Within the next month Ms Whan will sit the test for her pilot’s license, in part, thanks to a scholarship from the Australian Women’s Pilots’ Association. But she never thought she’d make it this far. 

At the end of high school, Ms Whan’s passion for flight hadn’t waned but she didn’t think a country girl like her could become a pilot.

“I knew female pilots existed, somewhere out there,” Ms Whan said.

“But I didn’t think to fly, I decided to become a flight attendant instead.”

Ms Whan didn’t meet a female pilot until she was indicating exits and demonstrating lifejackets for Virgin Australia. But once she did she picked their brains at every chance.

She can remember a certain day in 2004, standing on the tarmac watching passenger jets push into the air, as the moment she decided to take up the controls herself.

“I was 24, I was standing under the wing waving goodbye to passengers and I thought to myself - there’s no reason I can’t do that,” she said.

“I started learning immediately. It’s taken me a long time to get here.”

More than a decade down the track, Ms Whan lodged her flight exam results, certificates and penned two essays to the AWPA to secure funding for the final leg of her journey to pilothood.

“In my essay I told them my personal motto for aviation, it’s a quote by Charles Darwin. It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent. It’s the one most adaptable to change,” Ms Whan said.

“As a pilot you have to be adaptable to wind conditions, weather, any number of scenarios and your physical strength means nothing.”

Ms Whan said her eventual goal, after she passes her test, is to work for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. 

“I’m from the country, the medical facilities are not as great out there as in the city.”

“As a former disability support officer I have a real care for people, especially people from the country.”