Michelle Huntington was told girls can’t be pilots, something she refused to accept. Photo: Virgin Australia.
A woman who defied the odds to become one of just 500 female airline captains worldwide will return to Griffith for a keynote speech and workshop this weekend.
Michelle Huntington recently released her debut book Lady MacGyver, the title a nod to the cult 1980s TV action hero.
“MacGyver was famous from being able to engineer something from nothing, even when his life was at stake,” Ms Huntington said.
“That was a skill I had to develop after becoming a pilot.”
She said she experienced an “only in the movies” moment when her wing collapsed onto a wheel when flying to Lake Cargelligo to transport doctors to Far West towns.
“The town rallied and with the help of locals we jacked the wing up and propped it up with a 44-gallon drum, so my 10-seater two-engine plane could fly back to Sydney,” she said.
“I’d also got struck by lightning flying out of Cooma and lost all my instruments and radio. It was because I’d flown the route 500 times and knew everything about it, I used the old-fashioned way to get through it.”
It’s therefore appropriate that on Friday night she’ll give a talk to Griffith Women in Business (GWIB) called Thriving Under Pressure.
“I’m going to challenge that and say I’m thriving because of pressure,” she said.
“I found out from a nurse friend that when bones break or fracture, once they’ve healed they’re stronger than before they broke.
“You look at Oprah Winfrey and everything that happened to her – she could either be a victim and use that as an excuse to never achieve anything. Or she could use that as a catalyst to make herself stronger.”
Michelle Huntington (third from right) with the Virgin Australia crew. Photo: Supplied.
Ms Huntington moved to Wagga when she was a toddler when her dad joined the RAAF in the 1970s.
She dreamt of being a pilot from the age of four but she faced multiple obstacles. Her career advisor told her women couldn’t be pilots, as did a bank, who refused to lend her money so she could learn.
“I didn’t accept that, I got my pilot’s licence in 2000. When I was training at Bankstown Airport only 0.5 per cent of students were women,” she said.
The 53-year-old captivated the crowd at the inaugural Griffith TEDx event last year with her life story. This time, she will explain how her life skills can apply to business.
“Rural towns already have it tough, in terms of government funding, limited population and shortage skilled workers. That’s why people in business are tough. I’m going to remind them how tough they are and how they can be an example for entrepreneurs in big cities all over the world,” she said.
On Saturday morning, she will run a three-hour interactive workshop to help people develop the tools to speak with confidence when delivering a presentation, leading a meeting, or pitching an idea.
“Michelle made such an impression at last year’s TEDx event, she had everyone on the edge of their seat,” GWIB president Jacinda Violi said.
“That’s why we had to have her back. We invite everyone to come along this weekend, both men and women are welcome.”
Trenerry Funerals is the main sponsor of the events, supported by Patrick Dawson Law, Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Riverina Wings, The Area News, Calabria Wines, Mackay Furniture and Quest.
Thriving Under Pressure: A Keynote Event with Michelle Huntington starts at 6:30 pm on Friday (12 September) at the Griffith Leagues Club. Present Like a Pro starts 9:30 am Saturday (13 September) at Griffith City Library. Tickets to both events are available on the GWIB website.
