Ready for take-off! Flying hundreds of people across the world in a Boeing 737 without so much as breaking a sweat; it’s a tough job but some woman has to do it! In this case, it’s pilot Michelle van de Wetering. This passionate twenty-four-year-old lives is based Spain and defies gravity for a living.
Are you a girl in a man’s world?
Michelle: “Aviation is still very much a guys club. But luckily I see more women joining every year. Somehow being a pilot isn’t a career choice that a lot of women come up with. The funny thing is that most of the female pilots I’ve met, are very feminine. Somehow people think you need to be a tomboy to become a pilot, but the opposite is true!”
Did you always dream of becoming a pilot?
Michelle: “Not really. As a small kid we used to go to Schiphol, I think there my love for aviation grew. Initially, I wanted to become an air hostess. They look so fierce and feminine in their uniforms! I was around sixteen when I started thinking how amazing it would be if I could actually sit in the flight deck and navigate through the clouds.”
Do you remember the first time you got to fly? How did it feel?
Michelle: “Absolutely amazing! When you start out with flight training you get to fly the small, single-engine aircrafts. That first time you go solo and fly without an instructor is huge. A friend filmed my take-off. Sometimes I re-watch this clip to see how far I’ve come since then.”
Do you ever get nervous before take-off?
Michelle: “No, not really, because I know what to do and how to keep everyone safe in every situation. We need to test our coping skills in abnormal situations twice a year.”
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever encountered on a flight?
Michelle: “Sometimes I feel we get the easy part. When I see the situations our cabin crew has to deal with, I’m so impressed. People forget that the crew around for your safety and trained to save your life. Some people could definitely be nicer…”
What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?
Michelle: “That’s a difficult one. There so many places I still want to visit! I loved my time in America though. I used to live there for half a year and fell in love with the spaciousness. For general aviation, America is the place to be: I once saw two old grandpas getting on their small plane and fly it to the next city. There they would go for lunch together and then fly back again. Try spotting that in Europe.”
Hardest part of the job?
Michelle: “Definitely the roster. Sometimes it is not easy to get off on the days you want, so you miss birthdays and weddings. You need family and friends around you that understand. Summer is our busiest period, so we’re very rarely allowed to take time off then.”
Any advice you’d have for girls who want to become pilots?
Michelle: “You need a lot of money to become a pilot. It’s a huge commitment, so you really want to make sure that this is what you want. I’d recommend taking some flying lessons and see if it sparks your interest. When you start training, surround yourself with friends, family or other students that are there for you when you need some extra support. It is hard work, but so rewarding in the end!”
Psssst…. Want to read more career stories of inspiring women? CHAPTER FRIDAY previously chatted with GLAMOUR editor Stephanie Broek, PR-woman Simone Sassmannshausen, ballerina Anna Tsygankova and NSMBL owner (and supergirl) Anna Nooshin.
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BY THIS CHICK'S GOT STYLE
Welcome to CHAPTER FRIDAY! Your online toolkit to an awesome and successful life, curated by Yara (and team of supergirls). Hopefully you are excited about this next chapter, and the natural transformation of fashion blog This chick's got style. Find out more about that process here.
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Yara Michels is a professional blogger, all-round business chick, award nominated marketing author and freelance ELLE writer. She hosts blogging masterclasses, takes on online cases for big companies and is an experienced speaker on online topics. Curious yet?
Amazing interview! Way to go, Chapter Friday!
http://taleofthegreat.com
I loved this post! I live on an air base while my man is a pilot so I am surrounded by them and aircrafts constantly. It is true, it is still a very male-dominated industry so I love it when I see or hear about women stepping up to the plate. Bravo!
Amazing! As a pretty junior Flight Attendant (only a year and a half in) I love walking on board and seeing that a woman is going to be flying us to our next destination. You ladies are really testing the status quo, especially, like you mentioned, the ones are still quite feminine. It used to be only men flew the plane and women worked as flight attendants. Then gay men became a part of the cabin crew in a big way. Now I’m starting to see more straight women flying the plane and straight men working in the back. Gender and sexuality aside, the only thing that matters is that we’re all doing what we love, and we’re doing a good, safe job of it. Props to you, Michelle!
http://www.joiedevivreblog.com
Comments like this are why we make interviews with inspiring ladies like Michelle. Loved reading your input, Nichole, and let us ladies all test the status quo by giving it all we got!
Heel leuk, laat weer is zien dat vrouwen net zo goed (of misschien wel beter) zijn als mannen! xx
http://melisa-demir.blogspot.nl
This is such a great interview! As a dancer, I recently had to do a dancing flashmob at the airport and I wore a real pilot uniform. Just putting it on gave me a sense of power and responsibility, and I cannot imagine what actually flying the plane feels like.
Kosta // Cool Gear Cavalier
This post screams; girlpower! You rock Michelle:)
Wat gaaf. Een vrouwelijke piloot zie je naar mijn idee ook echt zelden. Wat heeft ze dat goed gedaan, op zo’n jonge leeftijd al.
x
http://www.thecherryfactor.com
I loved this interview! Never expected to read one about pilots. Never knew female pilots were mostly feminine. They seem so strong and cool to me - they probably are!
x Carina
Running White Horses | Fashion + Travel
Leuk verhaal! Altijd tof om te zien welke carrieres mogelijk waren en hoe iemand daar is gekomen. You rock Michele!
- X Marloes
Leuk om te lezen dat we je hebben kunnen inspireren, Marloes! x
A very inspirational post. I am always impressed whenever I see a female pilot in their smart uniforms!
https://sartorialisttoujours.wordpress.com/
Wat gaaf dat je zover bent gekomen. Er is natuurlijk niets mis met stewardess zijn, maar het is wel gaaf dat je verder hebt gedacht en het toen ook echt gedaan hebt.
Wauw wat gaaf zeg eerlijk gezegd zie k ook nooit dat beeld voor me van vrouw als piloot maar nu zeker wel! Inspirerend om te lezen!
Liefs Nora / 1310bynora.com
Dankje Nora! Is toch iets dat je niet vaak tegenkomt, we zijn stiekem ook benieuwd of alle andere (lees: juicy) verhalen kloppen over het pilotenschap
This was so interesting to read! Loved it!
http://www.thoughtsinstyle.com/