Hyderabad: In a remarkable achievement, 21-year-old Muskan Begum from Hyderabad has earned her commercial pilot licence, emerging as one of the youngest female pilots from the city. Muskan underwent her training in Cape Town, South Africa, and is now legally certified to fly commercial aircraft.
Muskan completed her early education at Narayana and intermediate studies at Chaitanya institutions. She began her aviation journey by clearing medicals in Hyderabad and passing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) exams through V2 Aviation Academy located in Khader Bagh.
In 2023, she enrolled at the 4 Aviators Flying School in Cape Town after securing her South African visa. There, she successfully completed both theoretical and practical examinations, culminating in her Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) checkride. “I’ve flown over 250 hours and now officially hold a commercial pilot licence,” she told Siasat.com.
Coming from a middle-class family of seven, Muskan credits her parents’ unwavering support for her success. “My mother runs small businesses, and my father works in Doha, Qatar. It wasn’t easy convincing them initially due to societal stereotypes, but they eventually backed me fully,” she shared.
Wearing the hijab throughout her training, Muskan said she faced minor challenges but didn’t let societal opinions hinder her path. “Being a hijabi and getting trained abroad was manageable despite some struggle. I focused on my goal and didn’t allow distractions,” she added.
Currently, Muskan is pursuing instructor training at the same flying school and plans to work there to gain more flight hours and experience. “I aim to be ready when airline vacancies open up,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, she recalled, “As a child, I would watch planes near the airport and dream of flying one. Aviation was once just a dream — now, it’s everything.”
