THE PROGRESS REPORT: The power of persistence and passion in aviation

Joint-capabilities
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By: Robyn Tongol

A chance meeting with an astronaut changed Riley Havela’s life, diverting her path from medicine straight into the world of aerospace engineering. In this episode of Defence Connect’s The Progress Report, host Tash Taylor sits down with Riley Havela, founder of Riley the Aero Girl.

A chance meeting with an astronaut changed Riley Havela’s life, diverting her path from medicine straight into the world of aerospace engineering. In this episode of Defence Connect’s The Progress Report, host Tash Taylor sits down with Riley Havela, founder of Riley the Aero Girl.

She reveals how simply “shooting your shot” opens doors to valuable connections and emphasises that networking and passion are the ultimate fuels for success. The discussion dives into overcoming imposter syndrome, the necessity of personal branding, and how women are shaping the future of aviation by advocating for essential values like work-life balance.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast,
The Progress Report team

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Listen to previous episodes of the Defence Connect podcast:

Episode 11: CONTESTED GROUND: Apathy, complacency and the ‘Lucky Country’, Australia’s predicament is entirely self-inflicted, with Ben Dullroy
Episode 10: SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST: 125 years of the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army
Episode 9: CONTESTED GROUND: Australian resilience during a crisis and sovereign industrial capability
Episode 8: CONTESTED GROUND: From Tehran to Sydney – why war could reshape Australian property
Episode 7: SPOTLIGHT: Inside Australia’s AUKUS industrial transformation, with Honeywell Aerospace Australia senior director Lee Davis
Episode 6: CONTESTED GROUND: War without borders – the disinformation threat arriving in Australia
Episode 5: THE PROGRESS REPORT: The mission to make military children visible
Episode 4: PODCAST: Righting the ship, balancing the force, with Senator James Paterson, shadow minister for defence
Episode 3: SPOTLIGHT: Modern electronic warfare, spectrum congestion and the Australian defence ecosystem, with DEWC Services’ Rian Whitby
Episode 2: CONTESTED GROUND: The intersection of finance, organised crime, terrorism and foreign interference, with Keith Bulfin