Afghan Biographies
Nabizada, Latifa Col. Mrs.
Name | Nabizada, Latifa Col. Mrs. |
Ethnic backgr. | Pashtun |
Date of birth | 1972 |
Function/Grade | MI-17 Helicopter Pilot |
History and Biodata |
3. Biodata: Since then she has logged more than 1,000 hours of flying time, interrupting her service only during the period of Taliban rule when her family fled to Pakistan, where she learned English. She returned after the ouster of the Taliban and rejoined the air force. In the years since, Nabizada·earned the respect of her fellow pilots, many of whom she now considers to be her "brothers." The dangerous anti-Taliban missions they have flown together have further strengthened their bonds. At the Afghan Air Force base in Kabul, flight engineers, technicians and pilots all treated her with a reverence that seemed alien for Afghanistan. She flew training missions while pregnant with her now-six-year-old daughter Malalai, and when she was born, Nabizada·had no choice but to bring the infant to work. "There was nobody to take care of her," she said. At two months old, Malalai began accompanying her mother as she piloted training missions, cradled in the arms of Nabizada's·engineer since there was no room for a crib on the flight deck.Today, the 40-year-old flies a well armed, Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter, delivering supplies to most of the country’s provinces, including areas of heavy combat where she has also evacuated wounded personnel.
‘Being a pilot and a mother is hard, actually,’ Nabizada says. ‘My husband is a doctor in the air force and we have no one to take care of her, so she comes with me every day. One day I’d like to see childcare in the air force.’
Latifa the only woman pilot in the Afghan National Army's Air Corps blames the commander of the Afghan Air Corps, Major General Mohammad Dawran for the death of her 36-year-old sister and fellow aviator, Lailuma. She died on July 17, 2006 from complications during childbirth at Kabul's Rabia Balkhi Maternity Hospital.
Latifa is married to a Doctor who is serving in the Afghan Air Force. She has a six year old daughter Malalai. Nabizada speaks Pashtu, Dari, Urdu and English. Two Afghan female pilots, Suraya Hassani and Massomeh Hussaini, who underwent a two-year aerial training course in the United States, joined the Afghan air force.(20121104) |
Last Modified | 2012-11-04 |
Established | 2012-10-31 |