Abdulaziz Al-Farsi

Oman's first licensed female pilot who broke gender barriers in aviation during the 1960s Middle East

Abdulaziz Al-Farsi (1942–2008) was a trailblazing Omani aviator who shattered gender stereotypes in the Arabian Peninsula. Born in Muscat, she began flying lessons in secret at age 16, eventually earning her pilot's license in 1963—the first woman in Oman to do so. Overcoming societal resistance, she became a flight instructor at the Sultan Air Academy, training male and female cadets. Her most notable achievement was piloting the first all-female crewed flight in the Middle East in 1968, flying a DHC-6 Twin Otter from Muscat to Salalah. Al-Farsi's advocacy led to the establishment of Oman's first women's aviation club in 1972, which trained over 300 female pilots by the 1990s. Her story is chronicled in Oman's Women in Flight, and she was posthumously honored with the Sultanate's Order of Merit in 2009. Modern Omani airlines like Oman Air continue to recognize her legacy through diversity initiatives. Al-Farsi's pioneering spirit is also highlighted in the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center's 2020 exhibition on gender equality milestones.