Why "Girls With Wings ?"
I see a real need to include the field of aviation into
young girls' dreams.
I didn't even consider aviation as a career until my
college Army ROTC instructor told me that Army
Aviation was the toughest branch to get in. No one
has ever issued a challenge like that to me and
gotten away with it! Seriously, I had gone through two
years of ROTC, spending all kinds of time around
helicopters and being briefed by aviation branch reps
and NEVER even made the connection between "hey,
that looks cool" to "hey, I could do that!"
young girls' dreams.
I didn't even consider aviation as a career until my
college Army ROTC instructor told me that Army
Aviation was the toughest branch to get in. No one
has ever issued a challenge like that to me and
gotten away with it! Seriously, I had gone through two
years of ROTC, spending all kinds of time around
helicopters and being briefed by aviation branch reps
and NEVER even made the connection between "hey,
that looks cool" to "hey, I could do that!"
So there I was, learning to fly!
At the time, only 4% of military pilots were women. No one in my family or anyone I
had ever known had been a pilot, so I had no experience from which to glean. It sure
would have made things easier! Learning to fly is not an easy thing to do for anyone,
and as I've always said, as a woman pilot, "they" always expect less of us, so they
ask more of us. Through the years as a UH-1 "Huey" Helicopter pilot and then as a
C-12 (King Air 200) Fixed Wing pilot, I always felt like I was proving myself over and
over to every new pilot (usually male) with whom I flew.
had ever known had been a pilot, so I had no experience from which to glean. It sure
would have made things easier! Learning to fly is not an easy thing to do for anyone,
and as I've always said, as a woman pilot, "they" always expect less of us, so they
ask more of us. Through the years as a UH-1 "Huey" Helicopter pilot and then as a
C-12 (King Air 200) Fixed Wing pilot, I always felt like I was proving myself over and
over to every new pilot (usually male) with whom I flew.
How I got "here."
My fellow female pilots and I have many stories to tell about being mistaken for
anything but the "real" pilot. Together we commiserate on the struggle we have for
just being accepted as "one of the guys." Eventually, when I became Captain for an
airline, I have heard many comments about my "unusual" choice of occupation.
People exclaim over the "novelty" of a female pilot, though many of us have been
flying for years. One of the best kernels of wisdom I've ever gotten is to try to
remember that these people really don't know they're offending us. Although we
women pilots have been flying around the world for decades, we just haven't been
very visible. I have heard similar stories from women in other aviation
professions.
There are many websites out there gearing women toward aviation careers and I
hope to include many of them on my link page. Additionally, though, I want to get
them interested when they're very young so they can grow up considering aviation
as a completely acceptable career choice and pastime! In August of 2002, I started
flying for a fractional airline and travel often on commercial flights. There are always
small girls on the airplane getting so excited about the airport and the airplanes!
But where can they continue this interest? Very nearly everything that is aviation
related is for boys. Once girls are old enough to develop an interest in flying, they've
often realized that such things are geared to the boys, and they're driven away.
anything but the "real" pilot. Together we commiserate on the struggle we have for
just being accepted as "one of the guys." Eventually, when I became Captain for an
airline, I have heard many comments about my "unusual" choice of occupation.
People exclaim over the "novelty" of a female pilot, though many of us have been
flying for years. One of the best kernels of wisdom I've ever gotten is to try to
remember that these people really don't know they're offending us. Although we
women pilots have been flying around the world for decades, we just haven't been
very visible. I have heard similar stories from women in other aviation
professions.
There are many websites out there gearing women toward aviation careers and I
hope to include many of them on my link page. Additionally, though, I want to get
them interested when they're very young so they can grow up considering aviation
as a completely acceptable career choice and pastime! In August of 2002, I started
flying for a fractional airline and travel often on commercial flights. There are always
small girls on the airplane getting so excited about the airport and the airplanes!
But where can they continue this interest? Very nearly everything that is aviation
related is for boys. Once girls are old enough to develop an interest in flying, they've
often realized that such things are geared to the boys, and they're driven away.
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
1997
1998
Graduated from University
of Missouri, Kansas City,
with a BA in History and
as a Distinguished ROTC
Military Graduate.
of Missouri, Kansas City,
with a BA in History and
as a Distinguished ROTC
Military Graduate.
Designated as a US Army
Active Duty Aviation
Officer, started Initial Entry
Rotary Wing Training.
Active Duty Aviation
Officer, started Initial Entry
Rotary Wing Training.
Graduated from the
Aviation Officer Basic
Course and assigned to
Heidelberg, Germany, as
a "VIP" Huey pilot.
Aviation Officer Basic
Course and assigned to
Heidelberg, Germany, as
a "VIP" Huey pilot.
Completed the US Army
Fixed Wing Qualification
Training and returned to
Germany flying the C-12
all over Europe and
Southwest Asia.
Fixed Wing Qualification
Training and returned to
Germany flying the C-12
all over Europe and
Southwest Asia.
Attended the Military
Intelligence Officer
Advance Course.
Intelligence Officer
Advance Course.
Assigned to an Aerial
Reconnaissance Unit
participating in
counter-drug operations
throughout South and
Central America.
Reconnaissance Unit
participating in
counter-drug operations
throughout South and
Central America.
Awarded a Scholarship in
Army Reserve Officer
Training Course (ROTC).
Army Reserve Officer
Training Course (ROTC).
My Background
| I'd like to change all that, with your help. Send me an email to tell me what you think! |
As my seven-year commitment with the Army drew to
a close, I had very nearly decided not to fly as a
civilian. When I was only months away from hanging
up my headset, I was on a commercial flight settling
in to my seat as the Captain made a standard
announcement over the intercom. I hardly paid
attention to the message, but after he was done, a
very young girl sitting behind me said, "Mom, how
come you never hear any girl pilots?" I wish I would
have turned to say to her, "I am a girl pilot." I may not
have said anything then, but that little girl changed my
life. I decided right then and there that I had been
given a fabulous opportunity and that I was not going
to waste it. I left the Army in November of 1999 and
started flying for a regional airline.
a close, I had very nearly decided not to fly as a
civilian. When I was only months away from hanging
up my headset, I was on a commercial flight settling
in to my seat as the Captain made a standard
announcement over the intercom. I hardly paid
attention to the message, but after he was done, a
very young girl sitting behind me said, "Mom, how
come you never hear any girl pilots?" I wish I would
have turned to say to her, "I am a girl pilot." I may not
have said anything then, but that little girl changed my
life. I decided right then and there that I had been
given a fabulous opportunity and that I was not going
to waste it. I left the Army in November of 1999 and
started flying for a regional airline.
2000
2001
Employed for three years
as a pilot for a regional
airline in the Northeast.
as a pilot for a regional
airline in the Northeast.
Began Violet Pilot, my first
venture to promote girls in
aviation.
venture to promote girls in
aviation.
2005
Formed Very Important
Pilots, LLC, and began
Girls With Wings
Pilots, LLC, and began
Girls With Wings
2002
Started work for Flight
Options, LLC, a fractional
airline operating
throughout the world.
Options, LLC, a fractional
airline operating
throughout the world.
2004
Completed my Boeing
737 Type Rating, on a
scholarship from
Continental Airlines
awarded at a Women in
Aviation Conference.
737 Type Rating, on a
scholarship from
Continental Airlines
awarded at a Women in
Aviation Conference.
2006
Created the non-profit
Generate LIFT, Inc.
Generate LIFT, Inc.
TM
TM
TM
