This Female Pilot Is Causing Turbulence Online After She Posts Her Selfies

#1

The 32-year-old pilot, Maria Petterson, is really shaking things up on Instagram. The photo-sharing app, which is normally saturated with perfect photos of people's meals, perfect cups of coffee, and delectable desserts, is seeing a revolution celebrating women as 2017 is coming to its year-end.

#2

Perfectly manicured nails and photoshopped images that would have jump-started anyone as an influencer on Instagram is not what people are looking for anymore. Users are seeking out positive role models like @PilotMaria.

#3

Maria says that her story is about "strong females in a male-dominated environment. Proving that we are just as good as them. Believing in ourselves and keeping a positive attitude towards life."

#4

It is her attitude that has caused Maria to attract such a huge online following. She became a pilot when she was just 25-years-old, and now has almost half a million people who follow her life religiously. This Swedish born pilot is helping to change the perception that women are not just as capable as men.

#5

Just a little over a year ago, Maria has less than half of the followers that she has amassed today. It just shows how much the world has changed over the last year. Previously, people may have followed accounts that focus on food, decor, and fashion, but now people are showing a heightened interest in career-focused women who openly share their daily lives on the web.

#6

Maria's cockpit and bikini-clad photographs have gained global attention. She is clearly extremely proud of her job and her body. The pilot, who first started flying commercial airplanes when she was 30 years old, always attaches motivational quotes under her selfies. It not only inspires other people but it helps to push her further as well.

#7

"I loved the positive feedback I was getting and all the curious questions from young aviators asking about how to become a pilot or flight simulator pilots asking about a specific procedure."

#8

"After posting a few aviation related photos I realized how much bigger the world of aviation really is," she said. "There is everything from pilots, ground crew, flight spotters, flight simulator pilots- the list can be long."

#9

It is those people that Maria thinks about every time she posts a new picture. It is also for the people who aspire to work in her industry. She wants to prove that you do not need to be a wealthy man in order to make your dreams come true about being a pilot.

#10

She never thought that she could become a pilot because it costs a lot and most pilots are men. Before she started training, she worked to save up most of the money needed for her training.

“The more I thought about it the more I wanted it and I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I was 24 at the time. I worked hard to save for the costs of flight training and studied even harder. Hard work pays off and my dream became reality.”

#11

“For me so far the toughest challenge has been to get that first flying job. Competition was tough and many unemployed pilots fighting for the same job. It took me years. I’m very lucky to be where I am today flying a young fleet of Boeing 737 around Europe.”

Maria's story is definitely inspiring. It is a breath of fresh air to see women flaunting their careers and bodies in such a positive way. We wish her all of the best in the future.