First female Surinamese jet captain lands Boeing 737 at CJIA
Captain Astrid Deira (centre seated) surrounded by Surinam Airways staff (Adrian Narine photo)
Captain Astrid Deira (centre seated) surrounded by Surinam Airways staff (Adrian Narine photo)

ON Saturday Astrid Deira made her inaugural flight to Guyana as the first female jet pilot in command on Surinam Airways landing a Boeing 737 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).Speaking to this newspaper at the Executive Lounge at CJIA Captain Deira related her journey as the first Surinamese jet captain: “I started working at Surinam Airways some 27 years ago in administration and I have been flying for 22 of those years, but since I was eight years old I told my teacher I wanted to become a pilot. I have flown from the Twin Otter for about 14 years, thereafter I flew the airbus 340 heavy jet as co-pilot and now I am flying the 737 medium jets as pilot in command. From this I have about two to three years before I can become captain of the heavy jet.”
Her advice to young women who might want to enter into aviation is: “If you really love it go for it. There will be set backs and drawbacks; you will fall down but you have to get up and go. People will say you cannot, but if it is in your mind you can do it.”
Captain Deira is the first Surinamese woman in the aviation history of Suriname to be a captain on a jet aircraft and will serve the Region and the route Paramaribo to Georgetown to Miami and back. She is also a fully licensed quality safety inspector with Surinam Airways.
By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally

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