Meet Afghan military's first female helicopter pilot

February 14, 2013 3:35 AM

"Malalai has seen more of Afghanistan than many of the white-bearded men who run this country. She's been travelling in the cockpit of military helicopters since she was two months old; her mother is an Afghan army pilot." This is a beautifully illustrated long read.
posted by puffl (8 comments total)

"When anybody asks Malalai whose daughter are you, she never says her father's name. She says, I am the daughter of Latifa the pilot."

I, uhm, must have gotten something in my eye this morning. What a strong and beautiful article.
posted by lydhre at 5:42 AM on February 14 [3 favorites]

Astounding, thank you.
posted by e1c at 5:57 AM on February 14

My mother was the first female navigator in the US Air National Guard. She always hoped I'd be an astronaut. (I'm not) I wish we could both meet Latifa and Malalai. How incredible and how inspiring this woman is. I don't even have words for how impressed and humbled I am.
posted by olinerd at 6:17 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]

For about two seconds that first photo threw me off. I thought, "jeez, she's kinda young looking, isn't she?" and then I realized the woman in the background was the pilot.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 7:33 AM on February 14 [2 favorites]

That's great.
posted by rmd1023 at 8:15 AM on February 14 [1 favorite]

Love it! And looking forward to reading more in the series.
posted by what's her name at 8:18 AM on February 14

Great post. Thanks!
posted by Kokopuff at 12:14 PM on February 14 [1 favorite]

The fact that she's a military pilot in a country which doesn't value women's rights is amazing enough. That she's had her kid on board for the last 5 years is stupefying. Utterly.
posted by Thistledown at 2:54 PM on February 14