'Women are a notch better than men'

Are skies the great leveller of gender divide? So it seems, if one goes by what women working with the air forces of different nations have to say.

In the air force, women serve in various capacities such as pilots, ground crew and navigators, to mention a few. But they say they don’t feel very different from their male counterparts.

They point out that their strength has increased and that they do the same jobs, if not more, than what men do. More than anything else, they are proud of their jobs and have had the opportunity to serve their country in the best possible manner.

Metrolife interacted with women working with the air forces of different nations to understand the challenges they face on a daily basis. They are put through the same rigorous training as the others. The women concede that it’s a tough job but they put in that extra effort to make sure they shine in what is essentially a male domain.

Angela Kimler, who is the only woman of the air crew of ‘C17 Globe Master III’ of the United States Air Force, says that she grew up playing around planes as she belongs to a family of pilots. “It was natural that I would get into the air force. Airplanes have always fascinated me and I worked all my life to get here,” says Angela. She confesses that she’s proud to be part of the world’s most envied air crew.

Handling the ground control of French aircraft ‘Rafale’ is Anne, who is a part of the ‘Rafale Ground Control Crew’. “Each person in the ground control crew handles a particular part of the aircraft and I certainly can’t give details of what I handle but all in all, it’s a challenging task,” Anne says.

She says women in the air force always have to work hard to find a place for themselves. “But I really appreciate the way women are treated in the air. They are given due respect and that certainly makes me feel good. I always believe that women are a notch better than men,” she shares.

When on the job, Anne finds dealing with people and their attitudes the biggest challenge, “Handling human relations is not easy. It makes you a tougher person,” she adds. Enjoying her stay in India and soaking in all excitement around her Anne says, “I really love the spicy Indian food, especially the chicken roast, and all kinds of Indian breads with it.”

Twenty-four-year-old Nehmet Waraich is the Flying Officer, Navigation of the AN-32 and she says that she enjoys the air force lifestyle the most.

An engineer by profession, Nehmet always knew she wanted to join the forces. “My father was in the forces and taking after him was a natural choice. Today, women earn respect and command a position that’s on par with their male counterparts,” she says. And she has never had a dull moment so far. “When there’s passion for what you do, there’s never a dull moment,” she notes.

Nehmet says staying fit is imperative. “The training in rigorous and I play basket ball or swim in my spare time. It’s refreshing,” she concludes.