Diaspo #271: Ilhame Guechati, aviator in the footsteps of Saint-Exupéry thanks to clean energy

Born in Bondy in the Paris region, Ilhame Guechati grew up with her Moroccan parents from the East, while being fascinated by aviation At the age of eight, she was marked by a visit to Le Bourget airport and became more and more interested in the field

During the same period, at precisely 12 years old, the pilot discovered the stories of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Fulfilling her childhood dream, she returns to Le Bourget in 2020 as a versatile instructor

But before that, the studious student, often first in her class, makes her way through the French army After a scientific baccalaureate, Ilhame indeed joined the voluntary service, after brilliant studies at Sciences-Po

“When I was little, we mainly traveled by car, from Paris to Oujda via Almeria or Malaga, where we took the boat I opened my eyes to aviation thanks to the Air and Space Museum, during a visit,” she recalls

For the record, Ilhame Guechati has long believed that aviation was a predominantly female sector Female examples in aviation Ilhame Guechati is particularly marked by Jacqueline Auriol, the first woman to break the sound barrier in Europe and the second female test pilot in France, after Adrienne Bolland

At the age of 16, the young franco-moroccan made her first flight “At that moment, I felt a lot of gratitude

I wanted to realize what for me was more than a dream I really wanted to make it a job, a vocation, to the point of wanting to use my skills in the service of the nation”, she confides to us

It was at this time that the high school student thought more and more of a military career, while using her time at Sciences-Po to understand the major geopolitical and geostrategic issues Initially a volunteer operator and navigator, she passed the EOPAN selections, was a naval aeronautics student pilot officer with the "hunting" desiderata and joined the 50S Squadron in 2011

Ilhame Guechati was sent to an external theater, particularly during the Harmattan mission, in Libya "My pasha, who was affectionately called 'tit biscuit' and who was in command of the flotilla, sent me to pass the EOPAN selections," she recalls

Admitted in September 2011, in an unfeminine environment, she remembers being treated “oddly” sometimes by her counterparts "At the time, the Pasha of the Escadrille who happens to be in love with Morocco and who gave me two medals, told me that I was going to find this atmosphere until the end, and that it will be part of my education as a woman of the world, officer and pilot

He told me to use it to improve myself and not lose my goal The road is long, full of pitfalls

I was perfectly aware that I was going to fail and succeed”, she tells us In 2013, she passed the tests to become a helicopter pilot in the army, which is an elite field and whose exam is very difficult, since ALAT pilots are required to intervene everywhere

A helicopter pilot in the army, she initially passed all the exams to become a pilot officer at Saint-Cyr She was then combat promotion major and head of the office and public communication at the General Staff

Particularly encouraged by a few people in his direct educational circle, Ilhame Guechati does not however find this same motivation within his extended circle “I didn't know where I was going, none of my family members were military, a lot of people were telling me to go for a plan B,” she recalls

A glass ceiling to be broken in different areas Ilhame Guechati, however, opts for a withdrawal of the army, in order to continue to explore other horizons in his field Breaking the glass ceiling, the aviator does not hesitate to impose respect, when necessary, in response to the denigrating or sexist remarks she may face, because of her origins or her status as a woman

“Every time I meet people who, within my function, treat me as if I was not French or as a person who did not deserve his place or who would have taken the place of someone else , I don't hesitate to crop them”, she confides to us From this experience, Ilhame Guechati retains above all the great spirit of cohesion which is perpetually taught and which can be found on board the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier or on the ground, but also in flight

“It's tattooed in your heart and in your head These are memories that we remember forever and which allow us to take a leap, in surpassing ourselves”, she confides to us

Medalist on several occasions, notably from NATO and the Combatant's Cross, holder of the Title of Recognition of the Nation, she always remembers what she was like before and after her time in the Army “There is ultimately no competition or competition, the real enemy is oneself

In the end, whether you are civilian or military, you must not forget your comrade, your mission and what you wake up for every morning, ”she underlines In the footsteps of Saint-Exupéry thanks to clean energies After leaving the army, Ilhame Guechati worked for the new project for differentiated training for fighter pilots (FOMEDEC)

“I had a lot of fun planning this project during a mission that was very rich in learning and development Construction of buildings, installation of simulators, testing and reception of Pilatus PC21 aircraft; everything was there

It was a fabulous challenge " she recalls of her experience as a planning manager at the Cognac air base

She then worked under a one-year contract at the National School of Civil Aviation as a tutor in charge of projects She notably trained cadets from Air France, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and South Africa Civil Aviation

She continued at Le Bourget, within the Falcon Training Center of Dassault and Flight Safety International as a Dassault Falcon 7X/8X pilot instructor “An experience that I cherish with all my heart,” she confides to us

Today she is an American pilot of Dassault Falcon and Gulfstream private jets Ilhame Guechati now conducts diplomatic, medical and VIP flights

At the same time, in 2020, she is setting up the Elekropostal challenge with a team of enthusiasts The objective is to "cultivate the memory of aeronautics by reliving the routes of Latécoère and Saint-Exupéry", aboard Velis Electro Pipistrel aircraft

Reconstituting these lines, the objective for Ilhame Guechati is thus to “promote alternative energies without a drop of kerosene” In the test phase in Europe, the Elekropostal aims to make its first intercontinental flight with Africa in 2023

Between two flights and tests, the aviator is also passionate about sport, particularly the marathon and the half-marathon, since the age of 15 This discipline continually teaches him "patience and agility to surpass himself, while remaining structured and keeping his lucidity"

“Balance is also found within family and close friends who are one of the pillars of balance and well-being It is what forges my body and soul

I still have a lot of things to learn humbly,” she says