Eloise Dorans-Knowles didn’t grow up near a major airport or inside an aviation family.
She grew up on the island of Jersey in the English Channel – where the fastest way back to the mainland was by a small plane – yet somehow, she always knew she’d end up on the flight deck.
Now one of Australia’s youngest ever Grade 1 flight instructors at just 25, she has already built an impressive aviation career – and she’s only just getting started. She can’t remember a defining moment when she decided to become a pilot – the ambition was simply always there. What she does remember is her parents’ unwavering support.
‘They never questioned it. Everything was always achievable and that made me believe I could do it,’ she says.
After moving to Australia during her early teens, she began researching flight schools at 18, determined to find her own pathway into aviation. She earned her recreational pilot licence (RPL) and private pilot licence (PPL), then made a bold move – relocating alone to Townsville to continue her training.
‘It was quite hard because I moved straight out of high school and knew absolutely no one,’ she says. ‘But being around like-minded people really helped drive me.’
Townsville quickly became both home and a launching pad for her career. Flying in North Queensland has also further sharpened her mindset. Unpredictable weather, complex airspace and wet season conditions demand constant situational awareness.
‘You can’t be complacent. You’re always thinking ahead,’ she says.
Support behind the success
It was while working as a swimming teacher that Eloise discovered a passion for instructing and later began pursuing her flight instructor rating. After gaining her qualifications, she joined the National Aviation Academy, where the team invested in her development and supported her progression to Grade 2 and then Grade 1 instructor, along with multi-engine and instrument flying qualifications.
‘They’ve been really supportive – not just of me, but of women in aviation in general,’ she says.
‘Owner Michelle Arnold and her daughter Georgie Arnold also run Aviatrix International which is a program that educates, encourages and promotes aviation for women in Australia. I think it’s amazing and it shows how supportive they are about making aviation more accessible for women.’
After gaining her commercial pilot licence, Eloise completed a Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence – Aeroplane) and a Diploma of Aviation (Instrument Rating) through TAFE Queensland.
For Eloise, structure underpins safe aviation. From day one, pilots are taught standard operating procedures (SOPs), something she sees as fundamental at every level.
‘It’s the building block,’ she adds. ‘Whether you’re a student, instructor or airline pilot, you’re always following SOPs.’
Now as a Grade 1 instructor, she says the role as a Grade 1 instructor has brought both confidence and perspective.
‘Personally, I know I can do everything now and do it well,’ she explains. ‘Professionally, it opens doors, but I also enjoy helping other instructors and students.’
In an industry where around 5% of commercial pilots are women, representation matters.
‘You can’t be what you can’t see,’ she says. ‘And as a young female instructor, I often meet students who expect someone older – and male.
‘So, I think it’s nice that it’s a young female instructor taking them for their first flight and showing them, “Yep, you can do this.”‘
Eloise sees common pressure points for students – burnout, plateaus and the intensity of compressed training.
‘They’re learning so much in a short timeframe,’ she says. ‘My approach focuses on perspective. I encourage students to visualise where they want to be in one, 2 or 3 years. Small rewards can help too.’
But the biggest reward for her is watching students succeed, particularly those who initially struggled.
Keeping the future open
With her current role finishing and a move to Sydney ahead, Eloise is deliberately keeping her future options open.
‘I could become an examiner, do checking and training, do charter, be a first officer or captain, whatever I like!’ she says confidently. ‘It’s okay not having a set goal – it keeps me open to everything.’
She’s inspired by everyday visibility, like seeing a female captain in a Qantas social media post.
‘I like that it’s presented as normal these days,’ she says. ‘Seeing women in uniform with their wings should just be part of everyday aviation.’
Eloise represents a confident, disciplined and capable generation of aviation professionals – and for the young women meeting her on their first day of flying, she’s already expanding what’s possible for them.
