligence.”
Capt Monika recently launched her upcoming English-language debut book entitled Iron Bird Monika – a translated copy of her first book released last year,
Burung Besi Monika: Kisah Pilot Perempuan Dengan Semangat Tiga Kali Lipat Pilot Pria.
It recounted her courage and willpower in becoming a female captain.
Capt Monika first started her career as a pilot with Indonesia AirAsia in 2005 and became a captain for the airline in 2014.
“With the aviation industry being a more male-dominated sector, I hope to inspire and encourage future female pilots to chase their dreams and fly the skies with unyielding spirits through my story,” said Capt Monika.
“I’m grateful to be part of an airline that encourages its staff to take on challenges while at the same time provides the opportunities and platform needed to help individuals grow further.”
She was born in Jakarta in 1975, to a family with military links – her father was a colonel in the aeronautical engineering corps while her mother was a member of the women’s air force (WARA) as a major before retiring in 2003.
Although her initial dream job was as an architect, she graduated from Juanda Flying School in 1996 and continued at the Avindo Angkasa Pilot School the following year, and graduating with a Bachelor of Economics degree from Trisakti University in 2002.
“I started my career in the aviation industry in September 2004 in Star Air as a first officer and took the training to earn the MD 80s-type rating in SAS (Scandinavian Airline System), Stockholm, Sweden,” she explained.
Capt Monika then become the first female pilot to fly MD 80s plane at Star Air. After 10 months of flying with Star Air, she joined the AWair airline, which later on became AirAsia Indonesia.
In July, 2005 Capt Monika joined AirAsia Indonesia as a first officer and became the first female pilot at AirAsia Indonesia.
“I undertook training for the Boeing 737 series-type rating at GITC, Jakarta and when AirAsia Indonesia started using the new Airbus 320-200, I went for training at the Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence in Sepang, Malaysia.”
In October 2008, Capt Monika was assigned with a team to fly the second AirAsia Indonesia A320-200 new aircraft from Toulouse, France to Indonesia and in December 2008 assigned to a team to fly the third AirAsia Indonesia A320-200 from Toulouse to Malaysia.
She became a captain for A320200 at AirAsia Indonesia in July 2014 and was awarded the Best Safety Reporter Award 2015 in 2016.
Capt Monika has since clocked a total of 11,500 flight hours with the airlines.
But even with such dedication, Capt Monika pointed out that the world of aviation is widely known as the world for men, hence barriers still exist against women becoming pilots.
“Some are amazed in disbelief, while some underestimated the capability of female pilots,” she recounted.
Requirements for becoming a pilot are the same for both men and women, but becoming a woman pilot, being a minority, is tougher.
“My effort and spirit must be three times more than a male pilot; I have to prove myself to them,” said Capt Monika.
“Women pilots are required to have strong will, a firm determination, and a never-give-up attitude.”
Capt Monika hoped that by writing her book, she can share the spirit and motivation, not only to women, but to all.
Her message is that: “With hard work, high spirits, an unyielding soul, high discipline, and strong mental capabilities; Insya Allah (if God willing), along with our parents’ support and prayers, we can achieve our dreams, either as a pilot or in other professions.”
AirAsia is the leading and largest low-cost carrier in Asia by passengers, services an extensive network of over 120 destinations. ■ Keep updated on AirAsia’s latest promotions and activities via Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsia) and Facebook (facebook.com/ AirAsia).