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"The reward for the job well done is the opportunity to do more," said famed American medical researcher, the late Jonas Salk.
And no one does the truth of this resonance better than Irene Koki. The 42-year-old gained the rank of captain through a field dominated by men.
And on October 28, it will enter history by commandeering the first ultra-long-haul direct flight between Kenya and the United States that has sparked much enthusiasm among travelers. Koki will be the chief captain of Dreamliner Boeing 787-8 and on board will be President Uhuru Kenyatta, who acquired the first ticket for the inaugural flight.
Indeed, his life has been a scale of excellence and opportunities, a legacy of firsts. After obtaining a commercial pilot license from the United States Federal Aviation Authority in 1995, where she went on to pursue her studies, she returned to Kenya and was hired by Kenya Airways (KQ).
She becomes the first female pilot of the national carrier. In fact, she remained the only female pilot at the airline for the next six years.
And in 2004, she became the first African woman to command a commercial aircraft when she qualified to order the Boeing 737. She has since qualified to order the Boeing 767.
She then followed the conversion course that allowed her to Transition piloting Boeing's latest sensation, the 787 Dreamliner. She became the first captain of an African woman 787.
"I was employed as a cadet by KQ when I was 19, promoted to second officer, first officer and now 23 years later , a full-fledged pilot (captain), "she says.
She was speaking at People Daily at KQ Headquarters during the visit of the US Under-Secretary of International Trade and the President's Advisory Council on Business Conduct in Africa, Gil Kaplan, last week . Kaplan led a delegation of 60 people from the United States to KQ for an investigative mission on preparing stakeholders for the inaugural flight.
Historic Flight
"I'm at the top of my career Flying Dreamliner Boeing 787-8 is a dream come true," said Captain Koki, adding that the historic flight will not be his first experience between the United States and Kenya.
"The longest flight I did was from South California to Nairobi (3 pm) when I delivered the Dreamliner.The experience is amazing, I love it that I do, "she said.
She stated that the 787-8 is one of the most sophisticated aircraft on the market today and that it was charged with such opportunity
Engineer Eric Gituma, the Dreamliner specialists who have been in the business for 12 years hold Koki in high esteem.
"We have long hunted together in many parts of the world and I can attest that she is among the best He said that the captain is among the few female pilots to fly the Dreamliner and is a mentor to other pilots.
Where it will land in the United States, status of female pilots Last year, American Airlines told the Airline Pilots Association that of its 13,762 pilots, only 626 were women.
Captain Koki says her wish is to see more women in the aviation, adding that she gets a sense of pride when she meets another female driver. "I think pilots should be employed based on their skills, not their gender," she said.
His motivation to become a professional pilot was developed at the age of five by observing his father pilot
Four years ago, she was named among the "20 Younger Powerful Women in Africa 2014" ", by Forbes Magazine.
She appeased fears of exhaustion of the 15-hour flight The aircraft is so well built that the fatigue badociated with such distances is almost eliminated.
"Dreamliner aircraft are designed to provide a quieter cabin experience, equipped with a quieter air conditioner and advanced technology that isolates the vibrations from walls and ceilings. reduces engine noise, "she said.
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