Smadar Schechter became the first captain in EL on • Lia Clark Rios (Air Europe) and Laura Isabel Schmidt (Austrian) fulfilled a childhood dream. Squadrons fly with them

The good for pilots: There are quite a few professions considered to be male so far - pilots are certainly one of them. International Women's Day today is an opportunity to recognize four squadrons, which lift hundreds of tons into the sky every day - and rise above the glass ceiling.

Smadar Schechter, EL AL

"It's all about getting organized around personal career development and spousal and family support," says Smadar Schechter, 48, Cabernita Bal Al.

Schechter became the first Cabernita in El Al. It happened 18 years ago, but her road to flying started long before. "Before the army, I sent a bulk letter to both the former Air Force commander and the chief of staff, in which I expressed my desire to enter a pilot course," says Schechter, a married mother-of-two, who lives in Tal Shahar, "when I got started, I was called to the chief's office and saw All my letters are spread before him. I was offered the opportunity to take screening exams for operations clerks, so I ended up serving on a fighter squadron - closest to the pilot. After military service, while studying for a bachelor's degree in economics, I studied flying privately. For six years I accumulated flight hours and licenses and so I was accepted into my first workplace as a commercial squadron. "

Schechter says she chose the aviation field at the age of 12. "I have been able to fulfill a childhood dream. Over the past few years, women pilots are a recognized and accepted issue in our districts. However, there is still room for improvement. Today, El Al has five pilots and a hand is still leaning."

How do you have family life with such a demanding job?

"The move to El Al was made as part of a couple's decision and before starting a family, thinking it was a way of life that raising a family would be easier than creating such a new reality for an existing family. Still, I want to say to anyone already with a family that it is possible like any other free profession." .

Leia Clark Rios, Air Europe

"When I was little I dreamed of being an astronaut," admits Leia Clark Rios, 22, a squadron with Spanish Air Europe, "later I realized that my passion was for aviation. "My family and my parents are very proud of me, they both come from the world of aviation and tourism, and I even got to work with my mother on the same flight - she is a flight attendant at Air Europe."

Despite and perhaps because of her young age, Leia has already encountered suspicious looks. "People sometimes ask me if I'm disguised as a squadron. They don't really believe it's my job. Currently, just over three percent of the pilots and squadrons in Spain are women. It's a must-remember figure. One of the stories I remember most is meeting a 12-year-old girl who entered the cockpit She was photographed with me, and when she left, she said she felt much safer now that she saw that I was the squadron.

Alexandra, Cathay Pacific

Alexandra (who asked not to name her family), a Dutch squadron working with the Hong Kong Cathay Company, agrees. "Me and my sister are pilots," she says. "We used to fly passengers for scenic flights in the Netherlands. One day a boy who came to fly with his father saw that we were pilots and refused to board because 'pilots are boys.'

According to Alexandra (33), aviation is a "magical" area. "I have been flying on commercial flights for eight years and before that I have flown light aircraft. I fly to Israel and fly Israelis and it is great fun to visit this country. the road".

Laura Isabel Schmidt, Austrian

"Aviation has always been the love of my life," says Laura Isabel Schmidt, 26, a pilot with Austrian Airlines, "at the age of 13, I had already begun to pass the certification, but of course it's not the age to fly. I was very happy to work in Austrian: The company operates three daily flights to Tel Aviv, which allows me to visit quite a few of the amazing State of Israel. One of the interesting and perhaps funny things is to see the reactions of the passengers who find out they have Squadron, many times they think I'm a flight attendant and they are pretty stunned when they understand what my job is. In a very masculine profession, but the numbers are rising and there are more and more women joining in. My family and spouse support me and I am very happy that I am doing it and there is nothing more satisfying than that. "