Breaking Barriers at 30,000 Feet, with RAF Fast Jet Pilot Mandy Hickson
About this episode
Mandy Hickson shares her experiences as a former RAF fast jet pilot, discussing the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field and balancing family life with a demanding career.
This week on WKC Spill The Tea, we’re spilling the tea with Mandy Hickson, former Royal Air Force fast jet pilot and the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on frontline operations. Across a remarkable 25-year military career, Mandy flew 45 missions over Iraq while navigating the intense pressure of a male-dominated environment all alongside raising a young family. In this powerful conversation, Mandy opens up about what it was really like to be judged as “a woman” rather than a pilot, the pressure to prove herself, and the realities of balancing ambition, fear, and family life. Mandy is the author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman and An Officer and Her Gentleman , written with her husband Craig, a Royal Navy and commercial airline pilot. She’s now a highly sought-after motivational speaker, sharing lessons on leadership, resilience, and challenging stereotypes. ✨ In this episode, we ask: • Was flying fast jets always the dream? • What did it feel like being told to be “more feminine”? • Can women really do it all — or do we have to compromise? • How do you push through fear when it really matters? • What cockpit lessons translate…
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