Laura Koerbin is expecting about 30 female pilots to descend on Merimbula airport on December 3 for a crash course in aircraft maintenance. 

She grew up in the hangar with her father, Rex Koerbin, director of Merimbula Aircraft Maintenance, and helped steer planes before she could reach the pedals. Three years ago she started lessons.

“Being a female in a male-dominated industry like aviation, where only around five per cent of the world’s pilots are women, means there are a lot of stereotypes,” she said, having had comments from people saying things such as, ‘I hope you don’t fly over my house’. 

“There’s just this stereotype that women don’t fly or women don’t do maintenance and it is a stereotype we want to help break.”

Rex Koerbin will be running the information sessions on Saturday, December 3, teaching the basics of aircraft maintenance. 

Laura is inviting any local women or girls who may be interested in the aviation industry to attend. 

“It would be awesome to get some young girls here because they are the future of aviation,” she said.