In this episode, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Mervat Sultan—founder of Ramjet Aviation Services and President of the Women in Aviation Middle East Chapter—about how intentional leadership, structured mentorship, and policy support have transformed a handful of members into a 1,000-strong network and the largest women-in-aviation conference in the Arab world. 

Over 25 years, Sultan learned aviation “from scratch,” built executive charter operations, and opened doors for countless pilots, engineers, and managers. They discuss reframing quotas as performance standards, embedding inclusion into systems, preparing students for AI and quantum-driven flight, and why “the sky is wide enough for all of us.”

Chapter Breakdown

00:00 | Opening call: “Skies are wide enough for all of us.”

01:32 | Host introduction & Sultan’s impact on Middle-East aviation

03:53 | Why Middle-East progress matters to global inclusion efforts

06:03 | Sultan’s passion: real stories of women transforming careers

07:30 | Founding Ramjet and learning aviation from the ground up

10:41 | Government backing & corporate accountability in the region

12:38 | Quotas vs. performance: reframing the gender-equity debate

17:31 | Effective strategies: executive intent, clear pathways, male allies

18:51 | Embedding inclusion: systems, metrics, respect in practice

20:24 | Advice to women: seek mentors, stay curious, trust your worth

23:34 | Cross-border lessons: sharing stories beyond geopolitical lines

26:22 | Future skills: integrating AI & quantum tech into aviation education

30:21 | Guidance for new entrants: matching personality to aviation roles

33:29 | Zero-error culture: fundamentals, time-management, real-world anecdotes

36:34 | Closing reflections: gratitude, next steps, and a shared vision

Follow Mervat Sultan

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Website: shaestawaiz.com

LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz

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