Lotfia ElNadi
Encyclopedia
Lotfia ElNadi (1907 - 2002) was an Egyptian
aviatrix (Female pilot).
At the age of 26, Lotfia ElNadi became the first Egyptian
female to fly a plane from Cairo
and Alexandria
, Egypt
.
In order to achieve her dream - in a time when Egyptian women were fighting to obtain equal rights - Lotfia informed her father that she was attending a study group, when in fact she was attending flying lessons twice a week.
When her mother discovered her secret desire to learn to fly, she decided to help her daughter achieve that goal.
It is said that her first time in a plane was when she worked as a receptionist at Cairo airport and she hid in a 2-seater plane, just to experience what it was like to fly.
She once experienced living in the desert as part of a survival training course. As 1 of 2 women in a group of men, they earned the respect of the many men due to the continuous hardships that they faced during their time in the desert.
She was also a friend of Amelia Earhart
who sent her many letters when away on trips. She was a very honest, funny, and very independent woman.
She has been decorated with medals from a number of Presidents and notaries around the world. Her respect, determination, and ambition gained her the status as a Women's Equal Rights Advocate
in the Middle East
and an inspiration to the rest of women around the world.
In 1996, the 60-minute documentary film "Take Off From the Sand" (35 mm format) was made by Wageh George about her life. When asked why she wanted to fly, she replied "I learned to fly because I love to be free."
Lotfia never married, and lived in Lausanne
, Switzerland
most of her life. (Switzerland made her an honorary citizen.) She also lived with her nephew in Toronto,Canada for a few years before she died at the age of 95 in Cairo
, Egypt
, among family and friends.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
aviatrix (Female pilot).
At the age of 26, Lotfia ElNadi became the first Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
female to fly a plane from Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
In order to achieve her dream - in a time when Egyptian women were fighting to obtain equal rights - Lotfia informed her father that she was attending a study group, when in fact she was attending flying lessons twice a week.
When her mother discovered her secret desire to learn to fly, she decided to help her daughter achieve that goal.
It is said that her first time in a plane was when she worked as a receptionist at Cairo airport and she hid in a 2-seater plane, just to experience what it was like to fly.
She once experienced living in the desert as part of a survival training course. As 1 of 2 women in a group of men, they earned the respect of the many men due to the continuous hardships that they faced during their time in the desert.
She was also a friend of Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
who sent her many letters when away on trips. She was a very honest, funny, and very independent woman.
She has been decorated with medals from a number of Presidents and notaries around the world. Her respect, determination, and ambition gained her the status as a Women's Equal Rights Advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and an inspiration to the rest of women around the world.
In 1996, the 60-minute documentary film "Take Off From the Sand" (35 mm format) was made by Wageh George about her life. When asked why she wanted to fly, she replied "I learned to fly because I love to be free."
Lotfia never married, and lived in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
most of her life. (Switzerland made her an honorary citizen.) She also lived with her nephew in Toronto,Canada for a few years before she died at the age of 95 in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, among family and friends.