Cobham cadets fast-tracked to fly

For the first time in Cobham Aviation’s 30-year history in Australia, a woman has been included in their cadet pilot program.

Ruby Blagrove is the first female cadet selected by Cobham Aviation to train as a special missions pilot. Picture: Cobham Aviation

For the first time in Cobham Aviation’s 30-year history in Australia, a woman has been included in their cadet pilot program.

Ruby Blagrove, 19, from McLaren Vale in South Australia, was selected from more than 400 applicants to join the 2020 program run in partnership with Flight Training Adelaide.

Three other applicants, Jordan Negrin, Daniel Coulton and David Collins, also qualified for the 53-week intensive program designed to put them on a fast-track to become Special Mission pilots.

Contracted by the federal government to provide national security, border protection and environmental protection, Cob­ham conducts airborne surveillance in specially modified Dash 8 aircraft. Ms Blagrove said the diversity of the work undertaken by Cobham made the company very appealing.

“The flying that we’ll be doing at the end (of the program) will be low-level, fast-flying surveillance work on our borders, which is very exciting and an important job, so I am very excited to be heading in that direction,” she said.

She is less comfortable with being singled out for attention due to her status as Cobham’s first female cadet. “I feel women are definitely under-represented in the pilot ranks but at the same time, gender shouldn’t come into it and it should be about someone’s ability to fly and their passion,” Ms Blagrove said.

“It’s a nice thought (that I could help) get more exposure for females doing interesting things in the aviation industry but I don’t think gender should come into it at all.”

Cobham Vice-President Special Missions, Russell Dyer, said the cadet program was only in its second year and generating much interest across the country.

“We were both surprised and delighted to be swamped by applications from around the country,” Mr Dyer said.

“Obviously our cadet pilot program has captured the imagination of would-be aviators everywhere.”