NASSAU, Bahamas, January 8, 2024 — Brittany Ford and Aysia Thurston are recipients of scholarships from Qatar to study in that country to become jet pilots due to a partnership forged between Qatar Aeronautical Academy and The Bahamas Aeronautical Academy.
Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper, who is also Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation and MP for The Exumas and Ragged Island, revealed this exciting news in a post on his Facebook page today (January 8).
Brittany Ford, who hails from Ragged Island, attended school in Exuma at L.N. Coakley High School, ultimately graduating from Saint Andrew’s Anglican School, Exuma.
Aysia Thurston is an alumnus of St. Augustine’s College, Nassau.
They recently embarked on transformative two-year program supported by Qatar. The scholarship covers full room, board, and tuition, courtesy of Qatar, while the Department of Aviation provides airfare and a relocation allowance. Additionally, the Louise Cooper Scholarship Foundation generously contributes medical insurance coverage of $2,400 per year, per student.
“This is a major step for women in aviation and youth in aviation,” Deputy Prime Minister Cooper. “Women pilots account for approximately 5 percent of the total jet pilots in the world. Among airlines and aviation companies, about 3 percent of the CEOs are women. Therefore, we are delighted to be able to contribute to the advancement of women in aviation.”
