2023 Whittle Award Winner Lillian Lungu Receives Her Award at MRO Africa 2024
Zambia Civil Aviation Authority Press Statement
The International Federation of Airworthiness –IFA – has awarded a female Zambian aircraft engineer with the prestigious Whittle Safety Award, for an outstanding contribution or achievement in advancing the safety of aircraft.
Lillian Lungu who is Manager Quality Safety at Zambia Civil Aviation Authority also becomes the first African and first female to receive the IFA Whittle Safety Award.
The IFA recognized Mrs. Lungu’s thirty years in aviation, and her being one of the first female Aircraft engineers in Africa.
The award was presented to Mrs. Lungu by the Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics, Dr. Alemu Feyisa during the African Aviation MRO Africa and African Aviation Training Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Minister said prioritizing safety in aviation not only protects lives and assets but builds confidence for airlines.
Speaking after receiving the award, Mrs. Lungu said it was an honor for her to represent Zambia on the International scene.
She said she was gratified that despite aviation being dominated by males, more females were now aspiring to take up positions in aviation.
Mrs. Lungu urged women to ensure that they follow their dreams and was hopeful that winning the award would inspire more to take up aircraft engineering as a career.
Aside from Aircraft Engineering, Mrs. Lungu is a lawyer who was recently admitted to the bar.
Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mrs. Rose Sakala who attended the award-giving ceremony said it was gratifying that Zambia was competing favourably on the international scene.
She said the winning of the award would inspire a lot of Zambia especially girls to aspire to take up professions that may be deemed a preserve for men.
The Ambassador said Mrs. Lungu was a perfect example of a woman who had excelled in a male-dominated profession of aircraft engineering that is Shunned by many.
Issued by
Mrs Inutu Mupango Mwanza
First secretary-First Secretary Press/Tourism
Zambia Embassy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Pictures courtesy of the Zambian embassy in Ethiopia.
