To celebrate Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, we caught up with our female students about their journey to becoming a pilot in a male-dominated industry.
Amy Dewhurst decided on a career change to become a pilot in 2020 and moved back to the North West of England after having worked and travelled around the world for 15 years. She achieved her PPL and Night Rating in 2022 in a PA28 Cherokee based out of Blackpool. Amy continued to complete her CAA ATPL ground school examinations with BGS, having passed her last one very recently. She has one exam left to take in March for Austro Control. While taking exams, she has continued hour-building and has flown a variety of aircraft, including Cessna 150s, microlights, a glider, an Archer, and, quite regularly, a Chipmunk. She has also flown two different helicopters – a Schweizer 300 and an R22. She flew a Pitts S2A for a weekend of aerobatics and wing-walked a Stearman with the AeroSuperBatics crew, though another pilot was in control of that flight.
Here she shares her story about why she chose to become a pilot, her experience training with Bristol Groundschool and what advice she would give to other women looking to become pilots.
How did you get into aviation?
I was always very interested in flying as I love engines and horsepower but, growing up, no one in my family or anyone I knew was in the aviation world, so becoming a pilot was a career option I was never exposed to – it simply was not on my radar.
The first time I was in control of an aircraft, an Ikarus C42 when I was 21 years old, really ignited my passion for aviation. Following this, I was working and travelling a lot so I only managed a couple of lessons in helicopters and planes here and there. However, I came to realise that flying as a career is attainable and I finally decided in my 30s that I was really going to go for it – it’s never too late to chase your dreams!
Why did you choose a career as a pilot?
It’s as simple as – I am passionate about flying, travel and being up in the sky!
Stepping into such a uniquely different environment, flying for me is an experience that cannot be matched. Leaving day-to-day life behind and taking to the skies is a freedom that inspires me and galvanises me. The views are ridiculously rewarding and I constantly remind myself that this is something that not many people will ever get to experience. In addition, I thrive on the technical aspects of the cockpit and continue to learn how to be a better pilot.
I am also committed to a career in flying and to being an ambassador for gender equality within aviation through collaborating, promoting and paving the way for others to believe and pursue what I see as an equally achievable career for both men and women.
What’s your favourite part about being a pilot?
I thoroughly admire and respect the dedication and knowledge pilots need to successfully plan their flight and I enjoy being meticulously prepared for a flight while embracing the real-time and unforeseeable challenges that require pragmatic and responsive actions. No two flights are ever the same!
What’s been the best part of your pilot training so far?
There are so many to choose from!
Although I think the one I have enjoyed many times, which I do not believe will ever get old, is having achieved my night rating – facilitating access to a truly different world. The sky is so beautifully peaceful at night and on a clear night, with the moon and stars all around you and the lights shining on the ground, it is truly magical.
And also, flying out of Blackpool, if you “squint” at the Tower whilst it is illuminated at night – you could be flying in Paris by the Eiffel Tower…
How are you finding/did you find studying for your ATPL theory exams with BGS?
I have recently completed all of my CAA ATPL exams so I am feeling very relieved right now! I am taking time to appreciate just how difficult it has been and acknowledging what I have achieved. Although I also have one last Austro Control exam left to complete, so I cannot fully relax just yet!
BGS has a good community of people in a similar situation as yourself on their Facebook group. People on there are generally very supportive and help you with questions you may have. Or an email to the BGS administration staff has always worked well for me. They are very helpful and prompt in their responses.
There is a lot to get your head around when you first start studying for your ATPLs. It is much more demanding, in many ways, than the PPL. However, bite-sized chunks the entire way is how I made it through. Try and control that feeling of being overwhelmed and know there is always a solution. And if it is not clear, just ask for help. Also be aware that the question banks online are paramount for being prepared for your ATPL exams!
What are your plans for the future?
Right now, I am very open on the direction of my career. There are many exciting opportunities beyond flying for an airline. Perhaps I will instruct for a little while – my previous career was teaching at universities around the world, so I have a background in teaching…or being a jump pilot would be fun! Maybe pleasure flights in seaplanes or towing gliders, building the hours and experience up and then perhaps onto private jets or cargo. I would not want to limit my options in any way at the moment, so watch this space!
What advice would you give other women looking to become a pilot?
A support network is key. I am a member of the BWPA and they are very supportive. There are members from every walk of aviation, including new ones and long-established ones. There is always someone who will happily talk to you and give you their advice. You just have to be willing to ask! They also offer some great scholarship opportunities, as do some other established Aviation Associations.
Joining the aviation world is a very exciting, but at times daunting, journey. There is no easy way to get involved apart from putting yourself out there and attending aviation events, air shows, fly-ins, regional BWPA meets, aviation educational talks and offering to volunteer anywhere and everywhere in the aviation sector!
I volunteer at a flight sim centre and have managed to build up quite a few hours in both an A320 and a 737 simulator. I also did some work experience as an operations controller planning global flights. I’ve made some lovely friends and networked with many people along the way which has helped not to feel so isolated when studying remotely with BGS.
Also, do not be disheartened or dissuaded when faced with setbacks and/or failures. See these as a learning experience instead of letting them get you down. The aviation world is not easy and it’s not plane sailing all of the time, but this makes the wins all the more worthy of celebration. All of the hard work needed really pays off and it makes everything worth it when you get to feel a real sense of achievement and pride in succeeding.
Good luck ladies, you got this.
