Defying The Odds, Johor Woman Excels in Aircraft Engineering

By Mohd Afiq Zulkifli

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) --  Syaza Raehah Mohamad Haris had dreamed of becoming an aircraft maintenance engineer since her schooldays. In 2015, she worked as an aircraft maintenance mechanic in Senai, Johor, after graduating in aircraft engineering from a local higher education institution.  

However, after spending five years gaining hands-on experience, Syaza Raehah was confronted with an unexpected reality — the work experience she had accumulated did not qualify her for an aircraft maintenance engineer's licence in Malaysia.

What was initially seen as a setback ultimately became a turning point for the 38-year-old woman from Bandar Penawar, Johor, who has since established herself as a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer overseas.

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Now employed by a private airline in Singapore after more than a decade of experience in the aviation industry, including time spent working in the United States, Syaza Raehah said every achievement she has earned today has come through considerable sacrifice, courage and perseverance.

Syaza Raehah told Bernama she could not use her experience gained in Malaysia to become a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer as she had worked under non-Malaysian engineers and on foreign-registered aircraft.

She said the licensing requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) stipulate that qualifying experience must be obtained through the maintenance of aircraft registered in Malaysia.

Although disappointed to discover this after years of building her expertise in the industry, she refused to let the setback derail her childhood ambition.

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Instead, Syaza Raehah sought an alternative pathway that would recognise her skills and experience. She made the bold decision to travel to the United States to obtain the Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Syaza Raehah said to get the certification, she had to sit for an examination in the United States while bearing the costs of preparatory classes, airfare, accommodation and living expenses.

“At the time, I borrowed about RM30,000 from my father to make it happen,” she said.

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The sacrifice eventually paid off when she successfully obtained the FAA A&P licence at the end of 2018, opening the door to broader career opportunities within the international aviation industry.

Not content with that achievement, Syaza Raehah continued to strengthen her professional credentials by pursuing a master's degree in aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States in 2020.

She said the decision to further her studies was driven by a desire to deepen her technical expertise and expand her career prospects in an industry that is constantly evolving.

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Her efforts opened a new chapter in her career when she was accepted in 2023 as a frontline maintenance mechanic in Colorado for a regional airline operating under United Airlines.

However, the challenges of working in the United States extended beyond technical demands, also requiring strong physical and mental endurance.

“In Colorado, I worked in temperatures as low as -27 degrees Celsius. The extreme cold weather and the state’s altitude of about 1,500 metres above sea level presented very different challenges compared to working in Malaysia,” she said.

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Her resilience and experience continued to earn recognition when, in 2024, she was offered a position in the engineering department of a company in Texas.

However, her ambition to further build her career in the United States was cut short when her work visa application was unsuccessful, forcing her to return to Malaysia last year before she secured a position as an engineer with a private airline in Singapore.

According to Syaza Raehah, her FAA A&P licence has expanded her career opportunities as many private aircraft worldwide are registered in the United States. This allows licence holders to work on US-registered aircraft in various countries, including Singapore.

“Currently, I work on private jets and air ambulances, including models such as the Gulfstream G100, Gulfstream G200 and Phenom 300. My duties include routine servicing, and carrying out repairs and overhauls to ensure aircraft safety, airworthiness and reliability,” she said.

-- BERNAMA