HH Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan Al Maktoum (granddaughter of the late HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the brother of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum), famously quipped, “The sky has no gender,” at the launch of her book When She Took To The Sky during this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. 

In the book, Sheikha Mozah chronicles the stories of women in the fields of aviation and space travel, with a special focus on the pioneering Arab women who made history in these fields and paved the way for other ambitious women. 

“I realised that many people were not aware of the stories of trailblazing women in aviation, the first of their kind to break barriers and take to the sky,” she says. “I then thought it was important that the present generation, especially young people, know the stories of these women who made history in the sky, and to find inspiration from their stories to pursue their dreams regardless of the obstacles they may encounter. The sky, and the opportunities to soar, are for everyone, regardless of gender.”

The book discusses women’s early attempts to conquer the skies using balloons and basic aeroplane models, focusing on their confidence and courage in venturing into a new world of adventure and exploration. It also highlights how they broke the patriarchal and stereotypical barriers.

Sheikha Mozah asserts, “If we sit there and wait for our dreams to materialise, that day will never come. Many of us are really great at creating boundaries inside our minds.” 

Quelling self-limiting beliefs, she demonstrates that, by working hard and with the right amount of determination, no goal is unattainable. 

Emirati women are, indeed, reaching for the sky and succeeding across various sectors such as science, entrepreneurship, and art, thanks to the initiatives of the UAE’s leadership. Inspired by the unyielding encouragement from her family, Sheikha Mozah felt compelled from a very young age to pave the way for the country’s youth, especially women. “I think it is important that women are represented in every field,” she says.  “It is amazing that this is a cause that the UAE tirelessly champions.”

As a testament to her determination and passionate commitment to excellence, Sheikha Mozah has established a legacy of firsts. She took her first flying lesson at the age of 12. “I became passionate about flying after my first lesson and the rest is history,” she recalls. “I love being in the sky and feeling immense joy and freedom. I always push myself beyond my limits to prove that I can do it.”

In 2013, at the age of 17, she attained a Guinness World Record for wing-walking and enrolled in the prestigious Oxford Aviation Academy, subsequently graduating as the youngest in her class. At the age of 19, having achieved her type rating on the Boeing 777, she became the first woman in the Royal Family to fly for Emirates Airline in 2015 – this achievement made her Dubai’s first royal female pilot. She was also the first woman in the UAE to join the Dubai Police Airwing as a first lieutenant pilot in 2019. She went on to become Captain Pilot in 2023. 

Sheikha Mozah illustrates that, breaking free from the fetters of patriarchy and stereotypes, women have gone above and beyond to achieve their dreams. Or as she puts it, “Your altitude is only impacted by your attitude.”

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