Abu Dhabi(UAE): The Crown Princess of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikha Mojah bint Marwan Al Maktoum, on Monday became the first woman in the world to pilot an AW609 tiltrotor.
The granddaughter of the Emir of Dubai, Sheikh Marwan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, flew in a tiltrotor during a visit to the headquarters of global aircraft manufacturer Leonardo in Philadelphia, United States.
Sheikha Al Maktoum said, “Riding the AW609 has been on my wish list ever since I saw the first images of the prototype. It is a natural evolution of my piloting experience, a mix of fixed and rotary wing piloting skills. I still Pinching myself for this opportunity! These types of aircraft make me feel very excited about the future of aviation, a future now open to women who have chosen this industry,” Emirates News Agency (WAM) ) told.
Sheikha Mojah said the AW609 tiltrotor was pilot friendly and wonderful to fly. She forgot what type of plane she was commanding until she looked out of the windows at the big rotors.
The AW609 is the first tilt-rotor aircraft designed for civilian use. The machine is a combination of an aeroplane and a helicopter, providing vertical flight speed and versatility of vertical landing.
The aircraft can fly at speeds in excess of 500 km/h with a range of approximately 1,400 km, and the range can be increased to 2,000 km by using additional fuel tanks.
The company’s Managing Director, William Hunt, welcomed the visit of Sheikha Mojah Al Maktoum and expressed happiness that she is the first woman to experience the ‘exotic’ machine.
He said, “The Leonardo Company was honoured to host Sheikha Mozah Al Maktoum, as she carried out this unique experience, which is piloting one of the first group of tiltrotor aircraft.”