Chinyere Kalu
{{short description|First Nigerian female pilot}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chinyere Kalu
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| birth_place = Nigeria
| nationality = Nigerian
| occupation = Commercial pilot
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Chinyere Kalu, MFR (née Onyenucheya) is the first Nigerian female commercial pilot and the first woman to fly an aircraft in Nigeria. She served as the rector and Chief Executive of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology between October 2011 and February 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/dangerous-flight-i-flew-plane-with-water-in-the-engine-chinyere-Kalu-first-female-commercial-pilot/|title=Dangerous Flight: I flew plane with water in the engine – Chinyere Kalu, first female commercial pilot|work=Vanguard Nigeria|last=Ben|first=Agande|date=1 December 2012|access-date=13 February 2017}}{{cite web|title=Pin on Uzomedia updates|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/221661612890688616/|website=Pinterest|language=en|access-date=29 May 2020}}
Life
A native of Akwete, Ukwa East LGA in Abia State, Eastern Nigeria, Kalu grew up under the care of her mother after the separation of her parents. She grew up in a very supportive big family. She decided to begin her career in aviation because of her adventurous aunt, well known for overseas travelling.{{cite news|url=http://www.informationng.com/2017/03/captain-chinyere-Kalu-meet-first-nigeria-female-pilot.html|title=Captain Chinyere Kalu; Meet The First Nigeria Female Pilot|date=7 March 2017|work=Information Nigeria|access-date=24 May 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite book|title=Captain Chinyere Kalu; Meet The First Nigeria Female Pilot|last=Jo|first=Daniel|year=2017}} She had her primary school education at Anglican Girls Grammar School, Yaba, Lagos State,{{Cite web |date=2020-10-11 |title=I'm happy not sacrificing my family for career — Chinyere Kalu |url=https://punchng.com/im-happy-not-sacrificing-my-family-for-career-chinyere-kalu/ |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}} before she trained as a private and commercial pilot in 1978 at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria under SP.12 Batch.{{cite web|url=http://woman.ng/2015/06/first-women-first-nigerian-woman-pilot/|title=First Women: First Nigerian Woman Pilot|website=woman.ng|date=18 June 2015|access-date=13 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213165547/http://woman.ng/2015/06/first-women-first-nigerian-woman-pilot/|archive-date=13 February 2017|url-status=dead}} She subsequently took several aviation and transport courses in the United Kingdom and the United States before she received her license as a commercial pilot on 20 May 1981, from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology.{{cite book|author=N. Nik Onyechi|title=Nigeria's book of firsts: a handbook on pioneer Nigerian citizens, institutions, and events|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l9JBAAAAYAAJ|year=1989|publisher=Nigeriana Publications|isbn=9789782839992 }} In October 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed her the rector and chief instructor of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology. In February 2014, she was succeeded by Captain Samuel Caulcrick.{{cite news|url=http://leadership.ng/columns/551787/the-recurring-plot-within-ncat-zaria|title=The Recurring Plot Within NCAT, Zaria|work=Leadership Newspaper|last=Omale|first=Capt. Daniel|date=24 September 2016|access-date=13 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213170420/http://leadership.ng/columns/551787/the-recurring-plot-within-ncat-zaria|archive-date=13 February 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201211210249.html|title=Nigeria: Steady Progression - From First Female Pilot to Rector|work=Leadership Newspaper|publisher=allAfrica|last1=Peter|first1=Oiboh|last2=Abraham|first2=Ada|date=21 November 2012|access-date=13 February 2017}}
Recognition
She is a member of the Nigerian Women Achievers Hall of Fame and also a member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which was conferred upon her in 2006.{{cite news|url=http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/captain-chinyere-o-Kalu-nigerias-first-female-pilot/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813074749/http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/captain-chinyere-o-kalu-nigerias-first-female-pilot/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=13 August 2014|title=Captain Chinyere O. Kalu: Nigeria's first female pilot|work=National Mirror|date=24 January 2014|access-date=13 February 2017}}{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}{{cite web|title=Captain chinyere onyenaucheya-Nigeria's first female pilot|url=https://thewcommunity.com/captain-chinyere-onyenaucheya-nigerias-first-female-pilot/|last=W|first=Editor|date=14 January 2020|access-date=29 May 2020|archive-date=9 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509164429/https://thewcommunity.com/captain-chinyere-onyenaucheya-nigerias-first-female-pilot/|url-status=dead}}
Other awards on her include the African International Achievers Merit Award 2007; the Rare Gems Professional Achievements Award 2007; and Nigeria's 50 Greatest Women of Democratic Administration of Ghana 2012.{{cite news|url=https://www.tori.ng/news/55741/meet-captain-chinyere-Kalu-nigerias-first-female-p.html|title=Meet Captain Chinyere Kalu, Nigeria's First Female Pilot (Photo)|last=Tori.ng|work=Tori.ng|access-date=24 May 2018}}
References
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Category:People from Abia State
Category:Members of the Order of the Federal Republic
Category:Nigerian women aviators
Category:Women commercial aviators