Arpinder Kaur of San Antonio, Texas is the first turbaned pilot hired by a commercial airline in the United States. she has helped pave the way for both Sikh men and women to wear a dastaar/turban to fulfill their passion for flying.
She is now
flying Embraer Jets for American Eagle, a regional airline that is part of AMR
based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
When Arpinder
Kaur was asked why she chose to do this, she said:
“Two of the
reasons I did this were: first, my love of flying and, second, to set a
precedent for the community so they know you can be in your Sikh appearance and
do anything out there; so that my younger brothers and sisters [the rising
generation] will pursue their passions while practicing their Sikh faith. ”
Her passion for
flying first started when at the age of 15 she got to sit in the cockpit of an
airplane when moving from Panjab. Despite having a degree in Information
Systems and her mothers belief that it was too dangerous for a girl to be a
pilot, Kaur has chosen to follow her passion; while using it as a means for
supporting her family.
Kaur said it was
the love and support of her husband, Pritpal Singh that pushed her forward on
the path toward becoming a pilot. Kulbir Singh Sandhu, captain with AMR mentored
her throughout her aviation career.
Harinder Singh,
executive director of the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) in San Antonio,
Texas said, “ Religious accommodation, not assimilation, is what the founders
of this great nation envisioned and we are thrilled American Airlines
celebrates the rich religious and cultural diversity of all American
populations”.
https://barusahib.org/general/first-turbaned-sikh-woman-pilot/
