Mysuru: 'I Can' is the name of the school I started ten years ago in Mysuru to help every child believe in himself or herself. It is with the same spirit I am embarking on an adventure with my daughter to fly around the world in 80 days,” said Capt. Audrey Deepika Maben. Audrey Maben, 41 and her daughter Amy Mehta, 19, a photography student will take off in a motor glider on February 18 to circumnavigate the world in 80 days. This world record attempt already termed, as an extraordinary attempt of exemplary courage, mental agility and one-of-its-kind aerosport adventure, was announced on Nov.29 at Jakkur Aerodrome in Bengaluru. Capt. Audrey Maben took to the skies as a young NCC Cadet at the age of 15. Winning a national competition, the All India Best Girl Glider Pilot in 1993-94, she decided to pursue gliding by enrolling into the IIT Kanpur Gliding Centre and thereafter obtained her first Glider Pilots License. She then went on to obtain a Microlight Pilots License and set a national flying record by participating in the Air Race India 2003. Besides being the only woman to fly as pilot-in-command during the race, she covered a distance of 2400 kms in five days from Bangalore to Nagpur and back — Solo in a microlight. A feat established by The Aeroclub of India and listed in the Limca Book of Records. In 2007, Audrey went on to become the country’s first woman flight instructor. Amy Mehta, who is accompanying her mother on this mission, has flown with her since she was a child. “I am excited to be in this mission. I am taking special leave for this expedition. I will be my mother’s eyes and ears during the journey. I will look after social media and post messages,” she said. The trailblazing journey has been conceptualised by Social Access Communications with its campaign ‘WE! Women Empower’ in association with a private television channel and the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. Speaking to Star of Mysore, Audrey Maben said that the purpose of this adventure apart from flying was to raise funds for UDAN scholarships for underprivileged girls to fly. “We also hope that people will come forward to support us with funds for the expenditure for the journey. The details are there on the website www.wefly.org.in,” she said. The expedition will fly across 21 countries flying a distance of nearly 50,000 kms. “To me flying has spelt nothing but freedom. It is pure joy to be airborne. Getting an opportunity to see the world and become one with it, is an elevated state of freedom. This mission will give wings to many more girls like me who dreamt of flying every day. All dreams can come true. I have been blessed to live my dream,” she added. The expedition is supported by the Indian Women’s Pilot Association (IWPA), Aerosource India Pvt Ltd, Aerotech FMS Pvt Ltd, Government Flying Training School (GFTS) and The Navy Blue Foundation (NBF).
Training for five months
