2 Myanmar Flight Attendants to Become Country's First Female Pilots

Two women are set to become Myanmar's first female pilots, after being selected along with four other employees of a local airline to receive flight training in Malaysia, a state-run newspaper reported Thursday.

The trainees will pilot domestic and international flights for Air Bagan after completing a two-year course at Malaysia's Integrated Aviation Academy, The New Light of Myanmar said.

The two women, May Cho Win, 20, and Hnin Oo Wai, 25, are flight attendants for the airline. May Cho Win holds a Bachelor of Computer Technology degree and Hnin Oo Wai is a Bachelor of Arts degree-holder specializing in international relations.

The trainees were selected from among 40 candidates after competitive examinations conducted by international pilots and officials, the newspaper reported.

Only one other Myanmar woman is known to have ever piloted an aircraft, but in a very limited capacity. Hla Than flew a glider at the age of 27 in 1956. She had been trained in England and Israel, as well as in Myanmar by a Yugoslav instructor.

Air Bagan, a joint venture between the Ministry of Transport and Htoo Trading Co. Ltd., is one of three private airlines operating in Myanmar. It was inaugurated in 2004 and has been flying domestic routes using a fleet of seven planes, including two A310 Airbus aircraft.

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