In Conversation with Dominique Cotte: Commercial Pilot and Australian Aviation Ambassador
by Megan Slack
Succeeding in the world of aviation is an accomplishment for anybody, but for Dominique Cotte, a pilot and Australian aviation ambassador, her jet-set way of life sparked from a lifelong struggle. I spoke to Dominique Cotte to find out more about her career as a young Boeing 777 female pilot.
Air travel called to Dominique in her teenage years, but she did not always envision herself in the pilot’s seat. “I was always interested in travel,” she shared. “I was born in a small Australian country town of 180 people, so my curiosity led me to want to discover the rest of the world.
“I took a trip to Mauritius with my family when I was 14, and it was on board my Air Mauritius flight that I decided I wanted to become cabin crew. Two years later, my friends blindfolded me for my 16th birthday and drove me to Albury Airport.
“They thought it would be a great idea to become a pilot rather than a flight attendant. So, when they took the blindfold off, two instructors were standing there asking me if I was ready to go flying. Since that flight, I never looked back.”
Every day, Cotte takes charge of a wide body international carrier worth over £179 million. Her job takes her to 6 continents across the globe, observed by the thousands of her envious followers on Instagram.
Those in Cotte’s position see parts of the world that normally stay hidden from wandering tourists’ eyes.
“I fly into places that may be war-torn, or others where little children are sleeping in boxes by themselves on the side of the road. I meet people who can’t leave their country because of the passport they have.
“We are so privileged in so many ways that most people will spend their entire life not understanding what that truly means.”
Amelia Earhart, Amy Johnson and Bessie Coleman are among the most famous female pilots, but it’s an Australian aviator that inspires Cotte. “I wrote my thesis on Deborah Lawrie,” she said. “She was the first female pilot for an airline in Australia. She was brave enough to take Reg Ansett to court and pave the way for female pilots in Australia.
“5 years later I got to work with [Lawrie] at Tigerair. She is now the longest standing female commercial pilot in the world; a true inspiration.”
Motivated by historical female pilots and determined to succeed, Cotte now flies over 300 passengers daily, to every corner of the world. However, the journey to this point was by no means smooth, as gender inequality and the crumbling economy shaped her early years as a pilot.
“I look back now at what I went through to become a pilot. It was very challenging for two main reasons. Firstly, I graduated my flying training straight into the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. The second reason being that Australia is very behind with women in aviation.
“I was refused multiple jobs for being a woman and I was treated and paid differently during my early years in aviation.
“Jobs were scarce, and it took a lot more years flying small aircraft around before you could get into the airlines. Once I got into the airlines, the environment was much more professional, and gender parity was no longer such an issue.
“I think back to my previous flying; into paddocks, mine sites, aboriginal communities and dirt strips, and remember it as an adventure that I was so lucky to experience.
“It shaped me both as a pilot and a young adult.”
Cotte believes there is no better time than the present for a woman to break into the world of aviation. “Airlines are screaming out for female pilots,” she told me.
“They want it to be a 50/50 gender split, and India is leading the way with up to 15% female pilots. There are now programs and scholarships purely directed at women, and it is an exciting time. I love seeing more and more female flight crew around the world.”
It’s clear that we’re entering a new era for women in aviation, though it wasn’t always easy for Cotte. “I do admit it has taken courage to get where I am today and many setbacks,” she said.
“I hope I can motivate people to never listen to anyone that tells them they can’t succeed.”
You can follow Dominique on Instagram at @domcotdotcom. The title image for this article is 'Soldiers of the Sky' by Nickolas Muray, 1940.
Megan Slack is a MA International Journalism student at the University of Leeds, who has written for Likibu and The Tab. Read more by Megan on Harpy.
