Photo: Salote Mataitini
When Salote Mataitini first dreamed of becoming a pilot, she was a child reading newspaper articles about aviators, long before iPhones or social media.
"In primary school, I learned about pilots through newspaper interviews, pre-smartphone era," she said.
Today, Mataitini lives out her lifelong dream.
She is a captain with Air Kiribati, flying across one of the world's largest ocean states and inspiring the next generation of Pacific aviators.
Photo: Salote Mataitini
The early days
Originally from the Garden Island of Taveuni and raised in Somosomo, Fiji, Mataitini's journey began in Aotearoa, where she trained at Ardmore Flying School in South Auckland.
"That was a great experience as I got to see different parts of the country while studying," she said. "While doing… my NZ commercial pilot's licence, I was lucky to be able to pick wherever I wanted to fly to, so because of that exposure, I've been to most, if not all, the airports and aerodromes in the upper North Island and Great Barrier Island."
She joined Air Kiribati as a first officer a decade ago and has flown as a captain on the Harbin and twin otter aircrafts for the past eight years.
"In Kiribati, we provide air service to 20 airports - 17 in the Gilbert Group while we are based in our HQ in Tarawa, and three airports in the Line Islands Group based in Christmas Island. So every few weeks we rotate between these two bases," she said.
"Kiribati is a massive ocean state with atolls spread across the central Pacific Ocean. I'm quite blessed to be flying in these parts of the world where I get to cross the equator multiple times a day."
Barriers
Mataitini's pathway wasn't without challenges, however.
Early in her career, female pilots in the Pacific were rare, and gender bias was common.
"During the early days of my career there weren't many female pilots in the Pacific. Gender bias was very prevalent in those days," she said. "When I look back now, it was God's way of redirecting me to my destiny to go and work in Kiribati.
"I have been able to fully immerse myself in the culture and language because of the way the people of Kiribati have embraced me as one of their own."
While Mataitini finds peace in the sky, she said that her job is just as rewarding on the ground.
"Watching families, friends and loved ones reunited after a flight is always a rewarding experience."
Inspiring the next generation
Photo: Salote Mataitini
Beyond the cockpit, Mataitini is passionate about inspiring young people to pursue careers in aviation.
"Once I started flying, I wanted to do the same to inspire not only girls but the next generation of aviators. So that's when I started sharing my journey and my story online," she said.
Through her social media posts, Mataitini has become a recognisable role model across the region.
She frequently receives messages from parents of aspiring pilots, and takes time to guide them, offering advice on training, pathways, and nearby flight schools.
"In Kiribati, it's become… normal for them to see me fly to their island. Compared to when I first started, it was rare to see a female pilot.
"But now when I land, I'm surprised to hear kids calling out to me, calling out my name. So I normally just smile and wave or go shake their hands," she said.
Salote Mataitini is inspiring young children to enter the aviation space Photo: Salote Mataitini
She continues to be a sought-after speaker at graduations and school events across the country, where she encourages young people to dream boldly, and pursue their goals.
Today, Mataitini is heartened by the growing number of young Pacific people, particularly women, entering aviation.
"A decade later I'm beginning to see the fruits of that influence. It's great to see a number of new Kiribati female graduate pilots and a few others who are currently in Nadi flying schools," she said.
"It's only a matter of time before they'll start sharing the cockpit with me, so I look forward to that day."
However, Mataitini maintains that women in Kiribati are natural "leaders, mothers, and highly educated role models".
"I see my role as an extension to theirs," she said. "Together, we inspire the next generation to follow in our footsteps, empowering not only females - but the future leaders of Kiribati."
