Ex-RAF pilot, 26, swapping the runway for a catwalk as she tries to land Miss England title
A former RAF pilot has reached the semi-finals of Miss England.
Maleha Khan, 26, will juggle in the competition alongside her work as a PhD researcher in rocket science at Cranfield University.
He already has a master’s degree in Spacecraft Engineering and earned his pilot’s license before he started driving.
Ms Khan, from Southampton, also works as a civilian pilot and says she wants to inspire women in aviation and STEM fields to let them know they can still look stunning in male-dominated industries.
She added: ‘When I was growing up, I thought choosing aerospace and engineering meant I had to give up a lot of things, like painting my nails and having long hair.
‘I thought I wouldn’t fit in with all the guys, and that was still a concern for a long time.
‘I want to break the stereotype that women can’t look beautiful and still be professional, and break out of male-dominated fields.’
Ms Khan’s aviation career began at the age of 15 when she received four prestigious flying scholarships from the Royal Air Force, the British Association of Female Pilots and the Honorable Air Pilots Company.
Maleha Khan, 26, (pictured) will be juggling in the competition alongside her work as a PhD researcher in rocket science at Cranfield University
He already has a master’s degree in Spacecraft Engineering and earned his pilot’s license before he started driving.
Ms Khan, from Southampton, also works as a civilian pilot and says she wants to inspire women in aviation and STEM fields
Since then he has piloted five different aircraft and helicopters and became commander of the RAF University Air Squadron, leading 75 personnel during his training years and making history as the longest-serving person in this role.
She has taught rocket science to some of the world’s brightest students, including the top one percent of academically talented women in Saudi Arabia, where she had the honor of meeting the country’s first female astronaut.
Ms Khan’s work at the UK Space Agency saw her interact with NASA, the European Space Agency, UK Space Command and British astronauts.
He said: ‘I first fell in love with flying at the age of 15, watching the Red Arrows perform at the D-Day celebration.
‘From that moment on I devoted myself to flying. This became my dream. I wanted to be the person who could make so many people happy.
‘I come from a family of doctors and I was always supposed to do this but it didn’t give me that butterfly feeling in my stomach.’
The rocket scientist said he knew he wanted to be a pilot after seeing the Red Arrows, so he ‘made his way there’ by joining air cadets at the age of 15.
Ms Khan added: ‘Thanks to this I was able to get a scholarship to get my degree. Flying is still my first love and greatest passion.
Ms Khan’s work at the UK Space Agency saw her interact with NASA, the European Space Agency, UK Space Command and British astronauts.
He said: ‘I first fell in love with flying at the age of 15 while watching the Red Arrows perform at the D-Day celebration.’
“My dream is still to be a commercial pilot and I have over 100 flight hours, so I’m working towards that as well,” he added
‘I joined the RAF University Air Squadron when I went to study Spacecraft Engineering.
‘My dream is still to be a commercial pilot and I have over 100 flying hours so I’m working towards that too.
‘I can fly single-engine planes anywhere in the world; so I took my friends and family to France and Amsterdam.
‘I am a PhD researcher in rocket science, specifically hydrogen-fueled rockets for spacecraft. Green fuel for rockets is something the world needs.
‘My role at the UK Space Agency was as an external affairs officer, thus managing relationships with organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency.
‘I wanted to enter Miss England because after everything I’d done so far, most people told me it couldn’t be done.
‘People thought I was crazy because I was a pilot and did rocket science, but I proved people wrong.
‘Hopefully, someday in the future, I can combine flying and space in my career. That would be my dream.
She said she wanted to take part in Miss England because ‘most people’ said it was not achievable on top of what they had already done.
A Miss England spokesperson said: ‘Maleha’s journey is inspiring; It is nothing but a blend of beauty, intelligence and courage in equal measure.’
The Miss England final will take place at Wolverhampton Grand Station on 20 and 21 November.
‘I want to show that curiosity and determination can take you anywhere, literally and figuratively.’
The Miss England final will take place at Wolverhampton Grand Station on 20 and 21 November.
A spokesperson for Miss England said: ‘Maleha’s journey has been nothing short of an inspiring experience, blending beauty, intelligence and courage in equal measure.’
