PILOT – AUTHOR – TRAINER – KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Cordula Pflaum
Welcome aboard my aviation world!
I believe in connecting with people through personal experiences and stories, serving as a role model. I shed light on what it means to work in psychologically safe teams and how mental health can be strengthened. My commitment extends beyond the skies because I believe in the development of teams and individuals to create safer work environments.
Learning through personal growth and encounters is my philosophy.
PILOT – AUTOE – TRAINER – Keynote Speaker
Cordula Pflaum
Welcome aboard my aviation world!
I believe in connecting with people through personal experiences and stories, serving as a role model. I shed light on what it means to work in psychologically safe teams and how mental health can be strengthened. My commitment extends beyond the skies because I believe in the development of teams and individuals to create safer work environments.
Learning through personal growth and encounters is my philosophy.
„Clear in purpose, gentle with people.“
Kicking Leadership
Leadership is changing. Leadership is important. And leadership must evolve – because the world is moving faster and faster. Challenges? More complex. Issues? More diverse. Demands? Increasing.
This, of course, also presents an opportunity for real competitive advantages. But how do you keep track?
How do you shape change? How do you engage your team and create a spirit of optimism? If you want to improve your leadership game and move forward with a clear plan: Welcome! We provide the answers.
Kicking Leadership
Leadership is changing. Leadership is important. And leadership must evolve – because the world is moving faster and faster. Challenges? More complex. Issues? More diverse. Demands? Increasing.
This, of course, also presents an opportunity for real competitive advantages. But how do you keep track?
How do you shape change? How do you engage your team and create a spirit of optimism? If you want to improve your leadership game and move forward with a clear plan: Welcome! We provide the answers.
My Story
„For over three decades …“
…have I been immersed in the fascinating world of aviation, where I live out my passion as a pilot. As a Training Captain for Airbus A330/350/380, my goal is not only to transport people from one place to another but also to demonstrate globally, across various industries, how psychologically safe teams can be cultivated through training, workshops, and keynotes.
Overcoming Challenges
The concepts of safety culture and a well-established error culture are central to me. How can these concepts contribute to a safe working environment? As a leader constantly dealing with changing teams in the daily flight operations, I describe how I tackle these challenges. It is with this conviction that I am active in FidAR e.V. and share my experiences.
Strengthening Mental Health
In close collaboration with renowned institutions such as the “Klinikum rechts der Isar”, “TUM”, and the “AO Foundation”, I have developed these skills with the Human Factors Academy and transferred them to the medical world through Human Factors Competency Trainings. How can companies proactively take measures to strengthen the mental health of their employees? This question deeply concerns me. Through my long-standing work in Peer Support, especially in the Critical Incident Stress Management of the Mayday Foundation, I demonstrate how processing critical incidents in professional life can increase resilience. My support of Corinna Cremer and the skyminds Foundationwhich is dedicated to safeguarding and fortifying mental health within organizations has become very important to me.
Sharing Experiences
I have now also published my first book, “Good day, this is your captain”, in which I give a look behind the scenes of flight operations and talk about what it means to be a woman in this industry. It is my vision to share my knowledge and experiences to contribute to a safer and healthier working world. I am also now a member of the Premium Leaders Club Germany as a speaker as well as at 1st row woman speaker and pass on my experiences there. Furthermore, I am now part of the expert team at C-Lab. C-Lab supports people and organizations in navigating the modern working world by helping with the evidence-based further development or realignment of modern corporate culture and innovative leadership understanding.
MY References
Strong Partnerships
Respect
Respect for every individual is at the forefront of every interaction
Resonsibility
I take responsibility for everything I do and measure myself by it
Trust
Trust is the foundation of good collaberation
Humility
Approaching the forces of nature and humanity with humility and mindfulness
My Journey
The world is my home
#1 Graduation from flight school
#2 Captain / to the left seat
#3 Worldwide human factors trainer
#4 Training captain
#5 Peer Support / mental health
#6 Author
#7 Future maker 2024
For over 35 years, I have been passionately and wholeheartedly involved in the aviation industry. My exciting journey began in 1994 as a commercial pilot with Lufthansa Passage Airlines. Throughout my 30-year career, I have not only gained extensive experience as a pilot but have also led a team of up to 25 professionals as a commander for 19 years.
However, my expertise extends beyond the cockpit. At Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH, I have served as an assessor, developer, and trainer in recent years and I have put my heart and soul into my role as training captain since 2009 and into the training and development of our colleagues in the cockpit. In this role, I have conducted training and coaching in various sectors, both internally and externally. Additionally, I have developed and implemented HR projects to promote the development of professionals.
A highlight of my career was my involvement in the project team for the introduction of the A350 at Lufthansa. As a project team member, I contributed to the development and implementation of a training plan that ensured a smooth introduction in February 2017.
My expertise also extends beyond the aviation industry. As the author of a book to be published by Penguin Random House in March 2024, I share my experiences and insights to be not just a woman but also a human being in this industry.
Throughout my career, I have delved deeply into human factors. As the initiator and host of the LH Human Factors Action Group, I have created platforms to promote safety and a culture of learning from mistakes. The establishment of websites, podcasts, and conferences reflects my commitment. As the responsible CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) officer for the cockpit at Lufthansa and as a member of the Peer Support Foundation Mayday since 2002, I actively support the psychological well-being of colleagues.
I believe in the development of teams and individuals. Through workshops and training in safety culture, error culture, Crew Resource Management, and more, I contribute to forming psychologically safe teams. My international collaboration with various airlines demonstrates my versatility and willingness to learn and share across industries.
With a clear focus on development and safety promotion, I use my expertise to help people and organizations unleash their potential and create safer working environments.
Current projects
Always on the move
May 05, 2025:
Great Woman Netzwerk-Event Keynote „Geopolitische Zeitenwende“
May 10, 2025:
Keynote bei Marketing Club Frankfurt e.V. Veranstaltung am Frankfurter Flughafen
June 05, 2025:
Keynote Safety Forum EUROCONTROL Brussels, Belgium
June 26, 2025:
Speech at the Ambassador Club Bamberg
July 04, 2025:
Keynote at the 12th International Summer School on Aviation Psychology & Human Factors ISAP’25
September 11, 2025:
International Football Concepts Impuls „psychological safety“
September 19, 2025:
Congress State Sports Association of Hesse Trainer Symposium Impulse “Psychological Safety in High-Performance Sports”
September 23, 2025:
Impulsspeech at DRF Luftrettung in Darmstadt
Pilotin – Author – Trainer – Keynote Speaker
Author
I am thrilled to announce the release of my first book, Good Day, This Is Your Captain Speaking, where I offer an exclusive look behind the scenes of flight operations and share what it truly means to be a woman in this industry. Through real experiences and insights, this book reveals the challenges and rewards of navigating the aviation world from a unique perspective.
NEWS: My new book (available from March 2024)
Good day, it’s your captain speaking!
Every year, billions of people use airplanes. But how much do we really know about aviation? Cordula Pflaum offers an exciting behind-the-scenes look at a universe that most only scratch the surface of. Still, few suspect that a woman can fly a passenger aircraft. Sometimes, Cordula Pflaum even hears a startled murmur from the cabin when she introduces herself as the flight’s captain during an announcement. After her training, she was the 20th pilot at Lufthansa and the first training pilot for long-haul flights. Pflaum openly addresses concerns and prejudices, debunks outdated clichés, and places the person behind the controls at the center of attention.
NEWS: My new book (available from March 2024)
Good day, it’s your captain speaking!
Every year, billions of people use airplanes. But how much do we really know about aviation? Cordula Pflaum offers an exciting behind-the-scenes look at a universe that most only scratch the surface of. Still, few suspect that a woman can fly a passenger aircraft. Sometimes, Cordula Pflaum even hears a startled murmur from the cabin when she introduces herself as the flight’s captain during an announcement. After her training, she was the 20th pilot at Lufthansa and the first training pilot for long-haul flights. Pflaum openly addresses concerns and prejudices, debunks outdated clichés, and places the person behind the controls at the center of attention.
Pilot – Author – Trainer – Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker
My vision is to share my knowledge and experiences to create a safer and healthier working world. As a member of the Premium Leaders Club Germany, I inspire leaders and companies to set new standards. But that’s just the beginning: you can also book me as a speaker through 1st Row, the Referentenagentur Bertelsmann and C-LAB .
Pilot – Author – Trainer – Keynote Speaker
Keynote Speaker
My vision is to share my knowledge and experiences to create a safer and healthier working world. As a member of the Premium Leaders Club Germany, I inspire leaders and companies to set new standards. But that’s just the beginning: you can also book me as a speaker through 1st Row, the Referentenagentur Bertelsmann and C-LAB .
Lectures
Cordula Pflaum combines the precision of the flight cockpit with the sensitivity of human leadership. As captain of the Airbus A350 and A380, she combines her expertise in aviation with the intricacies of team leadership. She shares her passionate approach to psychological safety in teams in rousing keynotes, practical workshops and targeted training sessions. With valuable experience gained in the training and development of colleagues, she brings Crew resource management to the business world to strengthen interpersonal skills and transform leadership cultures. Her work with international airlines and medical facilities has made Cordula Pflaum a sought-after expert who knows that respectful, trusting interaction at eye level is the basis for any strong leadership.
Premium Leaders Club
Leadership I Management I Change I Mentoring I Safety- and Mistakeculture
Expert Team C-LAB
Psychological Safety I Leadership I Culture
Training – Captain
Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH
Lufthansa Airlines
Autor
Good day, it’s your captain speaking
Podcasts & Shows
Hear more from me
My media presence
Press Echo
