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.
Touching the Sky (Harper Collins Mar 2026) is her true story.
