EP 146 The inspiring story of the first Tongan woman to become an airline pilot & the best wine regions to visit this autumn

EP 146 The inspiring story of the first Tongan woman to become an airline pilot & the best wine regions to visit this autumn

May 20, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 146

About this episode

Silva McLeod shares her inspiring journey as the first Tongan woman to become an airline pilot, alongside tips for visiting the best wine regions this autumn.

You might need the tissues for this one. This is the heartfelt story of Silva McLeod, the first Tongan woman to become an airline pilot, who wrote about her incredible journey from 'Island Girl to Airline Pilot' in a memoir of that name. Silva always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but never imagined it'd come true until she met Ken, who she eventually married, but it wasn't until a near-death experience that she pursued her lifelong passion. As well as telling us about her remarkable sto...

People in this episode

Hosts: Belinda Jackson, Kirstie Bedford

Guest: Silva McLeod

Topics covered

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Island Girl to Airline Pilot

Places: Tonga

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