Naval Lieutenant Hilal Aydın (28), who works at the Naval Air Command of the Turkish Navy in Kocaeli's Kartepe district, broke new ground. Aydin successfully completed the challenging training and became the first female aircraft pilot of the Turkish Navy. Aydin, who grew up in the military profession since his childhood because his father served as a specialist sergeant in the Turkish Armed Forces, dreamed of becoming a soldier from an early age.
Aydın, who took on various duties in the navy after graduating from the Naval Academy with the rank of lieutenant, applied for pilot training in 2022. Aydın, who successfully completed the challenging selection and flight training, graduated as the first female aircraft pilot of the Turkish Navy.
Aydın, who works at the Naval Air Command in Kocaeli Kartepe, gave important messages to young people by telling his story from military service to piloting.
"I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SOLDIER SINCE MY CHILDHOOD"
Explaining that he was born in Adıyaman and moved to Ankara in 1999 due to his father's duty, Naval Lieutenant Hilal Aydın said, "I have always wanted to be a soldier since my childhood. My father serves as a specialist sergeant in the Turkish Armed Forces, my mother is a housewife and I have 2 sisters. After graduating from high school, while receiving English preparatory training for Geological Engineering at Middle East Technical University in 2016, I saw the application posters of the National Defense University and applied to the Naval Academy.
"I completed my education, which I started at the Naval Academy in 2017, by graduating with the rank of lieutenant on August 30, 2021, at the end of the 4-year education period," he said.
"I GRADUATED AS THE FIRST FEMALE MARINE PATROL AIRCRAFT PILOT"
Stating that he served as Operations Electronics Assistant Officer and Communications Officer at TCG Gemlik after graduation, Naval Lieutenant Aydın said, "I also served as Safety and Accident Prevention Officer at the Southern Task Group Command. I applied to become an aircraft pilot within the scope of pilotage recruitment in 2022. I passed the interviews and exams and successfully completed the student selection flights at the 18th Main Base Command. Subsequently, I completed the student selection flights at the 18th Main Base Command." "I successfully completed a challenging training process by taking initial and basic flight training at the Naval Airplane Flight School Command and graduated as the first female Maritime Patrol aircraft pilot. After graduation, I started my P-35 type training, one of the Maritime Patrol aircraft, at the Naval Air Training Center Command in Kocaeli," she said.
"I AM HAPPIER AND PROUDER THAN THE CRESCENT IN MY DREAM"
Telling the story of stepping into the sky from the blue homeland, Hilal Aydın said, "During the years when I was studying at the Naval Academy, promotional activities of the units of the Naval Forces Command were carried out within the scope of career days. The motto 'Those who rule the two blues' in the promotion of the Naval Air Command helped me start my story. I can say that I am happier and prouder than the Hilal of my dreams. Being a pilot requires having a fast and correct decision-making mechanism, being able to think practically, and being prepared for all kinds of situations that may arise. "It's very motivating," he said.
"IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE HAPPINESS I FEEL"
Talking about the changes in his life after becoming a pilot, First Lieutenant Hilal Aydın said, "Being a pilot was the turning point of my professional life and flying as an aircraft pilot gave me unforgettable experiences. We went through a training process of 13 sorties within the scope of student selection flights held within the 18th Main Base Command. At the end of the 13 sortie training, I had to show the control pilot a safe landing and flight. It is not possible to describe the happiness I felt when I heard the control pilot speak only positively to the tower."
"I ALWAYS TAKEN GAZİ MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK'S SPIRITUAL DAUGHTER, SABIHA GÖKÇEN, AS AN EXAMPLE"
Aydın said, "Seeing what I could achieve after believing in this path, which I started with the dream of flying, made me feel happy and proud," and concluded his words as follows; "As a Turkish female pilot who feels the rightful pride of doing the same profession, I have always taken Sabiha Gökçen, the adopted daughter of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as an example. I think she is one of the best examples for every young girl who sets her heart and dreams of becoming a pilot. If I were not a pilot, I would like to continue working on our ships, the way I started my career," she said.
Delivering her message to young girls, Hilal Aydın said, "They should not give up dreaming, working and believing for what they dream of. No matter how many difficulties you encounter, the more you strive to achieve, you will overcome every difficulty and achieve what you dream of."
