Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi facts for kids

Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi is a very important person in Saudi Arabia. She is known for being the first Saudi woman to become a pilot! This was a big step forward for women in her country.

Her Early Life and Dream

Hanadi was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in September 1978. From a young age, she dreamed of flying. To make her dream come true, she studied at the Middle East Academy for Commercial Aviation. This school is located in Amman, Jordan.

Becoming a Pilot

Hanadi worked very hard. She passed her final exams on June 15, 2005. This meant she was officially a certified pilot! After graduating, she signed a ten-year contract. She became a pilot for Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal's company, Kingdom Holding Company. She flew his private jet, which is called the Kingdom.

Breaking Barriers

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal strongly supported Hanadi. He even paid for her pilot training. When she graduated, he said he fully supports Saudi women working in all kinds of jobs. This was a powerful message for women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

Flying in Saudi Arabia

In 2014, Hanadi al-Hindi received special permission. This allowed her to fly planes within Saudi Arabia. This was another important achievement for her.

A Unique Situation

For a long time, there was an interesting fact about Saudi Arabia. Women were allowed to pilot airplanes, but they could not drive cars. This rule changed in 2017, and now women can drive cars too. Hanadi al-Hindi herself did not see this as a problem. She was focused on her passion for flying.

See also

• History of women in aviation in Saudi Arabia