Celebrating extraordinary women in aeronautics
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Sopra Steria would like to highlight the achievements of two extraordinary women who have defied expectations, overcome adversity, and paved the way for greater inclusivity in aeronautics. Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz and Dorine Bourneton are not just pioneers in aviation; they are champions of resilience, innovation, and accessibility.
Brigitte Revellin-Falcoz: The youngest licensed pilot in France
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.
Dorine Bourneton: A Story of Extraordinary Perseverance
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.
Other interesting news for you
teaser
EventsInhoudstype
EventsPubliceer datum
Nov 13, 2025
Samenvatting
📅 Date: Friday 14 November⏰ Start time and end time: 09:00–17:00🌍 Time zone: The Netherlands (GMT+1)📍Location: Forum Groningen, The Netherlands aiGrunn is an open source, non-com
teaser
Life at Sopra SteriaInhoudstype
BlogPubliceer datum
Nov 7, 2025
Samenvatting
Meet Lydia: A real-life digital detective Lydia Athanasiou is an Offensive Security Consultant (Penetration Tester) at Sopra Steria. But what does that mean? She’s part of some
teaser
ExpertiseInhoudstype
BlogPubliceer datum
Oct 31, 2025
Samenvatting
Principal Expert Cybersecurity You might expect organisations in 2025 to have their cyber security in order, but nothing could be further from the truth. “Unfortunately, it is st
teaser
EventsInhoudstype
EventsPubliceer datum
Oct 28, 2025
Samenvatting
📅 Date: Tuesday 11 November⏰ Start time and end time: 16:30-18:30🌍 Time zone: The Netherlands (GMT+2)📍 Location: Nieuwegein SDN Night 2025 is a special evening event celebrat
teaser
EventsInhoudstype
EventsPubliceer datum
Oct 28, 2025
Samenvatting
📅 Date: Thursday 6 November ⏰ Start time and end time: 8:00-19:00🌍 Time zone: The Netherlands (GMT+2)📍Location: Pathé Ede JFALL 2025 is the premier Java conference in the Netherl
teaser
Life at Sopra SteriaInhoudstype
BlogPubliceer datum
Oct 21, 2025
Samenvatting
It’s been over three decades, and I still wake up energised by my work. I started my journey on April 1st, 1992, at Utopics, a small engineering firm that eventually became part of Sopra Steria. Th
teaser
EventsInhoudstype
EventsPubliceer datum
Oct 9, 2025
Samenvatting
• 📅 Date: Thursday 16 October 2025 • ⏰ Start time and end time: 08:00-19:00 • 🌍 Time zone: Netherlands (GMT+2) PyCon NL is the premier Python conference in the Netherlands, bringing together d
teaser
EventsInhoudstype
EventsPubliceer datum
Oct 9, 2025
Samenvatting
• 📅 Date: 27 October 2025 to 29 October 2025 • ⏰ Start time and end time: 7:30 – 18:15 • 🌍 Time zone: Netherlands (GMT+2) An international tech conference with a strong focus on Microsoft tech
teaser
Life at Sopra SteriaInhoudstype
BlogPubliceer 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
ExpertiseInhoudstype
BlogPubliceer 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