Niloofar Rahmani

Niloofar Rahmani
File:Niloofar Rahmani.jpg
Native name	نیلوفر رحمانی
Born	1992 Afghanistan
Occupation	pilot
Years active	2012–present
Known for	first Afghan female fixed-wing pilot

Niloofar Rahmani (Persian:نیلوفر رحمانی born 1992) is the first female fixed-wing Air Force aviator in Afghanistan's history and the first female pilot in the Afghan military since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Though her family received death threats, she persevered to complete her training and won the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award in 2015.

Biography

2nd Lt. Niloofar Rahmani stands alongside the other four graduates of undergraduate pilot training just prior to receiving their pilot wings at a ceremony May 14, 2013, at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan. Rahmani made history May 14, 2013, when she became the first female to successfully complete undergraduate pilot training and earn the status of pilot in more than 30 years. She will continue her service as she joins the Kabul Air Wing as a Cessna 208 pilot.

Niloofar Rahmani was born in Afghanistan in 1992. Since she was a child, she had a dream of becoming a pilot and spent nearly a year studying English to be able to attend flight school. She enlisted in the Afghan Air Force Officer Training Program in 2010 and in July 2012 graduated as a Second Lieutenant.

Two female helicopter pilots during the Soviet era, along with her father, served as inspiration for Rahmani's achievement. Her first solo flight was in a Cessna 182. Wanting to fly larger aircraft, she went to advanced flight school and was soon flying the C-208 military cargo aircraft. Women are traditionally banned from transporting dead or wounded soldiers; however, Rahmani defied orders when she discovered injured soldiers upon landing in one mission. Flying them to a hospital, she reported her actions to her superiors, who imposed no sanctions.

When her achievements were publicized, Captain Rahmani's family received threats from both family members and the Taliban, who disapproved of her ambition and career choices. The family has had to move several times but Rahmani is resolute and aims to fly a larger C-130 plane and become a flight instructor to inspire other women.