Four lucky female Air Cadets from Mannock Squadron RAF Air Cadets were invited to attend the home of aerobatic display team, The Blades, at Sywell aerodrome for an inspirational evening to coincide with International Women’s Day.
The event was hosted by 2Excel Aviation Ltd and was an opportunity for budding young female pilots from around the region to gain an insight into aviation as a career path.
Cadets Sophie Allard, Alexis Spillane, Jahnavi Monya and Keira Hackett from Mannock Squadron in Wellingborough were among the guests keen to learn more about the challenging world of professional aviation.
Leading the event, Kirsty Murphy, a member of The Blades and former RAF Red Arrows pilot, was on hand to inspire the young air cadets. Kirsty said: “During my time as part of The Red Arrows Team, I received lots of letters from young girls wanting to know more about how to become a pilot in the RAF but to also say they were inspired to fly after seeing the Team display. It’s important to give younger girls the awareness and the knowledge to consider a career in aviation – after all, it’s not an industry just for men.”
Cadet Sophie Allard (13) said: ‘‘I love flying, and aerobatics in particular, so this evening was a great chance for me to talk to some amazing pilots who gave me brilliant advice for the future. I’ve had my eyes opened that I can be a pilot too.”