Shakar Soltani Looks to the Skies
08 August 2020 - Kasey Mintz
Soltani's journey toward becoming a pilot started in 2017 while in her senior year of college with an internship with Southwest Airlines.
Soltani getting ready for a session of flight training.
When she realized that the office job life was not for her, she looked to the skies. Her love of everything aviation led her to become a flight attendant with Spirit airlines.
"I have always loved the airlines; I love being at airports and traveling," Soltani said. "I love plane watching and seeing the planes fly over my head."
She had only intended to work as flight attendant for a year while she got her master's degree, but as destiny often does, her time as a flight attendant lead her to her ultimate dream of becoming a pilot.
This dream was not without its challenges, namely how expensive it is to get a pilot's license.
"You can try to make it as affordable as possible but, even then, each flight lesson runs about $200 to $300, and you want to be flying at least 2 or 3 times a week," Soltani said.
But Soltani was not going to let this bring her down. Soon she received much-needed help in the form of scholarship. Some of the organizations she won awards from are: The 99, an organization focused on women pilots, NGPA (National Gay Pilots Association), and most notably, Taco Bell's Live Mas scholarship.
"That one was pretty cool because Taco Bell is nothing aviation, but I won that," Soltani said.
Another excellent resource for Soltani has been the Davidson Initiative.
She said to do something like becoming a pilot having support is very important, especially when you are the first in your family to do something like this.
"I am a thousand percent sure the process would've taken longer and been harder to overcome," Soltani said. "But thanks to organizations like the Davidson Initiative, I got the support I needed."
With these helping hands, Soltani looks to take on one of the biggest hurdles women face in the aviation industry, the gender gap.
The International Society of Women Airline Pilots reported in July that only 5.26% of total airline pilots are female, and a tiny 1.42% of airline captains are female.
"Too often these days, girls don't consider careers in aviation due to gender norms," Soltani said in her scholarship video. "Representation matters, and if we want to empower women, then we need an empowered woman to lead the way."
Soltani engaging the younger generation at an aviation outreach event in the South Florida area.
Soltani hopes that she can help underrepresented people groups. Therefore, when future women pilot students come behind her, they can look at her story and be inspired.
She is committed to helping the next generation, and she has a few words of advice for potential pilot students.
"It's not easy, but it's worth it," Soltani said. "If it is truly what you want to do, you will not make excuses."
ABOUT DAVIDSON INITIATIVE
The Davidson Initiative is a nonprofit organization charged with the mission of providing support for students and aspiring professionals in the aviation industry and equipping them with the necessary instruments required to achieve academic success and to smoothly transition into the workforce. The organization is also working to build the future of aviation by inspiring the younger generation to pursue careers in aviation. For more information, visit www.davidsoninitiative.org