This is the Kosovo pilot who was praised by the United States: I Feel Like a Debt

Vice President Valdete Mehanja, born in Kosovo, but for years the helicopter pilot in the United States has already gone to Albania as part of the American training troops {Defender ♫18x0>.

While previously a civilian pilot, Valdija says she has joined the American Army for a good reason: “Because this army, especially America, has helped the Albanian people, especially Kosovo. And I feel like I owe you”.

Lieutenant Valdete Mehanja, invited to the Euronews Albanian studio, spoke about her experience in the field of aviation.

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She said the idea of becoming a pilot was born when it was a civil contractor for the US in Afghanistan. While the army, the Kosovo pilot is in blood, as her grandfather was part of the army in Kosovo.

I've had a task in Afghanistan installing and programming radio connections and antennas on helicopters and in power plants on base. The desire to become a pilot then arose”, Mehanja said.

Valdete Mehanya started her studies in aeronautics science in 2010, in Florida, U.S.A.

I went to Florida in 2010 with Kosovo citizenship and my expenses and started studying aeronautical science. The graduation has also been to become pilot”, Valdete Mehanja said.

For Valdeten, being a military pilot is better than being a civilian pilot, having the opportunity to help more and more travel.

I feel like you can achieve more as a military pilot than you can as a civilian”, she added.

It is the first time for Valdeen to come to Albania and she said her return to the Albanian people, as an officer in the field of American military aviation, has been very exciting for her.

It has been a lot of fun, I've had great emotions because to return to the Albanian people as an officer in the field of American military aviation and to cooperate, it's been very good experience and I didn't think I could have had this option”, she said.

She said that to learn a new type of helicopter needs a full dozen months, as each helicopter's system is different and must be learned from the first,

Any helicopter or plane, any guy, at first is difficult. It usually lasts up to 12 months, four months of theory, and then you start to fly with small steps and you learn it. Any type that changes should be taught the system, restrictions, emergencies from the start of”, she said.

During the “Defender 21” exercise, the pilot is familiar with an Albanian girl who is preparing for becoming a helicopter pilot, the first in the history of Albanian military aviation. Valdete expressed happiness and optimism about this fact.

“In the future, I hope there are more Albanian women in aviation and when I return to fly together on coalition missions”, Valdete Mehanja said.