She's the first local Malay woman to become a commercial pilot

First officer Farhain Abu Bakar from Scoot-Tiger Air. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN

SINGAPORE - Commercial pilot Farhain Abu Bakar is making waves in the aviation sector, a largely male-dominated industry.

Ms Farhain, 29, who flies with Scoot-Tigerair, was recently promoted to first officer. She is the first local Malay woman to become a commercial pilot, according to Berita Harian.

She was profiled in the Malay newspaper last Sunday (Nov 27), and is one of 17 female pilots in Scoot and Tigerair, which have a combined pilot roster of 399.

Among Singapore carriers, women pilots make up less than 1 per cent of the total pilot population. Singapore Airlines hired its first two female pilots in August 2015, from an intake of cadet pilots.

Ms Farhain is no stranger to the aviation business, earning her private pilot licence from the Singapore Youth Flying Club when she was studying biomedical sciences in Singapore Polytechnic in 2004.

She later joined the Singapore Flying College under its Cadet Flight Instructor programme in 2007, obtaining her commercial pilot licence in 2008 and instructor certification in 2010.

She was an instructor for about 5 1/2 years before joining Scoot as a second officer in January (2016) this year.

Ms Farhain, who flies the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, said she enjoys being up in the air.

"I am amazed to see the beauty of nature.... the colour of the sky as it changes when night turns to day... all of it," she told Berita Harian in an interview.

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