Story ID: 080b
Afghan Pilot Niloofar Rahmani Inspires at WAI
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Niloofar Rahman traced her story during WAI2022 of becoming the first fixed-wing Afghan Air Force pilot.
Word Count: 541
Niloofar Rahmani began her keynote speech humbly: “Basically, my story is nothing [compared with] every amazing person I have met during my journey here,” she told attendees at the 33rd annual International Women in Aviation Conference. “I’m so honored.”

Yet the audience at the full March 18 general session at the conference in Nashville already knew better, having watched a short video detailing Rahmani’s story of becoming the first female fixed-wing pilot for the Afghan Air Force.

And while she spoke only for a little more than five minutes following that video, she left with a standing ovation and a misty-eyed crowd.

She was encouraged by her father to earn her wings in 2013 at the age of 21. But in doing so, she lost her anonymity and security, “In my country, there are no rights for the females, no rights for the females being in the military, no rights being a pilot,” she had said during her opening video. “And I wanted to be the first. I wanted to be an example for other women behind me. I am the same human that the men are.”

Death threats from the Taliban against Rahmani and her family forced her to seek asylum in the U.S., but she continues to raise awareness for women’s plight in Afghanistan. “If I don’t fight for my rights, who is going to do it? If I don’t fight for my rights now, when am I going to do it?”

She told the audience at WAI2022 that her story is not much different from those of other girls in her region. When born, families shamed her parents because they had given birth to a girl, she recalled, noting, “the birth of a boy is honor and pride for every family.”

Growing up during the civil war in Afghanistan, she added, “all I could remember was every right was taken away from a woman, every right of education.” As a child, her family escaped to Pakistan and she grew up under a dusty tent with no water or electricity, and no education.

“I grew up with so much violence against a woman. Women had no voices.” But her father served as an inspiration, Rahmani said, teaching her confidence that would guide her future. And flying became “more like a therapy for me, not just a dream.”

But that pursuit endangered her and her family because she was going against what her culture expected her to do. This forced both her and her family to flee on a number of occasions. “It wasn't only my life. My entire family's life was affected,” she said, but they supported her and taught her failure was not an option.

“If I do what is easy today, my life would be hard tomorrow,” she said, reiterating, “I am a human first, not just a woman.”

She concluded her discussion with an inspirational message to the audience: “I challenge everyone, every one of you to just fight your fears and just welcome [your dreams]. And don't be scared of them…I will never let anyone clip my wings again.”