Kurdish pilot becomes first female captain in Iraq
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - After flying an American Boeing from Baghdad to Dubai on Monday, Duhok native Rezhin Mohammed Doski officially became the first female captain in Iraqi aviation history.
Iraqi Transport Minister Razzaq Saadawi welcomed Captain Doski during a ceremony held at Baghdad International Airport on Monday.
Doski told Rudaw's Hunar Rasheed that reaching this goal was anything but easy.
"It required dedication and hard work. I have accumulated approximately 3,600 flying hours alongside my academic studies."
The journey to become a captain began in 2012 when Doski, at the age of 24, first started attending an aviation school in neighbouring Jordan.
She was first certified to fly Airbus 320 and only later transitioned into becoming a Boeing pilot.
Lack of aviation opportunities in the Kurdistan Region forced Doski to seek employment in the Jordanian aviation scene. She was then recruited by Iraq's Ministry of Transport.
Shortly after joining the ministry, the Iraqi government deployed Doski to the UAE, where she obtained a B738-800 pilot certificate, enabling her to fly Boeing planes.
In 2017, Iraqi Airways hailed Iraqi pilots for their historical achievement of managing to fly Boeing planes from the factory where they were assembled in the United States straight to Baghdad's International Airport. Doski flew one of the planes.
"I became the first woman in Iraqi history to travel to the United States and bring back an aircraft for Iraqi Airways," She said.
Doski's journey wasn't free of challenges. In December 2023, she traveled to Dubai, UAE, to participate in a three-week Boeing course, she recalls. "Following the course, I returned to Iraq and immediately began practical training to reach the rank of first captain.
"I have finally achieved this historic milestone," Doski said, attributing it to her decade-long commitment and hard work finally paying off.
Doski is not the only Kurdish female pilot at the Iraqi Airways. In 2017, Warte Ali, born to a displaced Kurdish family, became the first female pilot to fly a civilian plane for the Iraqi airline.
Iraqi Transport Minister Razzaq Saadawi welcomed Captain Doski during a ceremony held at Baghdad International Airport on Monday.
Doski told Rudaw's Hunar Rasheed that reaching this goal was anything but easy.
"It required dedication and hard work. I have accumulated approximately 3,600 flying hours alongside my academic studies."
The journey to become a captain began in 2012 when Doski, at the age of 24, first started attending an aviation school in neighbouring Jordan.
She was first certified to fly Airbus 320 and only later transitioned into becoming a Boeing pilot.
Lack of aviation opportunities in the Kurdistan Region forced Doski to seek employment in the Jordanian aviation scene. She was then recruited by Iraq's Ministry of Transport.
Shortly after joining the ministry, the Iraqi government deployed Doski to the UAE, where she obtained a B738-800 pilot certificate, enabling her to fly Boeing planes.
In 2017, Iraqi Airways hailed Iraqi pilots for their historical achievement of managing to fly Boeing planes from the factory where they were assembled in the United States straight to Baghdad's International Airport. Doski flew one of the planes.
"I became the first woman in Iraqi history to travel to the United States and bring back an aircraft for Iraqi Airways," She said.
Doski's journey wasn't free of challenges. In December 2023, she traveled to Dubai, UAE, to participate in a three-week Boeing course, she recalls. "Following the course, I returned to Iraq and immediately began practical training to reach the rank of first captain.
"I have finally achieved this historic milestone," Doski said, attributing it to her decade-long commitment and hard work finally paying off.
Doski is not the only Kurdish female pilot at the Iraqi Airways. In 2017, Warte Ali, born to a displaced Kurdish family, became the first female pilot to fly a civilian plane for the Iraqi airline.