At Norwich High School for Girls, we often speak of equipping our students with the confidence and resilience to challenge conventions and thrive in any environment. This ethos of confidence is clearly demonstrated in the aspirations of one of our Sixth Formers, Esther, who is currently navigating the skies towards her ultimate goal: becoming a commercial airline pilot.

In a sector where only around 5% of commercial pilots are female, Esther is breaking barriers, proving that the sky is truly the limit for young women with passion and drive.

Esther’s fascination with flight began at the age of eight, watching the Red Arrows perform at an airshow. Now, at just 17, she is training for her private pilot’s licence (PPL) at the flight school at Old Buckenham, Flying Made Easy.

The PPL is a rigorous qualification, demanding a minimum of 45 hours of flying and the successful completion of nine separate theory exams. Esther has already surpassed the flying minimum, clocking an impressive 53 hours since starting in February 2024, and has already passed seven out of her nine theory exams.

“There’s no feeling like it,” Esther explains when asked why she loves flying so much. “Getting to fly a plane and be above the clouds – it’s the best feeling ever.”

The PPL will qualify her to fly a single-engine aircraft. Once she has secured it (hopefully by Christmas), she will move on to securing advanced accreditations, such as the Instrument Rating (IR), needed for flying by instruments alone.

One of Esther’s most memorable moments was her first solo flight on September 15th, 2024. She did one lap with her instructor before landing and then taking off again by herself. She remembers being very nervous and recalls the pressure of managing all the multitasking required while also flying the plane!

Esther’s passion for aviation extends well beyond the cockpit and she has consistently sought out opportunities within the aviation world. She has completed work experience with major airlines like British Airways and currently juggles working in airfield management at Old Buckenham and working at Lee-on-Solent Airport. She is also a Sergeant in the Air Cadets, an incredible commitment that has given her access to flight simulator training, a ride in an aerobatics display and an upcoming trip in a C-17 cargo plane. 

Esther has been at Norwich High School for Girls since Year 7. Now she is in the Sixth Form, the school has worked closely with Esther to help her achieve her pilot ambitions. To accommodate her demanding flying schedule, bursary student Esther is on a reduced timetable, studying just two subjects, Computer Science and Physics, at A Level. She says these subjects are the perfect complement to her ambitions. Physics provides the theoretical knowledge needed to understand the mechanics of flight while Computer Science appeals to her with its coding and programming elements, which are increasingly vital in modern aviation. Her favourite place in school is the new Mac Suite in our Sixth Form centre, where she now has the majority of her Computer Science lessons.

Esther admits the biggest challenge is balancing her time between school, her employment, volunteering, and the demanding PPL course, particularly the theory exams. However, she stresses the invaluable support she has received from Norwich High.

“The school has been really supportive”, Esther shares, noting that she often discusses her flying progress with Mrs Packer, Director of Sixth Form.

Esther says she is acutely aware of the gender imbalance in the aviation industry. The vast majority of pilots are older males, and she has encountered people who have made her feel like she does not belong. However, Esther says she is excited to prove them wrong. She is finding inspiration and support through schemes like the British Women Pilots’ Association, which exists to support women who fly or who are learning to fly, and encourage participation in aviation.

Esther’s immediate goal is to secure her PPL by the end of the year. Looking ahead, she has her sights set on fully-funded airline pilot schemes offered by companies like British Airways and TUI, which provide training and a guaranteed job at the end.

These schemes are notoriously competitive, with British Airways often accepting only around 200 applicants from 60,000 hopefuls. The application process is a detailed, knockout-style series of interviews and tests. Esther will begin applying to schemes in January and hopes to have secured a place by summer for her next chapter after Norwich High Sixth Form.

We are so excited to see where Esther’s flying journey takes her next. We wish her the very best as she moves toward securing her PPL and applies for the highly sought-after airline training schemes.