Twilight is an inspiring young woman. She is Maori (Ngapuhi -Ngatiwai) and speaks Māori as her first language. Growing up on a remote Northland Island, Twilight had never considered being a pilot, however, thanks to a family friend, she was bitten by the aviation bug when she was 16 and ever since, has wanted to be a pilot.

Twilight has a very loving and supportive family. She is the first of three siblings. Her father hails from Whakapara and is a cement factory worker. Her mother was born in Hawaii and is a Driving Mentor for Ngātiwai Trust Board.

Twilight’s father was a caretaker on Motuarohia/Robertson Island, looking after 5 private properties and this is why Twilight and her siblings grew up there. She feels she had the best of childhoods – swimming, being taught to fish and dive by her Dad; fortunately getting to know one of the property owners there – who was an international pilot. The two families got on so well that the pilot shouted Twilight an introductory flight when she was 16 and like John, she had an epiphany. Her career path was illuminated - just like a runway. Since then, Twilight has known exactly what she wants to be.

All of Twilight’s primary schooling was in full immersion Māori as her parents wanted their family to reengage with their culture and heritage. Twilight embraced this with a passion and her parents are extremely proud that their children are fluent in their own language.

There was little enthusiasm for Twilight to become a pilot in the traditional school system so she left and pursued her own education, via Correspondence School, to make sure she had the right studies to become a pilot. She used the money she made from jewellery making to pay for tutors in physics and maths. She completed her secondary education with most results as ‘Achieved with Merit’.

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