Published March 16, 2018 17:48
Two Indian pilot ladies are going to accomplish a legendary flight around the world - and we are very proud they are going to do that with a third "lady", our Pipistrel Sinus aircraft. The WE! Expedition is the world’s first circumnavigation by an Indian woman pilot in a motor glider. It seeks to shatter global, cultural and gender barriers and send a clear message to the world, that for a woman willing to rise, the sky is the limit - and if she has a Pipistrel aircraft, not even that!
Capt. Audrey Deepika Maben, India’s first woman motorglider pilot and India’s first woman microlight flying instructor, and her 19-year old daughter Amy Mehtawill embark on a flight around the world on 5. April. The mission starts in New Delhi and will take 90 days with 54 planned landings over 21 countries.
The mission is called WE! ("Women Empower") and is not just about flying around the world - first an foremost it is dedicated to raising awareness about the situation and equality of women in society - the two ladies will be the first female pilots to circumnavigate the world in an ultralight plane. The WE! foundation will also strive to collect resources for training of young female pilots.
The Sinus 912 was nicknamed Mahi by the two ladies (meaning "Great Planet Earth" in Sanskrit) and was chosen for this legendary flight because of green, nature-friendly operation and great flight characteristics. The main reasons are noted here: 7 virtues of our Leading Lady, Mahi. Mahi was presented at Wings India on 8. March and she was an attraction, making it to the headlines of all the newspapers and receiving many visitors. Shri Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, came especially to see her. He tweeted his good wishes to the expedition.
Did you know that this will be already the SECOND flight around the world for the Sinus? The first one was accomplished by a pilot Matevž Lenarčič in 2004. He features the WE! expedition on his website website Green Light World Flight.
Pipistrel would like to express our admiration and support to the Indian team.
We wish you lots of good luck, beautiful flights and safe landings. Don't let the any limits stop you, not even the sky!