The Elevate Her Aviation x British Airways Flying Bursary

Receiving the Elevate Her Aviation x British Airways Flying Bursary was something I will never forget. It gave me the opportunity to explore aviation in a way I had only imagined, and I made a deliberate choice to use it across three very different experiences, each one teaching me something new and pushing me further toward my goal of becoming a commercial pilot.

Gliding

I started with gliding, which is about as raw as aviation gets. There is no engine. I

was entirely dependent on the atmosphere, reading thermals and understanding

how air moves to stay airborne. It was humbling and exhilarating in equal

measure. What struck me most was how much it sharpened my awareness of the

environment around me. Weather is everything in gliding, and in the UK, that is a

real consideration. Good soaring days are precious, and you learn quickly to

respect the conditions. The experience gave me a deep appreciation for the

fundamentals of flight.

Powered Flying

Next came powered flying at North Weald Airfield. The conditions that day were far

from smooth. It was choppy, and the aircraft was moving around more than I

expected. But that turned out to be one of the best things about it. I had to engage

properly, feel the aircraft, and understand what it was doing. I got hands-on with

the three primary flight controls, ailerons, elevator, and rudder, and worked

through basic handling exercises in the air. Doing that in real, turbulent conditions

rather than perfectly still air was a completely different experience. I came away with a much stronger feel for how an aircraft responds and what real flying demands

of you.

Simulator Training

The third experience was simulator training, and I was fortunate enough to fly

both an Airbus A320 and a Boeing 737. The contrast between the two was

fascinating. The A320 is very much a fly-by-wire aircraft. Inputs are small,

precise, and measured. It almost feels like the aircraft is working with you. The

737 is a different aircraft altogether. It requires more physical input; more feel

on the controls. Understanding those differences early in my journey has given

me a real frame of reference as I continue to learn.

The reason I chose three such different experiences was intentional. I wanted to understand aviation at different levels, in different environments, with different challenges. And it worked. Each one revealed something new. Together, they have confirmed without any doubt where I am headed and why. I am so grateful to the Elevate Her team and British Airways for this bursary. It was not just financial support. It was an opportunity, and I made sure I made the most of every single moment of it.