Celebrating extraordinary women in aeronautics

Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz has always challenged the status quo. When told that piloting was a “man’s business,” she took this as a challenge rather than a deterrent. By her 17th birthday, she had earned her pilot’s license, making her the youngest licensed pilot in France.

Beyond her personal accomplishments in aviation, Brigitte has dedicated her career to advocating for the integration of people with disabilities into the field. As highlighted in La Dépêche, her passion for inclusion has driven her to push for systemic change, ensuring that aviation is accessible to all, regardless of physical ability. Her commitment to inclusivity remains unwavering, and she continues to use her platform to drive change.

The story of Dorine Bourneton is one of remarkable resilience. At just 16 years old, she survived a tragic plane crash that left her paralysed. Yet, her passion for aviation never wavered. Encouraged by her loved ones, she obtained her pilot’s licence in April 1995, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking journey.

Dorine went on to become the world’s first disabled female aerobatic pilot and has since been a fierce advocate for equal opportunities in aviation. According to IPSA’s International Women’s Rights Day Conference, she worked tirelessly to change aviation laws, ultimately allowing disabled pilots to pursue professional careers. Thanks to this legislative breakthrough, at least seven disabled pilots have since entered the field. She has also authored three books detailing her journey.

Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz and Dorine Bourneton have joined forces in their shared mission to promote equal rights and inclusivity, proving that determination and passion can break down any barrier. Through HandiVoltige, an initiative dedicated to making aerobatics more accessible, they continue to inspire the next generation of pilots with disabilities.

A shared vision for inclusion

Both women’s commitment to accessibility aligns with Sopra Steria’s Disability Mission, which champions the inclusion of people with disabilities through technological innovation. The company’s Handitutorat program mobilises students from top schools and universities to provide academic support to high school students with disabilities, fostering confidence and guiding them toward higher education.

Philippe Baconnet, Head of Sopra Steria’s Disability Mission, emphasises the impact of this initiative: “This tutoring gives them confidence and allows them to progress academically. We must remain humble – not all transition to higher education - but the benefits in terms of self-confidence and personal growth are undeniable.”

Empowering the Next Generation

Dorine’s influence extends far beyond her own achievements; she actively inspires and mentors future pilots. Through programmes such as Rêve de Gosse, she has helped train young talents like César, who has since become a cadet pilot officer. Meanwhile, Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz’s son is the CEO of the renowned airline Jetfly. These women’s dedication to inspiring, sharing, and passing on their knowledge ensures that the next generation of aviators is equipped to push boundaries and defy limitations.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we honour the outstanding contributions of Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz and Dorine Bourneton. Their stories remind us that the sky is not the limit—it is just the beginning.

A special thanks to my colleague Olivier Clavel for sharing the story of these two extraordinary women and for his continuous encouragement of women to shine both within and beyond Sopra Steria.

For more on their journey and advocacy, visit HandiVoltige Aérienne, Rêve de Gosse, La Dépêche, and IPSA.

List #1

Other interesting news for you

Why digital sovereignty is Europe’s next big challenge: An inside out view from Isabella Sacchi

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Sep 19, 2025

Samenvatting

The Simpl project (Secure Interoperable Middleware for Public and Private Data Spaces) is an open-source middleware platform developed to enable secure, interoperable data exchange across sectors

teaser

Lees verder

Putting AI agents at the forefront of decision-making

teaser

Expertise

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Sep 11, 2025

Samenvatting

We rise above any mission-critical challenge What if we had a team of experts: logistics leads, intelligence analysts, and field planners at our disposal at any time? Could we cut

teaser

Lees verder

How low-code helped us slash the time to production by 80%

teaser

Expertise

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Sep 5, 2025

Samenvatting

We rise above any pharmaceutical challenge If a client wants to radically speed up vaccine development and make their process more sustainable, how would you approach it? At Sopra

teaser

Lees verder

Fast track career at Sopra Steria: Jitske Cornelis' Story

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Aug 18, 2025

Samenvatting

Since joining Sopra Steria in February 2023 as a fresh graduate, Jitske Cornelis has embraced her role as a Qualification Engineer with remarkable energy and enthusiasm. Based in Ghent with a fo

teaser

Lees verder

The power of mentorship: Mathilde Pestel's journey

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Aug 11, 2025

Samenvatting

Meet Mathilde Pestel, business consultant and analyst at Sopra Steria Benelux. Since joining in 2023, her journey has been shaped not only by the projects she leads but also by the people she l

teaser

Lees verder

Collaboration that sparks innovation in the real world?

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Aug 5, 2025

Samenvatting

Meet Pauline Van Nies, the AI expert Welcome to "Explain to me like I’m 5", where we take complex topics and break them down into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. The goal is to

teaser

Lees verder

Go for it and grow. Maaike van den Dries-Rinsma on leadership and believing in yourself

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Jul 29, 2025

Samenvatting

“Go for it and believe in what you have to offer.” That’s the mindset that drives Maaike van den Dries-Rinsma, Atlassian consultant and newly appointed People Lead at Sopra Steria. In this inter

teaser

Lees verder

Bridging law, business, and technology in Cyber Security. The unexpected path of Ivana Butorac

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Jul 18, 2025

Samenvatting

Ivana Butorac: GRC Manager Belgium & Group Compliance Leader, Sopra Steria Cyber Security I initially hadn’t thought of working in cyber security. Back in Croatia, I wanted to become a public

teaser

Lees verder

Michael Samanya on strategy, creativity and growth at Sopra Steria

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Jul 14, 2025

Samenvatting

Looking for an internship that goes beyond coffee runs and copy-paste tasks? Michael Samanya, who joined Sopra Steria in February 2025, shares what it's really like to intern in Internal Communi

teaser

Lees verder

Engineering platforms, empowering people. A Day with Floris van den Hoogen

teaser

Life at Sopra Steria

Inhoudstype

Blog

Publiceer datum

Jul 9, 2025

Samenvatting

Floris van den Hoogen is not your average engineer, unless your average engineer bikes to the train station in the morning, delivers cutting-edge Azure and Openshift solutions by day, and bakes

teaser

Lees verder

Lees meer

Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz: The youngest licensed pilot in France

Dorine Bourneton: A Story of Extraordinary Perseverance