Of a refugee to pilot fearless

Photo Matthieu Payen
Shaesta Waiz was in November in Montreal on the occasion of a congress of the ICAO. Seen here on take off at Athens during his tour of the world aboard his small plane.

Matthew Payen

Thursday, 28 December 2017 23:06

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Thursday, 28 December 2017 23:06

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A young airline pilot of 30 years old, born in a refugee camp in Afghanistan, wants to be a source of inspiration for young girls after having completed a perilous solo round the world race.

On a visit to Montreal, Shaesta Waiz has left the controls of his small single-engine – Beechcraft Bonanza A36 – but not its holding of a driver with all the logos of its sponsors.

The young woman who lives in Florida travels regularly in the city, where the headquarters of its largest support Organization of the international civil aviation organization (ICAO). And each visit, she took the opportunity to encourage the young girls here to undertake as she studies in science and technology.

And what better than the story of his tour of the world, to show children that anything is possible through science. Smiling and accessible, Shaesta Waiz did not hesitate to answer all kinds of questions : “How does one pee in a small plane ? “, “Is-what it happens, you fall asleep at the controls ?” or ” Is that your mom you lack ? “

Afghanistan

During his journey, the young woman was faced with a nice scare, but it seems that overcoming the difficulties is at it’s second nature.

Shaesta Waiz was born near Kabul in Afghanistan in 1987, when the Soviets were trying to invade the country. A refugee in the United States with her family, she lived a childhood austere in a poor neighborhood of Richmond, California.

“I didn’t have the right to speak English at home, we spoke only pashto and farci, the two languages of afghanistan, she said. Up to the age of 16 years, I thought I’d have to get married young and have children, like my mother and my grandmother. “

But his persistence in school helped to change the course of things, and to enter college, a first in the family.

It has also managed to overcome his phobia of planes, on the occasion of a trip to Florida. “I was 17 years old and in boarding, I was terrified,” she says. In my seat, I agrippais the arms, I imagined the plane take off, stir in all directions and crashing. “

After a smooth take-off, she relaxed and started to think about the new horizons that were opening up in front of her thanks to this means of transport : “All the country names that I had learned in class could become places to visit. “

In control

This passion is nascent, has allowed him to succeed in his studies, in spite of unfavourable winds. The shy young girl from a family of modest had to blend in a very male environment alongside peers who dreamed of becoming a pilot from their childhood.

“It was necessary that I change my personality to show me more in control and prove that I was capable of taking orders,” she said.

As she progressed in the studies, Shaesta Waiz has never forgotten, never, all these girls like her who have not had a golden childhood, but have never been able to achieve their dream.

It is with this idea in mind that it was launched four years ago, his project of round-the-world plane solo.

With the assistance of ICAO, has completed its travel in 30 steps, encountering at every stop, dozens of children with whom she was making the promotion of business aviation. “It is nice to read a story about a girl who flies around the world, but it is even better when the children can meet her and see the aircraft,” she says.

Record

Returned from his journey in October with the record of the youngest woman having toured the world solo, she wishes to devote himself to the education of the young.

It has just established a scholarship in which all the children of the world can apply, without distinction of origin, sex or religion. “Every young person must have the belief that anything is possible for him,” she said.

Embark on a career as a line pilot is not on the agenda for Shaesta Waiz. “I prefer to fly small planes,” she said. But you never know what life has in store for us. “

Big fear

The canadian cold was very nearly fatal to Shaesta Waiz. Shortly after the start of his world tour last may, she departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the direction of Portugal. A dangerous stage aboard a small plane flying at 9000 feet high and peaking at 300 km/h. In the case of pepin, his plane could crash in 6 minutes.

While she was flying over the Atlantic ocean for three hours, its antenna froze and stalled the plane. “My heart started to beat very fast. Quickly, I made a half-turn to reach the coast. During this journey endless, the antenna struck the plane violently. I looked down and I saw the waves collide below me. But I was able to resume the above on my emotions to finally make an emergency landing at Saint-Pierre-and-Miquelon. “After having repaired his antenna, it was able to travel to St. John’s, Newfoundland and resume its journey.

Around the world in 29 steps