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| Arabia |
| Soddiland gets first female pilot... |
| 2007-01-13 |
| ...and it loks like she'll be flying Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal's friendly skies. But she still can't drive herself to the Riyadh airport. Keeping in line with the reforms sweeping Saudi Arabia, the kingdom will soon see its first woman pilot taking over the skies. Capt. Hanadi Zakariya Hindi will begin her flying stint with one of the jets belonging to Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal, founder and chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, later this year as soon as she completes her advance pilot proficiency training programme. Though this is a path-breaking achievement for the 26-year-old first accredited female Saudi pilot, she will still need to be driven by a male chauffeur to the airport, the Arab News said. Women are still not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. "I am busy building my flying hours and will be attending a short-term course to equip myself with more intimate knowledge of the jet owned by Prince Alwaleed," Hindi said. Being proud to be the first Saudi woman to fly professionally she claimed the aviation industry is no longer a male bastion. "I recently met Aisha Al-Hamli, the first Emirati woman pilot, in Dubai," Hindi remarked. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #7 Hey with they still call it a "cockpit"? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-01-13 21:36 |
| #6 Hence the name ... Hindi (meaning "The Indian") |
| Posted by: john 2007-01-13 17:57 |
| #5 Capt. Hanadi Zakariya Hindi Hindi ? Her family originally comes from the Indian subcontinent? The Ayatollah Khomeini's full name was Ruhollah ibn Mustafa Musawi Khomeini Hindi. His grandfather came from a village in Uttar Pradesh, India. |
| Posted by: john 2007-01-13 17:56 |
| #4 Is she allowed to taxi on an off the runways - or is that driving? Damn that is tricky! We need RB's Pilot-Imam to throw down wisdom here. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-01-13 17:42 |
| #3 Let's hope that burqua doesn't slip on a bumpy landing. Is she allowed to taxi on an off the runways - or is that driving? It's all so confusing. I need a fatwah on this. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2007-01-13 12:40 |
| #2 Even if it does, no man would ever knowingly fly that airplane. On the other hand, it's ever so nice to be able to send the wives on a shopping trip without having to worry that a male pilot will see them. Female ground crew to follow? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-01-13 07:55 |
| #1 Yay! Of course, if it doesn't work out, they'll have to scrap the whole plane. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-01-13 03:48 |