Island Girl to Airline Pilot

By Silva McLeod

Published by Exisle Publishing

ISBN 978922539618

Told in her own words, filled with warmth, love and passion, Silva McLeod's memoir is a delight to read.

Her no holds barred tales are easy to imagine in the mind's eye as she describes her very humble beginnings in a little village on a little island in Tonga. Surrounded by her loving family, especially her grandparents in these poor circumstances if anyone had known of her ambitions it seems they would have thought she was just daydreaming.

When she was just twenty all that would change when she met the man who was to be the love of her life. Australian Ken McLeod who was working in Tonga hired to build a hospital on her island of Vava‘u. He was quite happy to not only marry her, but her family too, recognising her strong bond with her grandparents. siblings and cousins, aunts and uncles and as she frequently refers to, her Tonga.

Their story was quite remarkable, Ken was so different to the local men giving her the freedom to do as she wanted and make her own decisions. One day Silva made a comment to Ken that she would love to be a pilot.

After marrying in a traditional Tongan ceremony they moved to Australia to the home he had purchased on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, before he left to work in Tonga. Like most people moving to a new country she faced difficulties, but from reading the descriptions it appears to be exacerbated by her humble start in life, plus at the time the unwillingness for locals to accept a young woman of colour, especially married to a white Australian man. Fortunately she had the support from Ken and his family.They were devoted to one another.

They had two daughters, Elizabeth and Tema. Silva was a stay at home mum and Ken liked it that way, but she wanted more. Silva wanted to contribute to the family finances and after being rejected by just about every business where she tried to get a job, she eventually found one. It wasn't her ideal, but she was happy to be contributing.

Ken recalled her wish to be a pilot and with his encouragement and purchasing a first lesson she got to feel what it was really like. She was hooked. From then onwards they did everything they could for her to get her commercial pilots licence. More obstacles followed when she could not get a job as a pilot competing for jobs in a male dominated career. Silva perserved and eventually began her flying career with Royal Tongan Airlines.

However, this meant that they spent time apart with her base being in Tonga. Silva wanted to get back home to her family and was offered a position with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. She has a few stories to tell from her time with the RFDS that will make you smile. Her big break came when Virgin International offered her a position and she fulfilled her dreams of flying long haul B777s.

Meanwhile Ken's health was deteriorating over several years and they faced many life and death challenges. Silva took care of Ken in between flights but eventually she had to take a break to be with the husband she adored while he underwent many treatments, including in the most difficult of circumstances through the Covid pandemic.

Island Girl to Airline Pilot is a poignant story you will enjoy. It is filled with courage, perseverance, adventure, succes, family photographs and most of all love and respect.

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