Meet E-Flight ambassador: Maxine de Vries

Maak kennis met E-Flight ambassadeur: Maxine de Vries

Around E-Flight, we are gathering a team of ambassadors. They help spread our story from their knowledge and expertise. Maxine is committed to a diverse, inclusive, and sustainable future for Dutch aviation. Her motto is: 'Not talking, but doing!.' Which doesn't mean she doesn't like to talk... We had an extensive conversation with her about motivations, goals, and dreams. Fasten your seatbelts! 

If you had to describe yourself in 5 words?

Aviation
2. Otherwise
gineer
4. Pilot
5. Pink

Let's start with that first one. How did you end up in aviation? 

I grew up near Schiphol. From my bedroom window, I always saw (and heard!) the 747's passing by. A friend of mine was an airplane spotter and he taught me more and more about airplanes. At some point, he started studying Aerospace Engineering and something in that direction seemed interesting to me as well. I started researching and ended up considering air traffic controller. Unfortunately, you had to be at least 19 for that and I had just turned 17. So I decided to study Aviation Engineering in Amsterdam, as they had a collaboration with the air traffic controller training program. Unfortunately, I didn't pass the selection... I had to come up with a plan B. I decided to work as a stewardess for a few months. I flew for a while and then I went back to my studies and completed them. After my studies, I started working at Schiphol. I started as a supervisor in the baggage basement. Meanwhile, I learned to fly. First in Hilversum and eventually obtained my PPL in Teuge. And eventually, I became Apron C.Controller in (yes!) the air traffic control tower. I am just a persistent person.


 Good story. Do you happen to come from an aviation family? 

No, not at all. No one in my family has anything to do with aviation. They are more against it than for it. My mother is even a fervent complainer haha! But she did fly with me once, you know! I am now building my own aviation family, because my partner is a drone test pilot and my son is named Merlin, named after the famous Rolls-Royce engine. 

Nobody in my family has anything to do with aviation. My mother is even a fervent complainer.

And how did you then come into contact with E-Flight?

You are quite active online. So I think I came across E-Flight on social media. I was immediately triggered by your sustainable approach. And your vision - A clean and quiet airspace where everyone can and wants to keep flying without feeling guilty - appealed to me enormously. 

 
Can you explain where the vision of E-Flight and your activities exactly intersect and/or can strengthen each other? 

Yes please! For me, sustainability is a very broad concept. It goes far beyond green or less waste and pollution. In my opinion, diversity and iInclusivity and sustainability are essential pillars in every sustainable initiative. Sustainability is all about 'lasting long'. That may sound vague, but it actually makes sense. The more diverse you make a group, the more different perspectives you get. These perspectives lead to more and more interesting ideas, resulting in organizations that are more future-proof than those where mostly the same people work. 

Diversity and inclusivity are indispensable pillars in every sustainable initiative.

It sounds logical. But what does that mean for your ambassadorship for E-Flight? 

Good question. In 2011, I participated in an advertorial for a girls' magazine to attract women to a technical education. This was much needed, as at that time the education was predominantly attended by boys. All of the same kind of people. Through that advertorial, other girls saw that it was possible and that it was fun and not strange to pursue a technical education as a girl. This was just a simple advertorial. But I strongly believe in the inspiring effect of role models. As an ambassador for E-Flight, I will fulfill a similar role.
 
So you hope to attract more women to E-Flight? 
Well, I hope to inspire people that everyone is welcome in aviation. Indeed, aviation is currently mainly a male-dominated world. I have often experienced situations where, as a pilot, I landed somewhere and people automatically started asking my partner (man) all kinds of questions about the flight. During my flight training, I was jokingly called 'Pink' because I was one of the few women. So yes, it would be nice if there was more balance in that aspect. Also from the sustainable perspective that more diverse organizations are more future-proof.

I hope to inspire people that everyone is welcome in aviation. 

The change you have in mind is significant. What do you think is the best approach to achieve that? 

Diversity and/or sustainability should not be a goal in itself. That is why my approach and tone are never activist. I believe much more in the positive way of change by inspiring people and showing them that it is possible. In that respect, E-Flight and I are a good match. Many initiatives in sustainable aviation only exist in Powerpoint or in vague plans. E-Flight simply started as the first electric flight school in Europe earlier this year. And they have already performed nearly 2000 electric take-offs. That's a can-do mentality. And that's what truly inspires people!


 What do you hope to achieve as an ambassador of E-Flight?

For me, it combines two areas: sustainability and diversity. If I can play an inspiring role in that really motivates people to take action, then my mission is successful. It seems that EasyJet now has 20% female students. That also seems like a nice goal for me and E-Flight in a year.

I would love to sit at the table with Eva Jinek once to talk about sustainability and diversity in aviation.

Finally: Do you have a dream that you would like to fulfill? As an ambassador of E-Flight? 

I have a lot of dreams that I still want to fulfill: Living on an airport, building a (pink) airplane with the next generation..But let's keep it manageable for now :) I would love to sit at the table with Eva Jinek once to talk about sustainability and diversity in aviation. Eva is a real role model for me. I have already contacted her once via Instagram. Perhaps we can rekindle that fire soon!" 


Photography: Cristian Schrik 
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