From dreamers to commanders: The journey of Emirates' first two female Emirati captains

Dubai: Flying 39,000 feet in the air, watching the sun rise. Travelling across new countries, every day.

That’s the joy of flying that stands out for Captain Hanan Mohammed Jawad, one of the first two female Emirati captains at Emirates airlines.

In an exclusive interview with Emirates 24|7, the first two female Emirati captains at Emirates – Captain Hanan and Captain Bakhita Al Mheiri – spoke about their journey from Emirates’ Cadet Pilot Programme to earning their fourth stripe.

Long before she sat in the left-hand seat of a Boeing 777, Captain Hanan remembers one image.

Her father had brought home a photograph of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft.

"Look, Baba Mohammed is flying," he told her.

That image remains in her mind even today, but what truly pushed her towards a life of flying was watching the first Emirati female pilot, Captain Aysha Al Hameli, on TV.

“I was almost 14 years old and saw her on TV. I said to myself, she’s a woman and she’s a pilot. She has done it … I would love to be like her. This is my dream,” she said.

While Captain Hanan found her inspiration on television, Captain Bakhita Al Mheiri discovered hers in a classroom.

As a young girl, she was always fascinated with the field of aviation, but when she was 16, a visit to her school from the National Cadet Pilot Programme turned the fascination into an achievable career path.

“When I saw them telling us about flying and airplanes, I realised that the cadet pilot programme can turn my dream into reality,” she said.

Captain Hanan joined the Emirates Cadet Pilot Programme in 2008 and Captain Bakhita joined the programme three years later. Today, they both describe the programme as far more than just flight training.

“The intensive and excellent training we received, flying with the experienced instructors and captains … from each flight I took something from them. That was the most important thing,” Captain Hanan said.

"We were never trained just to become pilots," Captain Bakhita said. "We were trained to become future commanders. They gave us the tools, the knowledge and the exceptional support and shared knowledge for us to be where we are today.”

And that journey of learning and growing has never stopped for both the captains.

Even after years in the cockpit, Captain Hanan, for example, said that she actively looks for new challenges to stay in “that learning space”. As a challenge, she recently began skiing, even though she is quick to clarify that she is still a beginner.

Always staying in a learner mode, she says, helps her take on feedback from each flight.

“I've never felt like I reached the end. So, whenever I receive feedback, I try to work on it,” she said.

For both Captain Hanan and Captain Bakhita, earning the coveted fourth stripe is more than just a personal milestone. They see it as the result of years of investment by the UAE’s leaders to support national talent.

"It starts with our nation. Our nation always had a vision for us to achieve and be the best in everything. Our leaders, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, paved the way for us to be here," Captain Bakhita said.

Today, she hopes to do the same for the next generation.

"This [support] is something that I am honoured to take on board, and I will gladly pass it on to the younger generations. The doors are always open for them to ask questions, and I would happily answer every question they ask."

For Captain Hanan, too, the journey has come full circle. Years after she was inspired by the UAE's first female Emirati pilot, she is fully aware of how young girls today might be seeking similar inspiration. Her message to them is simple:

"If you are a young girl and you have a goal, stick to it. Work hard for it. Give your all. Don't let fear change your decisions. Like His Highness Sheikh Mohammed says, impossible is not in our dictionaries."