The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Adilabad girl makes it to Aviator Flying Inc.

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Saturday, Jul 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Adilabad girl makes it to Aviator Flying Inc.

S. Harpal Singh

First girl in the district to secure licence

Swathi is daughter of a head constable in Adilabad
She flew 200 hours before getting her licence

Flying high: Ghanta Swathi is all confidence, getting where she desired to be.

ADILABAD: If you want to know how even earthy girls can earn wings, meet Ghanta Swathi, the first person from Adilabad town to acquire a commercial pilot licence. She will be joining the Aviator Flying Inc. of the United States soon as an instructor and charter pilot.

“A different vocation is what I had always desired. I wanted to join the Air Force but circumstances led me to train as a commercial pilot,” reveals the youngster confessing to being influenced by dogfights shown in a film. “With the all important support of my family, I could give wings to my desire,” she adds somewhat philosophically.

Swathi is the eldest among the four children of head constable (traffic) Murali. She graduated from a college in Adilabad before joining the AP Aviation Academy in Hyderabad in 2006 for a brief period. “After only about 10 hours of flying, I enrolled with the Aviator and flew 200 hours before getting my licence. I trained in Dallas in USA and Cebu in Philippines,” explains Swathi.

Pondering over the question of fewer girls opting to train as a pilot, she says it is because of the myth that the job is hazardous for women. “It is not. Only parents are given to anxiety. This is true even in a country like America where girls discourage themselves because of the ‘risk’ involved. I feel parents need to provide full support to girls who wish to make it as pilots. Girls fare better in the profession than boys because of their disposition to stay focussed,” she observes.

About the aspect that was added to her personality during the training period the young pilot says she has honed up her decision-making skills and grew stronger in confidence. “I came out of difficult situations thrice during the training thanks to better judgment and confidence,” she recalls. Coming from a backward district, Swathi feels sorry for all those talented youngsters who cannot achieve their goals simply due to lack of proper information and guidance. “I will help all such persons in terms of guidance,” she says.

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