Ever since we are children, we are taught in school that equality is a basic human right and that all human beings are equal. We grow up believing in this thought. Then, why do we celebrate men’s day / Women’s Day/ Father’s Day/ Mother’s Day, etc? Yes, we firmly believe in equality, but every individual has gone through their share of ups and downs to reach where they are today. It is rightly said, to understand a person thoroughly, we have to get in their shoes and go through their ordeals. On today’s occasion of International Women’s Day, we are making an attempt to take a peek in the lives of some such remarkable women who have chosen the path less taken. They have ventured into the male-dominated world of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, adorned greasy-dirty uniforms with a smile on their faces to follow their dreams. Let us understand the inspiring stories behind a few such women. What makes them tick? What inspired them to enter the field of aircraft maintenance, the sacrifices they made along the way, and their plans for the future.
Louise Williams loves a challenge and she finds the thought of proving men and women wrong about her extremely appealing. That’s one of the reasons she chooses to become an AME. Currently, she is working as an engine workshop development manager at GJD AeroTech. However, as she entered the field of aircraft maintenance, she fell in love with it. There is a strange charm about aircraft maintenance that draws both men and women towards it. There is a sense of purpose and the satisfaction of repairing an aircraft and making it airworthy again. “it’s not where you start in your working life, it’s where you finish your career that counts and the only person who has control of my career are myself. I’ve sacrificed my evenings and spare time to put myself through university and additional training to always better myself,” Lousie adds
Davia Zemaite choose her line of work organically, however, once she entered the aviation industry there was no looking back. She is the Head of EngineStands24 at Magnetic MRO. When we asked her about what keeps her going, she said, “It is a highly demanding industry – and conservative one too, still – but I keep on choosing the approach to do my best and innovate it, introduce new products and services, change it. And being a woman AND an innovator can be a challenge in this industry which is still widely perceived as a man‘s business – but I like this challenge as I think it is up to all of us whether to accept it or to change it, and I choose the latter.”
Life is all about the choices you make and I made my choice to become an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer because airplanes have always fascinated me since childhood said Neetu Sharma, who is currently working as Deputy Chief Aircraft Engineer, Air India. She is working on the entire Air India Boeing fleet – B787-8, B777-200, B777-300, B37-800NG. “Ever since childhood, when kids used to watch the stars, I used to count the aircraft. It always fascinated me how does an aircraft flies,” she said when we asked her about the reason for choosing this field. “It’s more like – the field of aircraft engineering choose me, and my combined with my childhood dream it all got aligned together and here I am today,” she adds. However, it is not a bed of roses, the job of an AME is extremely challenging. It requires sharp precision, vigilance, and an analytical mind. “The real satisfaction comes when you sign a certificate of release to an aircraft after completing its checks,” she further adds,” but it comes with a lot of responsibility,” she concludes.
For Hemangi Kadam the fascination for aviation goes way deep down in her roots. An aircraft flew over her head when she was just a kid. “I still remember the awe feeling to see a giant and robust airplane fly past me. I idolized Kalpana Chawla in school. I often used to think, if a car needs repairing and an engineer, an aircraft must need one too. This thought guided me for years to come,” she said. She is currently working as an Aircraft maintenance engineer at TATA SIA Airlines, India. Her first face-off with an aircraft was on a Boeing 737, and something deep within her told her she is exactly where she wanted to be, “this is where I belong” she said. Today she has an Airbus A319/A320 and A321 endorsement on her Aircraft Engineers license. “I have proved myself in this male-dominated industry of Aircraft Maintenance with my passion for aircraft, my expertise, and my experience. I can proudly say today that we ladies can fix the metal birds single-handed.” She signs off.
For Lynn Frederic Dsouza, the journey into aviation goes far back when she was a kid. As a child, she was an aviation enthusiast and started her journey with aeromodelling during school days. Presently she is the founder of ESPIRIDI LLP and the National President of Aviation Council at Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. When asked about her journey and the challenges she faced she said, “As one of the few, and at times, the only woman in a male-dominated field, the barriers to entry are high. There are gender equality issues in the aircraft maintenance industry where there are a handful of women. This made me more resilient despite the glass ceilings and sticky floors. One has to put in a lot of time and effort. Focusing on growth and rising above my competitors was my key motivation. While facing challenges head-on and navigating the narcissistic political maze, I found my opportunities and worked hard, despite the disruptions, to be a leader and create a sustainable impact.” Being a single girl, she inherited her love for technical skills from her dad, coupled with her passion for aviation and troubleshooting led her straight to the depths of an airplane. “My engineering background laid a strong foundation where I developed analytical thinking and I have now evolved into an Aviation strategist,” she concludes.
This is a small attempt from our end to shine some spotlight on the women working behind the scenes with oily, greasy hands to make sure our flight is safe and airworthy. We will continue this journey in the next edition with more AMEs and their journeys to celebrate. Happy International Women’s Day to everyone.
