Sabiha Gokcen Turkey's first female pilot, world's first female military pilot Date of Birth: 22.03.1913 Country: Turkey

Biography of Sabiha Gokcen

Sabiha Gokcen was the first female pilot in Turkey and the world's first female military pilot. She was one of the eight adopted daughters of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. According to Turkish sources and interviews with Sabiha Gokcen herself, she was the daughter of Mustafa Izzet Bey and Hayriye Hanym, who were ethnic Bosniaks. However, journalist Grant Dink wrote an article titled "The Secret of Sabiha Hatun," in which a former resident of Gaziantep, Hripsime Sebilkyan, claimed to be a relative of Gokcen, implying her Armenian ancestry. Official Turkish sources and Ataturk's only surviving adopted daughter, Yulku Adatap, disputed this version.

At the age of 12, Sabiha visited Bursa with Ataturk in 1925. After learning about her biography and her poor and difficult life, Ataturk decided to adopt her, seeking permission from her brother as Sabiha was to move to the presidential palace in Ankara, where she would live with Ataturk's other daughters - Zehra, Afet, and Rukiye. Sabiha completed her elementary school education in Ankara and Uskudar Kiz Lisesi (Uskudar Girls' College) in Uskudar, Istanbul.

On December 19, 1934, following the introduction of the surname law, Ataturk gave her the surname Gokcen, which means "sky" in Turkish. However, at that time, Sabiha had nothing to do with the sky and airplanes. Ataturk was often interested in aviation and followed the Turkish Aeronautical Association. Sabiha was with Ataturk at the opening ceremony of the Turk Kusu (Turkish Birds) flying school on May 5, 1935, which included glider and parachutist shows invited from foreign countries. Later, Ataturk asked Sabiha if she wanted to become a pilot, and she nodded, saying, "Yes, indeed, I am ready right now." Ataturk instructed the director of the flying school, Fuad Bulje, to register Gokcen as the first female trainee, and she soon obtained a pilot's license. Along with seven other students, Gokcen was sent to the USSR for a course on static wing aircraft modeling. While in Moscow, she learned that Zehra had died and immediately returned to Turkey, temporarily leaving her training.

In early 1936, Ataturk convinced her to enroll in the Air Force Academy to become the first female military pilot in Turkey. She improved her skills and became proficient in bombers and fighters at the Eskisehir airbase. She gained experience after participating in the Aegean exercises and Thrace exercises in 1937. In the same year, she took part in a military operation against Dersi. In 1938, she completed a five-day flight around Balkan countries. Later, she was appointed as the chief instructor at the Turk Kusu flying school of the Turkish Aeronautical Association, where she served until 1955 and became a member of the executive committee of the Association. Sabiha Gokcen flew around the world for 28 years until 1964. She wrote a book titled "Life on Ataturk's Path," which was published in 1981 by the Turkish Aeronautical Association, commemorating the centenary of Ataturk's birth.

During her career in the Turkish Air Force, Gokcen flew 22 different types of aircraft for over 8000 hours, including 32 hours of combat flights. The second international airport in Istanbul, on the Asian side, was named in her honor. She was selected as the only female pilot for the poster "20 Most Famous Aviators in History" published by the US Air Force in 1996.