Although one of Turkey's first female pilot, is the world's first female fighter pilots. He is one of the eight spiritual sons of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He flew around 8.000 hours during his flying career; Thirty-two of them were combat roles. Its name was given to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, which is Istanbul's 2nd Airport.
Sabiha Gökçen was born in Bursa in 1913. After the death of his father and mother, he was adopted by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who visited Bursa in 1925. Sabiha Gökçen was given the surname "Gökçen" by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, when the surname law was passed in 1934, when it was not yet involved in aviation.
Sabiha Gökçen, who studied at Çankaya Primary School and İstanbul Üsküdar Girls' College, entered the Turkish Aviation School of the Turkish Aeronautical Association in 1935. He received high gliding badges in Ankara. Gökçen was sent to Crimea Russia with 7 male students and completed his high glider training there.
He entered Eskişehir Military Air School in 1936 and became a military pilot after the private training he received there. He did an internship for a while at the 1st Tayyare Regiment in Eskişehir, flew with fighter and bomber planes. In 1937, he was awarded the Turkish Aeronautical Association Murassa (Honor) Medal at a ceremony attended by the President, Prime Minister and Chief of General Staff. He received a military flight certificate on 30 August 1937.
Gökçen made a Balkan tour with his plane as a guest of the Balkan states in 1938.
After his return to Turkey with the Turkish Aeronautical Association Türkkuşu "Headmaster" was the assignment and has successfully continued this duty until 1955.
Sabiha Gökçen, who went to the USA in 1953 and 1959 upon invitation, introduced Turkish society and Turkish women.
He received the biggest award of his aviation career in 1996. He was selected as one of the 20 Aviators who made his name in World History at the ceremony at Maxwell Air Base, where he attended as the personal guest of the Eagles Meeting held for the graduation ceremony of the American Air Staff College. Gökçen became the first and only female aviator to be awarded this award.
He made his last flight in 1996, at the age of 83, with the Falcon 2000 plane, accompanied by French pilot Daniel Acton.
Sabiha Gökçen died on March 22, 2001 at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy at the age of 88 due to heart failure.
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