All - Woman Crew Makes Aviation History !

[Gunship]

An all-woman expedition into Africa quietly made aviation history on Wednesday.

The occasion was the first flight into the continent by a passenger airliner "manned" by women only.

At the controls of the British Airways flight from Johannesburg to Lusaka were Captain Margaret Thornton-Smith, 36, and First Officer Charlotte Greene, 25.

"For us to be assigned to the same flight was only a roster coincidence," said Thornton-Smith as she deftly keep the Boeing 737 on course.

"This has not been planned as gender history thing. Tomorrow, we might be working on different flights again."

The rest of the staff on the aircraft comprised controller Amanda Premanthan and cabin crew Vanessa Mooi, Sharon van Heerden and Caryn Petty.

The two woman pilots, from Johannesburg, had for quite a while been flying internal and regional routes for British Airways' domestic service.

Thornton-Smith said she was given her first command of an aircraft in February 2000, on a Boeing 727.

She qualified as Boeing 737 captain in February, shortly after the airline phased out the Boeing 727.

Thornton-Smith began her commercial flight training on the East Rand in 1990.

Greene obtained a commercial pilot licence in 1998, and qualified as first officer in September 2001.

British Airways spokesperson Madelain Roscher said airliners operated by women was not new when it came to domestic flights.

"But this is the first all-female crew to venture into Africa," she told reporters who were invited along.

Wednesday's two-hour flight also marked a rescheduling of the airline's service on the route between Lusaka and Johannesburg.

Passengers could now arrive in time for tea in Lusaka, with the return flight arriving in Johannesburg by lunchtime, said Roscher.

[Notso Fantastic]

What! All wimmin! And they nightstopped! A Tupperware party perhaps? Giant waxing session? Night on the tiles in Lusaka? AND, they managed to find their way home! Who writes this rubbish?: "For us to be assigned to the same flight was only a roster coincidence," said Thornton-Smith as she deftly keep the Boeing 737 on course. " I bet those wimmin pilots would wince at that article.

[ebbr2]

I would not be so sure that it was the first all woman into Africa. EAT/DHL used to operate an airbus up untill a few weeks ago going into Lagos every day. They have female Cpt, F/O and F/E operating regularly together, and they must have been together into Africa an a regular base.

[Anthony Carn]

Imagine if they'd all been at the same "time of the month".

[Dogma]

Some what arrogant really, I know several all women crews that have been operating between the continents with various African and European operators.

Not really news worthy.

P.S 737

[Gunship]

Might make sence then that I got the "news" on a South African News site ..

Any other News Dogma

[Miserlou]

"A scheduling coincidence" but with journalists invited along.

Yeah right.

Must be a slow news day if this is anything special!

[Gunship]

http://www.news24.com/News24/Home/0,,,00.html

It is still headline news on arguably the best news sight in South Africa.

You will find the article between Mr Hair Beckham and a Penis Slasher

Is the crux not : Fly INTO Africa ... ???

[northwing]

Speaking as an aerodynamicist, all pilots should be women - same brain, two thirds of the weight. (And they look better in uniform.)

[Final 3 Greens]

Yawn

Swissair did this in Europe years ago.

ATPLs are ATPLs are ATPLs.

At least they are to me and I spend a lot every month on air tickets, so I'm a stakeholder.

[touch&go]

Another couple of sinks un manned

[TurboJ]

No parallel parking involved then ?

[Globaliser]

I love the idea that it was an expedition "into" Africa. I thought Joburg was part of the continent? Maybe many there don't really think so.

[Gunship]

I would rather think the "expidition" part forms the crux .. so African - like and what tourists love to hear.

[Flightmech]

I guess that changes the flight deck from a cockpit to a box office???

[Winstun]

727 command in 5 months. Less than 2 years from getting CPL!
Is that quick promotion normal in South Africa?

[Jaywalker]

As early as 1995-if my memory serves me correctly-South African Express Airways had an all female crew operating a Dash 8 out of J'Burg.

[Ignition Override]

Northwing: And they are much more attractive, whether in uniform or out of it, especially if no street clothes are available!

Maybe this is a strange thing to say, but a woman in a uniform has its own unique appeal

[West Coast]

Winstun
You saw that also, I really hope that is a typo. If not, I sure as heck don't want to be onboard. Not a female thing, I would say the same thing about a male pilot.

[t'aint natural]

Can anyone remember when the first all-woman crew flew a scheduled commercial service? I recall a news story from Hawaii about 25 years ago, internal 727 I think.