Touching the skies

When Ayesha Aziz was a child she was fascinated by airplanes. Little did she know that one day she would be flying one herself – that too at the young age of 17.
While pursuing her school education, Ayesha simultaneously started training to become a pilot. By virtue of her hard work, 17-year-old Ayesha has achieved heights at a very young age. Hailing from north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Ayesha is presently settled in Mumbai along with her family. She has achieved the feat of being the youngest Kashmiri girl to be awarded the student pilot license by prestigious Bombay Flying Club recently. It is the oldest flying club in India and premier aviation institute approved by Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Government of India. The institute imparts ground, flying training and Aircraft maintenance engineering training.
Ayesha has also earned Flight Radio Telephone Operator’s License (FRTOL). Besides being a member of Indian Women Pilots Association (IWPA), Ayesha is now working hard to crack exams for obtaining the commercial pilot license.
“It is like a dream come true. I would wait for hours to see airplanes in sky. As a child I set up a goal to become a pilot and am glad to see my dream gradually turning into a reality,” Ayesha says while proudly showing her student pilot license.
Ayesha did her schooling from St. Agnes’ High School and later switched to Christ Church School ISC in Mumbai. She remained focused on her goal right from 8th standard and started surveying various flying schools. Subsequently, she joined the Mumbai Flying Club.
24/06/13 Arif Shafi Wani/Greater Kashmir