Carol Rabadi facts for kids

Carol Rabadi is a pioneering airline pilot from Jordan. She is known for being one of the first female pilots for Royal Jordanian airlines. In 2009, she made history as the Captain of the first flight with an all-female Arab crew for Royal Jordanian. Carol has held important roles, including being an instructor for pilots and a check Captain on A320 planes. She now flies the larger B787 aircraft and is also the Director of Corporate Quality Management at Royal Jordanian Airlines.

Becoming a Pilot

Carol Rabadi dreamed of becoming a pilot from a young age. This dream began when she had a special experience flying in a jump seat on a flight from Cyprus back to Jordan. A jump seat is an extra seat in the cockpit, usually for observers or crew members.

To achieve her dream, Carol studied at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. This university is in Daytona Beach, Florida, in the United States. There, she earned a Bachelor's degree in aeronautical science, which is a degree about the science of flight.

Joining Royal Jordanian

After graduating from university, Carol Rabadi joined Royal Jordanian airlines in 1999. For her first two years, she worked as part of the ground crew. This was a common way for new pilots to start at the airline back then. It helped them learn about how the airline works from the ground up.

In 2009, Carol Rabadi became the second female Captain in Jordan's history. The very first female Captain in Jordan was Taghreed Akasheh, who achieved this milestone in 1985.

Flying Different Planes

For six years, Carol Rabadi flew as a co-pilot. She gained experience flying on different types of airplanes. These included planes from the Airbus A320 family and the larger Airbus A340.

Later, she became a Captain and flew planes in the Embraer E-Jet family. These planes are designed for regional flights.

Making History in the Sky

In October 2009, Captain Rabadi flew her first flight with more than 100 passengers. This flight was returning from Athens, Greece. It was also a very special flight because it was the first time Royal Jordanian had an all-female flight crew.

Since then, Carol Rabadi has been the Captain of several other flights with all-female crews. She is also a member of the Arabian section of the Ninety-Nines. This is an international group for female pilots. Another Royal Jordanian pilot, Alia Twal, leads the Arabian section.