Trained in Perpignan, Amathoullah becomes the first female airline pilot from Mayotte

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“I’m realizing it little by little.” Since the end of October 2024, Amathoullah Adinani hasn't quite landed yet. At 28 years old and after completing training in Perpignan, she officially became airline pilot. For a woman from Mayottethe French archipelago located between Madagascar and the Comoros, this is a first.

“My journey is not simple”

“The news caused a lot of noise in Mayotte. I am very happy, especially because my journey is not simple. But I managed to hold on,” rejoices the graduate toNews Perpignan.

It's true, nothing has been simple. After a childhood spent in Mayotte, Amathoullah set down his bags in Toulouse. She passed her baccalaureate at Saint-Sernin high school. Her goal is already clear: she wants to fly planes. La Mahoraise enrolls in the ESMA Aviation Academy. “I had done flight hours, but I was not able to continue the training,” she explains.

After this first experience, Amathoullah decided to head for England. The opportunity to work and improve your English. After a year, the young woman returned to Toulouse… before returning to the other side of the Channel to continue improving her English.

After six months spent in a British high school, Amathoullah returned to mainland France. In March 2020, she started her adventure at Airways College, a flight school based in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne). “That’s where I really started my journey as a professional pilot.”

Serial bankruptcies

She did not yet know it at the time, but this journey would be strewn with pitfalls. His training forced him to move to Also (Gers), then in Andorra. “My school subcontracted all the theoretical part there (Andorra Aviation, editor's note). Installed in Andorra, I learned that my school had gone bankrupt,” she recalls.

In Andorra, I had only completed 5 modules out of 14. As we had a deadline to complete all the theoretical modules, I decided to return to France and continue my distance learning.

After having validated all the necessary modules, his school was bought by Paris Flight Training (PFT). She re-registers and begins her “maturing” phase. “This is the period when we do solo flights. To mature and apply everything we have been taught so far,” specifies the young woman.

Here again, the ripening stage goes smoothly. But before continuing the practical phase, Amathoullah and the other students are faced with a new hard blow: the school went bankrupt again.

“Mentally, it was quite difficult and demanding”

Without an establishment to continue her training, the Mahoraise goes back to work while waiting to find a school. In January 2024, her research led her to Perpignan. It's on the side ofAéropyrénéesat Llabanère airport, which Amathoullah completes his training at the end of October.

It was a long journey! When the school went bankrupt, we were in limbo. It was not known whether it would be bought out or liquidated. With each takeover and each bankruptcy, we had to move again. I did Agen, Andorra, Toulouse, Agen and Perpignan to finish.

“Mentally it was quite difficult and taxing. My return to school was in March 2020. I should have finished in March 2022because the training takes place over two years. Finally, due to these bankruptcies, I finished in October 2024,” she sighs. Despite this stress, Amathoullah was able to go all the way. In particular thanks to the financial support of the Department of Mayotte which granted him a scholarship.

She will soon be able to pilot the biggest planes

Today in Toulouse, with his loved ones, Amathoullah is preparing to apply for several companies. “I am open to everything! », assures the pilot. At the moment, she can only fly small planes. For the Airbus A320 or the Boeing 737we will have to wait a few more months.

The diploma I have just obtained allows me to apply for a job in a company. If it wishes, the company can pay me for the standard qualification (QT). This new training will allow me to pilot the planes that the company operates.

This “QT” depends on the type of aircraft. For an A320 or a 737, training does not exceed two months. Before taking it in hand, each pilot must know, inside and out, all the documentation for their future device.

She is ready to return to Mayotte

As for his next employer, Amathoullah has not yet decided. Work in mainland France or return to Mayotte? She is not against returning to her island. Quite the contrary…

“A Mahorese company, EWA Airrecently saw the light of day. It's been a few years since I left Mayotte, but I would be happy if I could work there! I have my darling who is in Toulouse. He is not Mahorais, but is not against following me. If I have an opportunity there, I'm going to take it. But I remain quite open,” she repeats.

While waiting to start his career, Amathoullah enjoys being the first Mahoraise to become an airline pilot. “I am very proud of myself. Despite everything, I remain lucid and my family also helps me to keep my feet on the ground,” promises the one who dreamed of flying since she was little.

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