Touching the Sky: The extraordinary story of an Australian trailblazer who became the longest flying female airline pilot in the world

Deborah Lawrie didn't just break the glass ceiling - she flew right through it.

They told her women couldn't fly commercial airliners.

They told her women weren't welcome in the cockpit.

They told her women couldn't work and have a family.

She told them she'd see them in court.

In an era when flight attendants were dismissed as 'trolley dollies' and smoking on aeroplanes was practically mandatory, Deborah Lawrie broke barriers to become Australia's first female pilot for a major commercial airline, fighting against absurd gender discrimination and prejudice to pave the way for equal opportunity in a male-dominated industry.

In this candid, cheeky, jaw-dropping memoir, she explains her journey from being a young girl in 1950s Australia who was determined to fly to taking Ansett Airlines to court in a landmark High Court battle - and winning. Now inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame, Deborah Lawrie is the world's longest flying female airline pilot. This is her true story.

© 2026 HarperAudio (Lydbog): 9781038103024

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Lydbog: 31. marts 2026