A female pilot from Largs has reached a significant milestone by earning her Captain’s rank with Loganair at the young age of 26. This achievement stands out, especially considering that the average pilot in Europe is 43 years old, with only 5% identifying as women.

Rachel Gilmour, who hails from Largs, discovered her passion for aviation early on, and despite lacking family connections in the field, her enthusiasm for travel led her to pursue this goal. She started her flying journey in Dundee at Tayside Aviation after attending a Pilot Career’s Day with her father. As her peers planned holiday trips, Rachel dedicated herself to flying, ultimately becoming an instructor at 22, teaching budding pilots.

Joining Loganair at 24, she quickly advanced to the role of second-in-command before returning to Glasgow as a Captain, currently piloting an Embraer 145 on routes including flights to Stornoway and Benbecula.

Rachel expressed her pride: “It’s an honour to be able to fly for Loganair and I especially love providing that lifeline service for people to connect them to the mainland which is something really special.

“Loganair has given me the opportunity to gain extensive experience and I’m truly proud to now be a Captain at just 26.”

She aims to inspire young women to explore careers in aviation, stating, “Age is just a number, and I really hope to encourage more young women and girls to consider roles like mine.”

Additionally, Rachel mentioned, “I’ve flown my partner a few times, and he always gives me a thumbs up on landing.”

March 8 marks International Women’s Day, celebrated globally to honor women’s achievements and advocate for gender equality. The 2025 theme is ‘Accelerate Action,’ calling for strategies and initiatives to further support women’s progress in all sectors.