From Tonga to the skies

Silva Mcleod’s story reads like a fairytale, with a sprinkle of hope and a lot of determination. From her humble beginnings on the tiny island of Tonga, where she would gaze up at the sky and dream of flying, to her eventual realisation of that goal, Silva’s story is one that will leave you motivated.

"As a child, I’d race outside to watch aeroplanes fly overhead until they disappeared from view," she says. "It was a fantasy, something I never thought could be possible for a little island girl like me." Against all odds, she went on to become a pilot and has written a book called Island Girl to Airline Pilot.

Silva never told anyone about her aspirations until at the age of 19 she shared it with her then-boyfriend Ken, who would later become her husband. "I was waiting for the laughter and the mocking but he just looked very serious and said, 'It can be done. Why not?'"

The dream was put on hold as they married, had children, and faced the challenges of transitioning from Tonga to Australia, with Silva speaking very little English at the time. It wasn't until Ken was diagnosed with cancer 10 years later that her ambition was reignited. "He said, 'Do you still want to fly?' That little fire was started again," Silva says. The next year Ken gave her a voucher for a joy flight. She was hooked, and began flying lessons at Tyabb.

Silva's journey to becoming a pilot had plenty of struggles. "There was that fear of failure, that self-doubt, the little island girl in me saying, 'No, it can't be'." But through sheer resolve and a lot of study, she achieved her vision, and now she's sharing her story. "When I lost Ken, I started writing the book as a way to cope with my grief. As I wrote, I realised how amazing it would be to inspire even one young girl or boy from a similar background to follow their dreams."

Silva’s story is a reminder that no wish is too big, no obstacle too great, and that with hope and willpower, anything is possible. Her book will be launched at a free event at the Dunes Golf Links in Rye on Friday, May 5, at 5.30pm.