An Officer, Not a Gentleman: The Story of Pioneering Fighter Pilot Mandy Hickson
Mandy’s hope of becoming a fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force was once an impossible dream. When Mandy first became interested in flying, women were not permitted to fly in the military.
But the tides turned for Mandy when the rules were finally changed to allow women to fly on the front lines. Her dream was now within reach, but the challenges had only just begun.
Mandy’s story is one that is already having an impact on future generations. In this episode, you will hear Sylvia and Mandy talk about the early influences that led to her career in aviation, building mental resilience, deciphering between when to be a leader and when to be a team player, training versus being in combat, transitioning to motherhood, and so much more.
About Mandy
Mandy Hickson is a former Royal Air Force pilot. She was the only female pilot on her Front Line Tornado Squadron, flying multi-million dollar fast jets. Mandy has also operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly’ zone over Iraq.
Mandy has been the keynote speaker at hundreds of events and is an inspiration to women in the UK and beyond. As a trained Human Factors facilitator with the Civil Aviation Authority, Mandy uses her in-depth knowledge of aviation, calculated risk-taking, and decision-making under pressure to deliver tactical lessons from the cockpit to the boardroom.
Topics Include
Handling loss and setbacks
Framing cognitive diversity as a strength
Incremental learning
Overcoming imposter syndrome
Followership skills
How compartmentalizing can benefit high-achievers
Building a sense of camaraderie
Mandy’s experience with training for the Royal Air Force
Finding purpose through giving back
Books Mentioned
An Officer, Not A Gentleman: The Inspirational Journey Of a Pioneering Female Fighter Pilot* by Mandy Hickson
The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, & Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World* by Shannon Huffman Polson
Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes — But Some Do* by Matthew Syed
*No affiliate links. These are purely books mentioned or recommended in the conversation. No kickbacks received.
Connect with Mandy
Instagram: @MandyHicksonSpeaker
Twitter: @MandyHickson
Facebook: @MandyHicksonSpeaker
LinkedIn: @MandyHickson
YouTube: @MandyHickson123
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