Saudi Arabia : this all-female flight marks the history of aviation

Flight 117 of the A320 aircraft, linking the Saudi capital Riyadh and Jeddah, was flown by a team of female aviators, marking the country’s aviation history. Long reserved for men, the professions of pilot and co-pilot are being made affordable for a new generation of women.

A doubly historic flight

The number of female airline captains is growing. With a crew of seven women for the first time, flight 117 also established Yara Jan as the youngest female Saudi pilot. At just 23 years old, the Florida flight school graduate joined the airline just one year ago. By fulfilling the crucial role of co-pilot, managing navigation and checklists, Yara has made history in her country, also helping to bring about positive change and a message of hope for the women of Saudi Arabia.

Aviation: a key sector for Saudi Arabia

For several years, Saudi Arabia has been aiming to become a global hub in air transport by tripling its annual traffic to 330 million passengers by the end of the decade. To this end, the country plans to invest 100 billion dollars in the sector for the training of its pilots, men and women, but also for research and development in the aeronautical field. Thus Saudi Arabia could become a key long-haul stopover like Dubai in a few years.