Featured, History

Ethiopian Airlines Appoints First Female Captain

57 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday, October 15, 2010

New York (Tadias) – She may not be the first Ethiopian woman pilot, but Captain Amsale Gualu Endegnanew is just as pioneering. She is the first female to become captain in the history of Ethiopian Airlines.

According to the company, the pilot was at controls of a next generation Bombardier airplane for her historic flight, which she performed over domestic routes on October 14, 2010. “Captain Amsale proudly took off her first flight from the left hand seat of the flight deck of a Q-400 aircraft from Addis Ababa to Gondar then to Axum and finally returned back to Addis Ababa after a total of 3.6 flight hours,” the airline announced in a press release.

“Captain Amsale joined Ethiopian Airlines Pilot Training School on July 10, 2000 and started her career as first officer on November 26, 2002. Since then, she has trained and worked on Fokker-50, 757 and 767 aircraft as first officer. Captain Amsale has been able to complete successfully all the necessary training requirements and passed through rigorous checks to gain her four stripes. She has a total of 4475 flight hours under her belt when she becomes the commander-in-chief of her flight.”

In a brief statement following her groundbreaking flight, Captain Amsale said this moment has been a long time coming. “It is a great privilege to become the first female captain of the national carrier,” she said. “I have been trained and passed through various ladders at Ethiopian Airlines.”

“The company has been very supportive of my efforts to realize my vision of becoming a captain,” she added.

Congratulating her on the occasion, Weyzero Elizabeth Getachew, a Senior Vice President for Human Resource Management and the highest ranking female executive in the airline said, “Captain Amsale’s success is a great achievement on her part and it is also an achievement for the airline. It is my hope that other females will be inspired by her success and Ethiopian will see more female candidates in the near future.” The country’s flag-career currently has four female pilots working as first officers.

Who is Ethiopia’s first female pilot?

Some say Weyzero Asegedech Asefa, who became a pilot post World War II, is the first Ethiopian female pilot. While others argue that Weyzero Mulumebet Emeru, whose flight training was interrupted when the Italians envaded Ethiopia in 1936, holds the title of first Ethiopian female pilot.
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More photos courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines via Nazret.com

Learn more about Ethiopian airlines at ethiopianairlines.com.

Related:
Interview with Girma Wake: Former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines (Capital Ethiopia)
Video: Ethiopian TV on the First Female Captain at Ethiopian Airlines

57 thoughts on “Ethiopian Airlines Appoints First Female Captain”

  1. My heart felt congratulations to Capt Amsale on her historic accomplishment. This is not only a major milestone for our airline, but an inspiration to women in general. As you know, Ethiopian Airlines Pilot Training School attracts students from all over Africa and it is my hope that this news will encourage other women from around the continent to follow suit.

    Thank you for your service!!

    Hailu

  3. Congratulations! Capt. Amsale. I take my hat off for you. I am proud of Ethiopian Airlines. When I think of my country, EAL comes to my mind. What happened to Ato Girma Wake, the general manager of the airline? Where is he? He was so intelligent and managed EAl successfully. It is so sad to see some one like him replaced by less qualified personnel.

  5. Fabulous!

    Wow, it took her 10 yrs to become Captain? That is some serious training. One can become a medical doctor, an engineer, a lawyer, even a professor in 10 yrs. But this is her chosen work, so Congratulations on your achievement.

    Mazel tov, good luck!

  6. Great Amsale! Congratulations on making your dream of becoming the captain of Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s number one airline! Enjoy your profession and long life. Stay blessed.

  7. Well done. Congra sis! u r now an excellent exampel to all of us and an asset to our beloved Ethiopia.

  9. The story of Captain Amsale of Ethiopian Airlines is great addition to the history of women in Aviation.

    1910 – September 2 – Blanche Stuart Scott, without permission or knowledge of Glenn Curtiss, the airplane’s owner and builder, removes a small wood wedge and is able to get the airplane airborne — without any flying lessons — thus becoming the first American woman to pilot an airplane

    1910 – October 13 – Bessica Raiche’s flight qualifies her, for some, as the first woman pilot in America — because some discount the flight of Scott as accidental and therefore deny her this credit

    1910 – Baroness Raymonde de la Roche becomes the first woman in the world to earn her pilot’s license

    1911 – August 11 – Harriet Quimby becomes the first American woman licensed pilot

    1928 – June 17 – Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly across the Atlantic — Lou Gordon and Wilmer Stultz did most of the flying

    1932 – May 20-21 – Amelia Earhart is the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic

    1932 – Ruthy Tu becomes first woman pilot in the Chinese Army

    1937 – July 2 – Amelia Earhart lost over Pacific

    1938 – Hanna Reitsch becomes the first woman to fly a helicopter and the first woman to be licensed as a helicopter pilot

    1939 – Willa Brown, first African American commercial pilot and first African American woman officer in the Civil Air Patrol, helps form the National Airmen’s Association of America to help open up the U.S. Armed Forces to African American men.

    Read the Women in Aviation – Timeline at http://womenshistory.about.com/od/aviationpilots/a/av_timeline.htm

  13. I hope her men colleagues are nice to her and treat her with respect because as a professional women, I feel that is very important for her future advancement within the corporation. Abehsa men can be very difficult to work with. They feel intimidated by a strong women. That’s my personal experience.

    Amsale, congratulations on your achievement thus far and all the best in your future endeavors.

  15. I can’t believe it took so long to name a female captain at Ethiopian airlines. You need to be upto date ET. Need more women in the ranks? One is not good enough. This is 2010, not 1830.

  19. This is EAL the poineer for AFRICAN Aviation standards. Amsale we really are proud of you. WEL DONE!!!

  20. My Dear Capitain Amsale-You are the winner.wow!!,the stick is in your hand.

    Chewa Set(Respectfully)

    I am very sympathetic to your concern.Forget in Ethiopia my dear!!!

    Men in the west went through the most atrocious Feminism and Sexual revolutionary Battles,never even got wounded.The Men myth saved them.How about Women trying the Chines Yin and Yang concept of complimentary whole,struggle through strength and tenderness that is the only solution left for women to defeat this myth.I think so.Thanks.

  21. Well done, this is an achievement.

    One question, What happened to Captain Sefanit? Wasn’t she also an Ethiopian Airlines Pilot?

  22. Captain Amsale,

    You made history. I admire your determination and persistance for 10 years.

    God bless you.

  24. Chewa Set, I disagree with you too. I don’t think all Abesha men are intimidated by strong women. I am an Abesha and I am intimidated only by smart and tall women, like my wife 🙂

    Joking aside though, you do have a point to a certain extent, but please do not exaggerate or generalize.

    Last, but not least, big congratulations to Amsale on her success!! Stay strong!

  27. Congratulation mokshae, well done I am really proud of you. You are such a brave and dedicated woman to your career. Best wishes and good luck.

  29. In the midst of the fog of difficulties and challenges Ethiopia is facing, this is indeed good news to celebrate. Capt. Amsale, her family and the EAL staff is to be commended for this success. We look forward to a new decade when the outstanding achievemnets of EAL will continue under the new leadership and the formidable team it will be able to inspire, lead and encourage.

    Cangratualtions to Capt. Amsale and God Bless Ethiopia!!!

  35. What a pleasant and encouraging news. Well done Captain Amsale. You are such an asset for the entire Ethiopian Nation.

  36. Why did it take so long to hire a female pilot? Shame on Ethiopian airlines for dragging its feet for over 6 decades. It is about time!

  40. Amsale,

    Keep it up, it is a great achievement and inspiration for all Ethiopians, especially for females!

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  47. Capitain, congratulation. You did it. Unfortunately my country is behind the time. i thought we have a lot….sad sad

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