--- title: Afghanistan's 1st female pilot takes round the world flight description: Meet Shaesta Waiz - the first civilian female pilot from Afghanistan who seeks to empower the next generation around the globe in STEM as she makes a historic solo flight around the world. --- [Aviation News & Information | RocketRoute ](https://www.rocketroute.com/blog) # [Afghanistan's 1st female pilot takes round the world flight](https://www.rocketroute.com/blog/afghanistans-1st-female-pilot-takes-round-world-flight) Written by [Justin Coelho](https://www.rocketroute.com/blog/author/justin) | Nov 15, 2016 10:41:00 AM Meet Shaesta Waiz – the first civilian female pilot from Afghanistan who seeks to empower the next generation around the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as she makes a historic solo flight around the world. Along the route, Waiz will team with inspiring women, and together they’ll host outreach events focused on careers in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). ### About A Lady Pilot Shaesta's inspiration to fly around the world- Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock- the first woman who flew solo around the world in 1964. Shaesta was born in Afghanistan in a refugee camp. In 1987 her family travelled from to America in 1987 to escape the Soviet-Afghan War. She grew up with her parents and five sisters in Richmond, California in an underprivileged school district. > *“I believed my future consisted of getting married at a young age and starting a big family. It wasn’t until I found aviation that I started thinking about having a career and going to college,” says Shaesta.* At 28, Waiz has already become the first certified civilian female pilot from Afghanistan. Her next challenge is to become the youngest female pilot to fly around the world. > *“I want to inspire the next generation of female aviation professionals,” she says.* ### About Route Around the World Shaesta recently became a RocketRoute member: > *“RocketRoute will be a great resource during my upcoming flight around the world. The app allows me to plan, review and file my international flight plans within minutes through my iPad. The additional features such as weather, the AutoRoute, flight log, approach plates and live filing will make the single pilot operations of this global trip very convenient for me.”* We hope our software will be more than useful for planning this amazing route. The Dreams Soar route includes approximately 28 stops on five continents. Each stop is strategically selected based on the need for STEM outreach. Inspiring women who are in the STEM field will be featured in these events, promoting STEM education around the world. The total distance for the journey is 24,805 nautical miles. The aircraft Shaesta is planning to fly is 2001 Beechcraft Bonanza A36, Registration number N364ER. Launch date for Spring 2017 will be known soon. | From | To | Distance | | --- | --- | --- | | [KDAB](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KDAB) Daytona Beach, Florida | [KCMH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KCMH) Columbus, Ohio | 655 nm | | [KCMH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KCMH) Columbus, Ohio | [CYUL](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CYUL) Montréal, Canada | 521 nm | | [CYUL](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CYUL) Montréal, Canada | [CYYT](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CYYT) St. Johns, Canada | 876 nm | | [CYYT](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CYYT) St. Johns, Canada | [LPAZ](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LPAZ) Santa Maria, Portugal | 1,374 nm | | [LPAZ](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LPAZ) Santa Maria, Portugal | [LECU](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LECU) Madrid, Spain | 1,023 nm | | [LECU](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LECU) Madrid, Spain | [EGTF](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/EGTF) Fairoaks, England | 673 nm | | [EGTF](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/EGTF) Fairoaks, England | [LIRA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LIRA) Rome, Italy | 789 nm | | [LIRA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LIRA) Rome, Italy | [HECA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/HECA) Cairo, Egypt | 1,150 nm | | [HECA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/HECA) Cairo, Egypt | [OMDW](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/OMDW) Al Maktoum- Dubai, UAE | 1303 nm | | [OMDW](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/OMDW) Al Maktoum- Dubai, UAE | [VABB](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/BOM) Mumbai, India | 1045 nm | | [VABB](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/BOM) Mumbai, India | [VECC](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/VECC) Kolkata (Calcutta), India | 901 nm | | [VECC](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/VECC) Kolkata (Calcutta), India | [VTBD](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/VTBD) Bangkok, Thailand | 868 nm | | [VTBD](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/VTBD) Bangkok, Thailand | [WSSL](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/WSSL) Singapore Seletar, Singapore | 772 nm | | [WSSL](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/WSSL) Singapore Seletar, Singapore | [WIHH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/HLP) Jakarta, Indonesia | 494 nm | | [WIHH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/HLP) Jakarta, Indonesia | [YPDN](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/YPDN) Darwin, Australia | 1,469 nm | | [YPDN](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/YPDN) Darwin, Australia | [YBCS](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/YBCS) Cairns, Australia | 906 nm | | [YBCS](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/YBCS) Cairns, Australia | [NFFN](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/NAN) Nadi, Fiji | 1,818 nm | | [NFFN](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/NAN) Nadi, Fiji | [NSTU](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PPG) Pago Pago, American Samoa | 715 nm | | [NSTU](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PPG) Pago Pago, American Samoa | [PLCH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CXI) Christmas Island, Kiribati | 1,258 nm | | [PLCH](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/CXI) Christmas Island, Kiribati | [PHKO](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KOA) Kona, Hawaii | 1,064 nm | | [PHKO](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KOA) Kona, Hawaii | [PHTO](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PHTO) Hilo, Hawaii | 57 nm | | [PHTO](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PHTO) Hilo, Hawaii | [KSEE](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KSEE) El Cajon, California | 2,184 nm | | [KSEE](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KSEE) El Cajon, California | [KDVT](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/DVT) Phoenix, Arizona | 252 nm | | [KDVT](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/DVT) Phoenix, Arizona | [KBEC](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/BEC) Wichita, Kansas | 763 nm | | [KBEC](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KICT) Wichita, Kansas | [KGRR](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/GRR) Grand Rapids, Michigan | 619 nm | | [KGRR](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/GRR) Grand Rapids, Michigan | [KLUK](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LUK) Cincinnati, Ohio | 232 nm | | [KLUK](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/LUK) Cincinnati, Ohio | [KDCA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KDCA) Washington, D.C. | 346 nm | | [KDCA](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KDCA) Washington, D.C. | [KPDK](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PDK) Atlanta, Georgia (Peachtree) | 461 nm | | [KPDK](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/PDK) Atlanta, Georgia (Peachtree) | [KBFM](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KBFM) Mobile, Alabama | 273 nm | | [KBFM](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KBFM) Mobile, Alabama | [KDAB](http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KDAB) Daytona Beach, Florida | 376 nm | | Total: | 25,237 nm | | ##### *Please note, the route is subject to change due to weather and/or maintenance delays. Outreach events are planned in Kabul, Afghanistan but the Bonanza will not be flown into country due to the aircraft’s performance capabilities. The following cities, KLUK and KPDK are for fuel/tech stops. ### Few interesting facts Want to support Dreams Soar? Find out how [here](https://dreamssoar.networkforgood.com/?mc_cid=3bba5e5618&mc_eid=3b01363c85).  [View full post](https://www.rocketroute.com/blog/afghanistans-1st-female-pilot-takes-round-world-flight) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Justin Coelho" }, "dateModified" : "2024-10-15T20:07:43.986Z", "datePublished" : "2016-11-15T10:41:00Z", "headline" : "Afghanistan's 1st female pilot takes round the world flight", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 60, "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png", "width" : 60 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.rocketroute.com/blog/afghanistans-1st-female-pilot-takes-round-world-flight", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 60, "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png", "width" : 60 }, "name" : "RocketRoute Blog" } } ```