Sydney Flight College Awards 2024 Women Pilot Scholarship

Australianflighttraining academy andflying club,SydneyFlightCollege(SFC), has continued its mission in supportingwomenin aviation by awarding its latestWomenPilotScholarshipto studentpilotSophia Poole. Awarded on InternationalWomen’s Day, which was celebrated at the academy’sSydneyclubhouse on Friday, March 8, thescholarshipprovides financial assistance and mentorship for female studentpilots on their flying career journey through the support of the AustralianWomenPilots’ Association.

Continuing their ’25 by 25’ initiative, SFC’s goal of 25% female studentpilots by 2025, the academy chose to celebrate InternationalWomen’s Day by hosting a luncheon at their operations clubhouse.

The event, which included a panel discussion answering industry questions from current female students, comprised guestwomenpilots Dominique Estival (AustralianWomenPilots’ Association),FlightLieutenant Sarah Hume (Royal Australian Air Force) and Erin Douglas (2023 winner of the Australian Aviation Flying Excellence Award and RecreationalPilotof the Year).

Present at the event were prospective female studentpilots, as well a number of SFC’s current students and staff, creating an atmosphere of encouragement and support forwomenpilots in an industry which is typically male-dominated, at approximately 5% female.

SFC Head of Marketing Raymond Toutounji highlighted that in order to facilitate growth forwomenin aviation, men across the industry must provide support. “We are thrilled that we have a current female intake of 21%. As we strive towards our target of 25%, we will continue to create a voice and help females feel confident and supported while training,” Mr Toutounji said.

SFC Chief Executive Officer Joseph Pilo praised the event, noting that flying schools across Australia play a key role in creating growth forwomenin the Australian aviation industry. “We need to open doors forwomenpilots across Australia, and it starts at the grass-roots level with our flying schools and academies,” Mr Pilo said. “We proudly celebrate the achievements ofwomenin aviation, and it’s clear that their unique contribution to aviation inspires many others to follow,” he added.

SFC is a leading Australianflighttraining academy, having recently opened a new Tamworth facility, and expanding operations and flying career opportunities for students across Australia.

Source:SydneyFlightCollegePhoto Credit: Sydney Flight College