Breaking Barriers: A Pioneer’s Journey Through Mexican Aviation
Season 2, Episode 12 | June 24th, 2026
Leadership, Human Factors and the Evolution of Flight Safety
Guest: Liz Abadie – Pilot, Instructor, CRM & Human Factors Specialist
Executive Summary
In this episode of Altitude, we speak with Liz Abadie, one of the pioneering women who helped open the flight deck to future generations of female pilots in Mexico. Through a career spanning more than four decades, Liz witnessed first-hand the transformation of aviation from an era defined by rigid cockpit hierarchies and limited automation to one centred on teamwork, human factors and advanced safety management.
The conversation explores the challenges of building a career in a profession where women were virtually absent, the evolution of cockpit culture, the emergence of Crew Resource Management (CRM), and the human side of aviation that often goes unseen. Beyond flying aircraft, this discussion is about resilience, leadership, personal sacrifice and the lessons that remain timeless despite the industry’s technological evolution.
For aviation professionals, airline leaders and anyone interested in organisational culture, safety and leadership, Liz offers valuable insights into how aviation has changed—and what must never change.
SCRIPT
ARTURO
Welcome to Altitude. Today’s episode is a particularly special one because we are not only going to talk about aviation—we are going to talk about an entire era of Mexican aviation.
Our guest belonged to a generation that experienced a very different industry from the one we know today:
cockpits with far stricter hierarchies, significantly less automation, a completely different operational culture and, perhaps most notably, an environment where female pilots were virtually non-existent in Mexico.
Yet beyond aviation itself, we also want to explore the human side of the profession:
what it takes to break new ground, how a person changes after thousands of flight hours, how aviation safety has evolved, and which principles remain just as important today as they were forty years ago.
Joining us today is Liz Abadie—pilot, instructor, specialist in Crew Resource Management and Human Factors, and one of the women who helped create opportunities for future generations within Mexican aviation.
Liz, welcome to Altitude.
LIZ (Greeting)
ARTURO
Liz, at one point you told me something fascinating:
when you entered flight school there were twenty-four men and only one woman.
Today that still attracts attention, but in 1978 it must have been considerably more significant.
What do you remember about that environment?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
There is something I am particularly interested in exploring because younger generations may not fully appreciate it:
aviation at that time was characterised by a much tougher culture. The instructors. The hierarchies.
The captain–first officer relationship.
The discipline.
How do you remember that environment compared with today?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Was there a specific moment when you felt: “I have earned my place here”?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
When people speak about pioneering women in aviation, the conversation is often oversimplified.
Yet I imagine the reality was far more complex: pressure, prejudice, comments, expectations.
What was genuinely the most difficult aspect? Flying—or the environment surrounding it?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Passengers also had a very different mindset in those days.
Do you remember reactions from passengers—or even fellow crew members—when they saw a woman in the cockpit?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
Today we see many more women entering aviation, which is undoubtedly positive.
From your perspective, what has genuinely changed— and what challenges still exist, even if they are now less visible?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Would you say the most difficult part was entering the profession— or remaining in it and building a long-term career?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
You witnessed an extraordinary transformation in aviation: the DC-9, classic Boeing 737s, the MD-80, ATR aircraft, CRM, automation, and modern simulators.
Which brings us to a very interesting question: Is aviation safer today?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Building on that, what elements of the old-school approach do you believe were worth preserving?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
There is a phrase in aviation that I believe is incredibly important: A great pilot is not necessarily the one who handles the aircraft best.
When did you come to understand that?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Because historically the model was often centred on the idea of the “strong captain”.
Today we speak far more about communication, CRM and teamwork.
Do you think aviation learned that lesson later than it should have?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
You specialised in CRM and Human Factors, and we genuinely believe this is one of the most important subjects in modern aviation.
Because accidents often do not begin with a technical failure. They begin much earlier.
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Which human behaviours concern you most in the cockpit? Ego? Fatigue? Overconfidence? Reluctance to speak up?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
As an instructor, what differences do you see between a pilot who is technically proficient— and one who is truly safe?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
There is also a deeply personal aspect of your story that caught my attention.
You often speak about your husband as a fundamental source of support during a period when such partnerships were perhaps less common.
In aviation, we do not always discuss the personal cost of the profession. What sacrifices never appear in a pilot’s logbook?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Were there moments when balancing family life and aviation felt particularly difficult?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
Because aviation can be emotionally demanding: irregular schedules, fatigue, time away from home, operational pressure.
What did your family need to understand in order for you to continue flying?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
Today you continue to train pilots and work as an instructor. After so many years in aviation, what do you enjoy most about teaching?
LIZ (Response)
ARTURO
I was also fascinated to learn that outside aviation you have developed passions that are entirely different: your garden, stained glass artwork, Tai Chi, swimming.
It suggests someone who found balance beyond the cockpit. Did aviation help you find that balance— or was it something you had to learn separately?
LIZ (Response)
NICOLÁS
After an entire lifetime in aviation, what does aviation mean to you today?
LIZ (Response)
Closing Remarks
ARTURO
Liz, thank you very much. I believe this episode leaves us with a powerful reminder: aviation evolves, technology evolves, aircraft evolve— yet ultimately, aviation remains about people. About discipline.
Preparation. Character. Teamwork. And humanity.
Listening to stories such as yours helps us understand not only how Mexican aviation evolved, but also how the people who built it evolved along the way.
Thank you for joining us on Altitude.
NICOLÁS
Thank you, Liz. It has been a genuine pleasure.
ARTURO
And thank you to all our listeners for joining us once again on Altitude.
We look forward to welcoming you on our next episode.
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