Fabulous African Female Pilots

Captain Koki Mutungi 

Captain Mutungi was the first ever and only female pilot at Kenya Airways for about six years – more ladies have since joined the airline in the cockpits of their various planes – and has risen steadily through the ranks. Irene was flying as a First Officer on the 767-300ER, the second largest aircraft in the Kenya Airways fleet after the Boeing B777-300ER, and then became the first female Kenya Airways Captain of a Boeing 767-300ER until she finished her course for type conversion successfully and was elevated to fly in the left hand seat of KQ’s latest acquisition.

 Rwanda's first female pilot, Esther Mbabazi, 24, said 'being a pilot really was my childhood dream'. Photograph: Sean Jones for the Guardian Sean Jones/Guardian

Esther Mbabazi was eight years old when her father was killed in a crash as the plane he was flying in overshot the runway landing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

So when, a few years later she announced her intention to train as a pilot, the planwas not well received by some of her family. But at the age of 24, Mbabazi has made history as the first female Rwandan pilot – although as a woman she says she doesn't make flight announcements because it scares the passengers.

Christine Bonbankal Njeuma  Cameroon

In January 2002, 29-year old Christine Bonbankal Njeuma made history by becoming the first ever Bakweri and Cameroonian female pilot, when she got recruited by Cameroon´s national carrier, Cameroon Airlines (CAMAIR). This was a groundbreaking achievement that challenged deeply ingrained beliefs about gender roles for Cameroonian and African women. 

ASNATH MAHAPA

Asnath Mahapa is a pilot by profession. She was the first African woman in South Africa to become a Commercial pilot. Today, Asnath flies Airbus 319 and 320 for South African Airways (SAA).

Capt.Chinyere Kanu

Captain Kanu is first female pilot in Nigeria