Island Girl to Airline Pilot

This week, Graeme Kemlo spoke to Tongan-born Silva McLeod recently about her new book, Island Girl to Airline Pilot, which launches this week.

Silva met and married an Australian electrician, despite disapproving looks from some of her fellow Tongans.

Urged on by her ailing husband, Ken, Silva became Tonga’s first female airline pilot, eventually fulfilling a fantasy to ultimately fly a Virgin Australia 777. Ken’s dying wish was that she might be able to support their two daughters after he passed away from multiple myeloma.

Silva endured and has as written a warts-and-all account of her life, her love, her triumphs and her grief. It is a great human-interest story and Graeme confesses it brought him to tears.

Island Girl to Airline Pilot: A Story of Love, Sacrifice and Taking Flight is published by Exisle Publishing.

Click here to listen to the interview on Travel Writers Radio.

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