Page 57 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

WOMEN IN WOMEN IN
AVIATION AVIATION

land at the nearest airfield to make sure ev- a small aircraft and the endurance is excellent

KING OF THE AIR erything is fine. Rather be safe than sorry. which allows you to go to airfields that a C152

“The other thing I learnt was if you’re
or a C172 wouldn’t be able to. Slings are also

on final approach to land and something is available to have an all EFIS configuration or

Currently flying charters on BE 200s, Dominique wrong don’t think you can make it to your normal analogue instruments with an EFIS in

the middle of the instrument panel.
base because everything looks fine, it might
Lenzen is a rising star in aviation. Our World not be and you could regret your decision to “It is great for the students to learn how to
carry on.”

Airnews correspondent Mike Wright caught up And her favourite aircraft she said the fly on both EFIS and analogue instruments
because the newer aircraft are equipped with

with her C130 has always been a favourite as well as the more modern instruments. It’s really good
the B747.
that they have training on both. All in all it is a

The C208 is an aircraft she would really like great aircraft for training she feels.
to fly in the near future as well as the King Air. Asked about air shows - Dominique said

Her favourite aircraft for general aviation is it was only once she started flying that she

eet 26-year-old King Air pilot the C172 and the C206. truly began to appreciate air shows and all the

Asked about the Sling aircraft which is
MDominique Lenzen. widely used for training, Dominique said, work that goes into the acts. “The air show is
also an ideal opportunity to show people the

Although today she dreams of flying for school, advertise flying and answer questions

a large, international, commercial airline, “I think the Sling is a fantastic aircraft. The people have,” she said.
running costs are lower than most trainers
young Dominique didn’t always have her so it’s more affordable to students as well as Quite an old responsible head her shoul-

hopes set on aviation as her career choice. to the school. It is quite a stable aircraft and ders. Dominique shows a lot of promise in

“I’m not one of those pilots who knew very manoeuvrable.” her career. She is currently flying charters on

they wanted to fly since they could walk. She said that it has a high performance for BE 200s. Q
But I do remember staring up at the sky
when I was playing hockey at high school
and looking up at the planes and wondering
where they had been and where they were NEWS
going.”
She went to school at Danville Park Girls
High School which is right next to the
Virginia airport so you can imagine during MBDA TO PURCHASE
lessons she was always the one looking
out the window when a Citation or King Air

took off. GDI SIMULATION
In her last year at high school Dominique

said she was still uncertain as to what she
wanted to do, but what she did know was

- she didn’t want to sit in an office all day
behind a computer.
One night while having dinner with her
parents, Dominique’s mom suggested may-
be she should be a pilot.
“I gave it some thought and, after listen-

ing to Bruce Daniels talk about becoming
a pilot at my schools career evening, I was
sold!” BDA has signed an agree-
Dominique managed to get her commer- Mment to purchase GDI Simu-

cial pilot’s licence in just 18 months, with Nelspruit and back in a C206. lation from Airbus with closing subject to

instrument rating and multi-engine rating more females in the industry – especially On the way back they noticed quite a regulatory closing conditions.

as well as a grade three flight instructor. instructors.” low oil pressure but they thought it was Terms of the deal are not being dis-
In 2012 she passed her Airline Transport Dominique’s advice to aspiring pilots is possibly because we had been in a constant closed.
Pilot License exams and then became an never to let anyone tell you that you can’t descent. They also checked the pitch to MBDA's CEO Éric Béranger

instructor at Ayre, a flight school which do it - especially if you are a woman. confirm they had oil. said, “With the acquisition

was based at Virginia Airport. She said “If you think flying is something you When they were abeam King Shaka the of GDI, MBDA will reinforce its

that there is no better feeling than when want to pursue you need to be willing to engine started surging and gave them position in training simulation equipment, es-

students pass an exam because you have put in a lot of hard work and be willing to the fright of their lives and they instant- pecially in the battlefield segment, combining

helped them or when they are doing an air learn. They say you never stop learning ly turned to King Shaka. They were on MBDA’s expertise in missiles and simulation
exercise that you have taught them and in this industry and nothing comes easy finals and everything seemed fine so they with GDI Simulation’s industrial capability for

they get it right. so you really need to have the passion for thought lets go to Virginia. As they changed development, production and maintenance for the French and foreign armed forces.

“Seeing the happiness on their faces and fl ying.” frequency to Virginia the engine started of training equipment to offer an integrated Over the course of several years, it has built a

knowing you have passed on your knowl- Asked what her best flight has been to surging again. Luckily runway 23 was in solution to its domestic and foreign clients.” well-developed and recognised competence in

edge to them really makes all the hard work date, Dominique said it was when she took use and they were close and landed safely. GDI Simulation is one of the leading French play- eye-safe laser based systems and it provides

and effort worth it.” her dad flying for the first time, and “I was Once the two pilots got out they saw all ers in simulation for the French Armed Forces. crucial services and support to the land based

Working in an industry that is quite really excited to finally take my dad flying. the oil had leaked from a hole in the crank GDI Simulation, based in the Ile de France, training centres of the French Army.

strongly dominated by males, Dominique After we landed my dad gave me a hug and case. It was quite a scary experience and is a SME with over 70 employees and in 2018 GDI Simulation will continue to operate

said she hopes to give the aviation industry told me how proud he was of me.” they were very lucky that nothing else generated sales of (Euros) €15 million. independently under the ownership of MBDA

a little more female representation. And commenting on experience that our happened. It develops, assembles, integrates and as a prime contractor to the DGA for simula-

“There is never a dull moment around readers could learn from she said she was What she took from the experience is maintains simulation systems for ground tion systems equipment and as a supplier to

a group of males, but we really do need doing a flight with another instructor up to that if you ever suspect something is wrong vehicles and for MBDA battlefield missiles, MBDA. Q
World Airnews | January 2020 World Airnews | January 2020
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