ANZEIGE
Jetzt auch bei ETIHAD. Die erste Frau als Flugkapitaen, Fanzoesin, 33 Jahre, 2 Kinder.
Sophie Blanchard shares the name of a French aviation pioneer and has now become one herself -- as the first female captain, or pilot in command, for Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways.
"I am very happy. It still is a pretty macho environment, but my colleagues here encouraged me a lot, and the flight attendants are very proud," said the 33-year-old mother of two, a French citizen.
Blanchard joined Etihad as its first female pilot three years ago and last week took off from Abu Dhabi to London on her first flight as captain, sitting in the left-hand seat of an Airbus A330-200.
Her 18th century namesake was the first professional female balloon pilot, who even attracted the attention of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
The modern-day Blanchard first flew an aircraft when she was 19, then joined her stepfather's Belgium-based freight company as its only female pilot.
"We used to work under very extreme conditions. I was flying a very old DC-8, a four-engine plane that was built in 1962," Blanchard said.
"Very often we just ended up with only three engines left, landing in airports where there was no help, by night, in spite of power cuts and sometimes with a storm. Now, I am actually resting a little," she said, laughing.
Read more: First female captain in UAE takes flight
Sophie Blanchard shares the name of a French aviation pioneer and has now become one herself -- as the first female captain, or pilot in command, for Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways.
"I am very happy. It still is a pretty macho environment, but my colleagues here encouraged me a lot, and the flight attendants are very proud," said the 33-year-old mother of two, a French citizen.
Blanchard joined Etihad as its first female pilot three years ago and last week took off from Abu Dhabi to London on her first flight as captain, sitting in the left-hand seat of an Airbus A330-200.
Her 18th century namesake was the first professional female balloon pilot, who even attracted the attention of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
The modern-day Blanchard first flew an aircraft when she was 19, then joined her stepfather's Belgium-based freight company as its only female pilot.
"We used to work under very extreme conditions. I was flying a very old DC-8, a four-engine plane that was built in 1962," Blanchard said.
"Very often we just ended up with only three engines left, landing in airports where there was no help, by night, in spite of power cuts and sometimes with a storm. Now, I am actually resting a little," she said, laughing.
Read more: First female captain in UAE takes flight