Audrey Maame Esi Swatson (born 23 February 23 1997)[1][2] is the youngest Ghanaian female pilot who has obtained a commercial license.[3]

Audrey Esi Swatson
Born23 February, 1997
NationalityGhanaian
EducationMach1 Aviation Academy
Alma materUniversity of Ghana Basic school
OccupationPilot
EmployerPassion Air
OrganizationExcel Aviation

Early life edit

Swatson hails from Saltpond, a town and the capital of the Mfantsiman Municipal District in the Central Region of South Ghana. She had her basic education at the University of Ghana Basic school and her Senior High Education at the Ghana Christian International High School (Dodowa) where she studied General Science.[4][3]

Having completed Senior High School at the age of 18, she got admission at Mach1 Aviation Academy in Johannesburg (South Africa) to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot.[5][6][7]

Career edit

Maame Esi had her first solo flight with Mach1 Aviation Academy on 4 April 2016 when she was 19.[5] She now holds a commercial pilot license to the standards of the South African Civil Aviation Authority.[5] She has flown a total of 210 hours for the duration of being in school till she obtained her commercial license.[8]

Swatson has set up an aviation company called Excel Aviation Company.[5][8][6]

As of 2019, she is a first officer with Passion Air in Ghana, operating the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft.[9]

Honours edit

Audrey Esi Swatson was celebrated by the Ministry of Aviation.[10] In 2016 she attended a sponsored conference in the USA as the first African female pilot by International Women in Aviation.[11] She was nominated and honoured at The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year (Ghana)[12][13][14]

She was awarded the Female Young Achiever at the 2022 Exclusive Men of the Year Africa Awards.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ "22-year-old Audrey Esi Swatson is Ghana's youngest commercial female pilot". www.ghanaweb.com. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  2. ^ Ghnewslive (16 January 2022). "Meet Audrey Maame Esi Swatson, First Black Female Pilot From Ghana Who Owns Her Own Airline Company. - Ghnewslive". Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b Effah, K. (10 January 2019). "Meet Ghana's youngest female pilot". Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  4. ^ "[Photos] UG Basic School honors Ghana's youngest female pilot, Audrey Swatson". Radio Univers 105.7FM. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "Meet Ghana's youngest female pilot; 21-year-old Audrey who almost ditched her dream". www.ghanaweb.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  6. ^ a b "At 21, Audrey Esi Swatson Is Ghana's Youngest Female Commercial Pilot". Business World Ghana. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  7. ^ "All about Audrey Maame Esi Swatson, Ghana's youngest female commercial pilot". www.myinfo.com.gh. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Meet Audrey Esi, Ghana's youngest female pilot". www.pulse.com.gh. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Meet Audrey Swatson: a young female pilot changing the aviation narrative". Business and Financial Times. 20 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Government celebrates youngest Ghanaian Female Pilot – Government of Ghana". www.ghana.gov.gh. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  11. ^ "University Basic School (UBS) Legon Celebrates Ghana's Youngest Female Commercial Pilot, Audrey Esi Swatson | University of Ghana". www.ug.edu.gh. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  12. ^ "The Future Awards Africa unveils 50 Outstanding Young Ghanaians". The Ghana Guardian News. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Ghana's New Tribe: The Future Awards Africa unveils 50 outstanding young Ghanaians". Pulse Gh. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  14. ^ "The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year (Ghana)". The Future Awards Africa. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Playback: 7th EMY Africa Awards on Joy Prime - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 1 October 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2022.