At KLM, a Dutch airline, the emotion of introducing a pilot before a flight is a consensus among the flight attendants. However, this is not something that happens often.
At KLM, only 5,8% of pilots are women. Jacqueline Vollebregt, 53, is one of them. She is a captain aboard the Boeing 777/787 and has been with KLM for 27 years. The company's most experienced captain shares some of her experiences traveling the world in cockpits.
Check out the interview below:
As a child, did you dream of becoming a pilot?
“Not at all. My mother's academic career ended after she finished home economics school, much to her frustration. That's why she always told me that I could become whatever I wanted to be. But I had no idea what I wanted. I left school at 16 to become a messenger. While on vacation with a friend, I was invited to take a look at the cockpit. It was wonderful! A few years later, I still had that itch and decided to take flying lessons at the Martinair Flight Academy.
From that moment on, I knew this was what I wanted to do! But first I needed to get the right qualifications, so I continued working as a courier and completed the university requirement by studying at night.
To cover the costs of attending the National Flight Academy, I moved in with my parents again and worked a lot. During the week, he provided home care services, and on weekends, he worked in a department store (V&D). I also delivered newspapers. The problem was that I could only get a loan from the bank if I personally invested 36.000 guilders (Dutch currency used until 2002). After saving 30.000 guilders, I borrowed the remaining 6.000 from my parents. And so I enrolled at the National Flight Academy at age 24. Two years later, I was recruited by KLM”.
How was it for you at the Flight Academy?
“I always felt I had so much more to prove, but I also soon felt at home. Fortunately, there was another woman in my class. There were many chauvinistic remarks in the early years. An instructor once stated that he thought women in the cockpit were a bad idea because they were in a bad mood once a month. That was before we spent time together in the cockpit.”
What is it like to work in the world of men?
“It hasn't been a problem for the last 27 years. Everyone has their own story. Everyone is interesting. I like working with men and I have a lot to discuss with them. We talked about all kinds of topics, from cars and investments, to travel, hobbies and beyond. And when we are performing our duties in the cockpit, communication is always direct. This is essential to avoid problems in the operation.”
How do engers react to you?
“I always get a lot of comments, mostly positive. I vividly an 82-year-old woman stepping aboard and saying, 'This is my first time flying and I'm thrilled to have a female captain!' But sometimes I get silly remarks like 'brace yourself for a hard landing'.” I also a very nervous man who looked horrified when he realized I was the captain. 'Can you get us there safely?' he asked. When I told him I had been flying for 25 years, he calmed down a bit.”
How do your colleagues in the booth respond?
“I often hear them saying, 'So cool! A female captain! But see, I'm just doing my job. As a cockpit crew, we fly with many different cabin crews. We often fly with different cabin crew on the return and return flights. Often when I introduce myself to colleagues when I'm not wearing my uniform, it takes them a while to realize that I'm part of the cockpit team.”
What do you like about flying?
“It's still magical to fly such a big machine, especially when it's stormy and you have to land in strong winds. When I tell people that, they look at me like I'm crazy. But it's these kinds of challenges that make flying interesting. Someone who likes to drive would also prefer to drive through winding mountain roads rather than the highway. As captain, there are always issues I need to resolve. It requires creativity and keeps the work especially interesting.”
What's your favorite destination?
"Hard question! There are so many beautiful places but if I had to pick one I would say New York. It's wonderful to run and people watch in Central Park. Or I go to the cafe at Barnes & Noble bookstore to work on my book. I like to write stories in my free time, at home and on my travels. It allows me to express myself creatively and makes a nice contrast to my job in the cockpit, which is mostly about following established procedures.”
Do you have any tips for girls who dream of becoming pilots?
"Go ahead! Come and us! Don't let practical obstacles get in your way. If you didn't take math and science, you can always get those qualifications later. Sometimes I hear flight attendants saying that they would like to become pilots, but they just didn't consider it at the time. In this sense, it is important to have a model. Two daughters of friends of mine also became pilots. I'm not saying it's because of me, but I might have done a little bit to make them think."
What are your plans?
“I will retire in five years. My husband and I have always wanted to drive our van from Holland to Australia. This is a long road and we want to do everything in our own time. I have also written a children's book called “Thirsa en het spookvliegtuig” (Thirsa and the ghost plane), which will be released in spring 2020. In the book, Thirsa and her friends go on exciting adventures in a small plane that only she can fly. It will be a dream to see my book in bookstores!”
