From her first flight at 13 to becoming one of the UK’s first female fast-jet pilots, Mandy Hickson’s story is anything but ordinary. Driven by a passion for flying and a deep sense of resilience, Mandy carved out a groundbreaking military career—despite setbacks, stereotypes, and institutional gaps in understanding what it means to be a woman in a man’s world.
Taking Flight—Literally
Mandy’s journey began with the air cadets, where she was among the first girls allowed to join. Inspired by her grandfather’s war stories, she quickly fell in love with flying, earning her private pilot’s licence before she could even drive.
After university, where she clocked up over 160 flight hours, Mandy set her sights on the RAF. She initially failed the aptitude tests—designed around male candidates—but thanks to a supportive mentor and revised assessments, she was eventually accepted.
“Flying is like dancing in the sky; there’s no freedom like it.”
Her determination saw her through five gruelling years of fast-jet training, eventually leading her to the Tornado GR4, and combat missions in Iraq.
Flying into the Fire—and Facing Sexism
As one of only a handful of women flying combat jets, Mandy faced both danger and discrimination. From patronising jokes to doubts about her capabilities, she learned to stay focused and let her performance speak louder than words.
During her deployment in Iraq, she flew 45 missions over three years—dodging gunfire and grappling with the harsh realities of conflict. One moment stuck with her: discovering that a boy had been behind the gunfire she narrowly escaped. It was a stark reminder of the human cost of war.
Balancing Motherhood and Military Duty
After becoming a mother, Mandy found herself in uncharted territory. The RAF had no clear policies for female pilots returning from maternity leave. Refusing a frontline post while breastfeeding, she instead took a critical behind-the-scenes role—updating the Tornado’s pilot manual, a job only an experienced pilot could handle.
She eventually left the RAF in 2011, after 17 years of service, knowing she had pushed boundaries and made space for others to follow.
A New Mission: Inspiring Others
Today, Mandy is a bestselling author and motivational speaker. Her memoir, An Officer, Not A Gentleman, was self-published after multiple rejections and rose to become the 11th bestselling book on Amazon UK. She speaks at schools, businesses, and events, empowering the next generation to dream big.
“Recently, a young girl told me she pursued flying because of me. That’s an unbeatable feeling.”
