My career path started in Paediatric Nursing and now I'm a BA Captain.
My interest in flying started around the age of 14. On the first commercial flight I remember taking I visited the flight deck and was allowed to stay for a night landing which was amazing. I discovered the air cadets and had a few chances to fly in a chipmunk and later applied for an RAF flying scholarship and passed the selection. At the age of 17 had a PPL!
As an 18 year old I knew the RAF lifestyle wasn't for me so I looked at another path. I was rejected from the BA cadet program at the assessment stage but this was the best thing that could have happened as I had the opportunity to get a degree and began a career in Paediatric and Neonatal nursing. This helped me develop personally and professionally and gave me invaluable experiences and knowledge.
I applied again to the cadet program a few years later and was accepted and life changed again. Training in Oxford, Arizona and Southampton was intense but brilliant. I made lifelong friends and in September 2000 started my BA flying career in the small, friendly Birmingham hub flying A319s.
I have flown the A320 series throughout my career at Birmingham and then Heathrow, and I have balanced this with having 3 children. I got my command in early 2019 and it has been very rewarding despite the challenges that the last few years have thrown at the aviation industry.
I am a Captain on the A320 Fleet.
Becoming a Captain has been very rewarding. I believe in team work and that an open and friendly environment improves communication. I strive to set a professional tone alongside a relaxed working environment. There are many aspects to being an effective Captain but communication is key and listening to the knowledge and experience of other team members can enhance decision making and improve outcomes for everyone.
People often ask me what is the best part of being a pilot and my answer is often the views. We have the best office in the world with its changing outlook; the skies at night being a highlight. However it is also about being part of an ever changing team and the challenge of managing an aircraft in different scenarios. The most enjoyable part of the flight for me while operating is the approach into different airfields and managing the different challenges they provide.
The power of flying and having control.
I wanted to fly. I loved the power and the speed you could feel just by standing under the flight path. That was why I wanted to be a pilot. British Airways was the iconic brand and any one I knew who was a pilot flew for them.
Becoming a Captain was something I took incredibly seriously and waited until I felt I had time in my life to be the best Captain I could. I was ready to challenge myself and I had the experience and the skills needed and you learn so much when you try something new. It is rewarding to be in charge of the team everyday and I enjoy the responsibility.
You never know what you can achieve until you try it. Have a go!
What do you want to do when you're older is asked of young people all the time. Few of us really know. I wanted to be a fire fighter, then in the army, then a pilot. That one stuck.
I knew nothing about flying but I heard about the air cadets from a friend and joined. It was the flying that I was most focused on but it gave me an insight into the world of the RAF. The camps were the best and my highlight was a flight in a Hawk; it was so exhilarating. Despite all this I realised the forces were not for me and having no clear options I found nursing. This was never on my radar but I loved it and I tried it for a year before committing and then went to University where I got a degree in Paediatric Nursing. I took so much from being a nurse for those few years before flying raised its head again with another opportunity to get a cadetship with BA. I didn't have high expectations but if you don't try then you won't know. I had a go and here I am today as a Captain.
Being a mum and a Captain!
I felt incredibly proud of achieving my command while also juggling being a mum of three wonderful children and all the challenges this brings. I love being a role model for girls who may never have considered being a pilot as a career path until they saw someone doing it! My friend's daughter was so excited when she found out she could be a mum and a pilot! It is great to challenge the stereotypes and I have realised how important this is. When people say pilot most people think man, but not my daughter and not my colleague's son, they think woman because that is what they know!
