OC Madeleine Winterflood (Su23) shares her remarkable journey from School to the flight deck. Her story is a powerful example of the Charterhouse value of Perseverance – demonstrating self-discipline, resilience, and the determination to keep going when challenges arise.
I was born in Paris, France, and my upbringing introduced me to constant change from a young age. Although I’m British, I hadn’t lived in the UK until I was ten. My family moved frequently due to my dad’s career, from France to Hong Kong, then the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, England, and now South Africa; meaning I attended 11 schools, with Charterhouse being the last.
Moving so often wasn’t always easy. As a child, it was scary to constantly adapt to new environments and people, but those experiences shaped who I am. In fact, they taught me to embrace change, and I became naturally curious about the world, always seeking excitement in unfamiliar experiences. I developed a deep love for travel, and at the age of 13, I began wondering how I could make a career out of my passions.
That’s when the dream of becoming a pilot began.
For my 14th birthday, while living between the UK and Luxembourg, I was gifted an introductory flight experience. It was my first time flying an aircraft, and I instantly fell in
love with it. From that day, I knew I wanted to go to flight school, although at the time it felt like a faraway dream. I put that idea aside while focusing on my GCSEs and A Levels, where I became very fond of Geography, a subject that now overlaps beautifully with my pilot studies, from meteorology to navigation.
Madeleine is the finest example of perseverance I’ve known. Despite significant personal challenges, she stayed true to her dream and is now well on her way to qualifying as a pilot. Her journey is profoundly inspiring.
JANICEN LAMBETH, DEPUTY HEAD CO-CURRICULAR
My plan was to study Geography with French at university, but I missed the UCAS deadline. Around the time I joined Charterhouse, my mother was diagnosed with dementia, an incredibly challenging period that took a heavy emotional toll. As a result, I didn’t perform as well in my A Levels as I had hoped, and university began to feel like a lost opportunity. Despite this, Charterhouse became a place of stability and
encouragement. What truly stood out was the unwavering support and kindness I received from the Charterhouse community. My Head of House, Mrs Jani Lambeth, along with the learning and wellbeing departments, and so many other staff members, offered constant care, understanding, guidance, and belief in me. Their compassion helped me persevere through one of the most difficult times in my life, values that I I’ve carried with me since.
On leaving School, I decided to take a gap year to go travelling. I stayed in Singapore with family friends and met a South African corporate pilot who had trained at 43 Air School. I had the chance to spend an hour in the flight simulator at Wings Over Asia and do a start-up on a Piaggio P.180 Avanti, light transport aircraft. That day reignited my passion, and I knew I wanted to pursue aviation seriously. (Cont.)
One of my proudest moments was my first solo flight on 6 June last year, a huge milestone proving I was competent and confident enough to fly alone. At 43 Air School, this is celebrated with a “tie-cutting ceremony”, where the student’s tie is cut and hung up as a part of the ongoing legacy. I chose my Old Carthusian tie as a tribute to the School that taught me one of my most important values: perseverance. |
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