Private Pilot and Civil Air Patrol Member
I am a private pilot living in Canaan, NY (a tiny little town on the NY/MA
border). I’ve been flying for almost 8 years now and took my first lesson at
the age of 12. Since then, I’ve accumulated almost 150 hours of flight time
and have been fortunate enough to meet many wonderful pilots from all
around the world.
I have three favorite memories to share about my early involvement with
aviation. The first is when I was too small to walk I used to lean over the
edge of my crib and stare at the sky for hours on end. When I spotted an
airplane I would make so much noise I frequently put the house in a state of
panic. The second memory is watching airplanes take off and land at the
county airport with my grandfather, and the third involves a scar on my
stomach from running into a tree whilst chasing a “double-winger” around
the yard (I ended up flying that same bi-plane, a PT-17 Stearman, about 12
years later).
My grandfather was a major influence in my childhood when it came to my
love for aviation. He was a top turret gunner on a B-24 in WWII and always
had a thirst to fly but couldn’t due to medical limitations. That didn’t
prevent him from making every attempt to pass it on to me, however, by
way of tirelessly watching History Channel specials. He passed away when I
was only five but I never forgot everything he did for me. When I entered
6th grade one of my teachers was a pilot (he was also the neighbor up the
road who owned the airplane that flew over the house constantly when I
was an infant). He literally took me under his wing and since then has been
my mentor.
I loved the thought that aviation was a realm where women were scarce and
even discouraged from getting involved. I would have to say that
determination was what drove me to become a pilot. Naturally, people did
attempt to direct me toward a career goal that was more “realistic,” but I
had enough support from friends and family to keep me going. And here I
am!
The greatest lesson I learned while getting my license was don’t give up. It
sounds cliché, but aviation is full of obstacles that you WILL encounter - low
funds so you can’t fly, bad weather, bad instructors, bad pilots, close calls,
mistakes, etc. etc. You learn from them and move on. So many potential
pilots gave up because they encountered one of these problems.
I learned to fly at the three local airports near my home (PSF, 1B1, and
NY1). NY1 is a tiny little grass strip and is where I took my first two years
of flight lessons. I’m always proud to say I’m a “grassroots” pilot because I
flew a 1947 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser at the time. I’ve flown numerous
aircraft over the years, but the more exotic types are the PT-17 Stearman,
a Europa, a J-3 Cub, and many more.
I’m currently a sophomore in college so I don’t have a lot of time for flying.
However, I recently joined the Civil Air Patrol and am hoping to be able to
put my skills as a pilot to use with the local squadron.
People are usually fairly surprised to hear that I’m a pilot. I think the
stereotype that aviation is still a guy thing hangs over the general public
even today.
What role do skills in math, science, engineering and technology play in
supporting your job? Math, science, engineering, and technology play an
extremely vital role in my work as a pilot. I never was a star student in my
math classes and I learned that using a calculator doesn’t mean you’re not
smart - it means you would rather be safe than sorry.
What activities do you suggest for young children or young adults to
prepare them for a career like yours? I would suggest hanging around your
local airport (with a parent, of course) and getting to know the managers.
If you have a family friend who is a pilot or an aviation professional, talk to
them and see if they can take you up on a flight. Also pay attention to local
aviation events in your area.
I am a private pilot living in Canaan, NY (a tiny little town on the NY/MA
border). I’ve been flying for almost 8 years now and took my first lesson at
the age of 12. Since then, I’ve accumulated almost 150 hours of flight time
and have been fortunate enough to meet many wonderful pilots from all
around the world.
I have three favorite memories to share about my early involvement with
aviation. The first is when I was too small to walk I used to lean over the
edge of my crib and stare at the sky for hours on end. When I spotted an
airplane I would make so much noise I frequently put the house in a state of
panic. The second memory is watching airplanes take off and land at the
county airport with my grandfather, and the third involves a scar on my
stomach from running into a tree whilst chasing a “double-winger” around
the yard (I ended up flying that same bi-plane, a PT-17 Stearman, about 12
years later).
My grandfather was a major influence in my childhood when it came to my
love for aviation. He was a top turret gunner on a B-24 in WWII and always
had a thirst to fly but couldn’t due to medical limitations. That didn’t
prevent him from making every attempt to pass it on to me, however, by
way of tirelessly watching History Channel specials. He passed away when I
was only five but I never forgot everything he did for me. When I entered
6th grade one of my teachers was a pilot (he was also the neighbor up the
road who owned the airplane that flew over the house constantly when I
was an infant). He literally took me under his wing and since then has been
my mentor.
I loved the thought that aviation was a realm where women were scarce and
even discouraged from getting involved. I would have to say that
determination was what drove me to become a pilot. Naturally, people did
attempt to direct me toward a career goal that was more “realistic,” but I
had enough support from friends and family to keep me going. And here I
am!
The greatest lesson I learned while getting my license was don’t give up. It
sounds cliché, but aviation is full of obstacles that you WILL encounter - low
funds so you can’t fly, bad weather, bad instructors, bad pilots, close calls,
mistakes, etc. etc. You learn from them and move on. So many potential
pilots gave up because they encountered one of these problems.
I learned to fly at the three local airports near my home (PSF, 1B1, and
NY1). NY1 is a tiny little grass strip and is where I took my first two years
of flight lessons. I’m always proud to say I’m a “grassroots” pilot because I
flew a 1947 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser at the time. I’ve flown numerous
aircraft over the years, but the more exotic types are the PT-17 Stearman,
a Europa, a J-3 Cub, and many more.
I’m currently a sophomore in college so I don’t have a lot of time for flying.
However, I recently joined the Civil Air Patrol and am hoping to be able to
put my skills as a pilot to use with the local squadron.
People are usually fairly surprised to hear that I’m a pilot. I think the
stereotype that aviation is still a guy thing hangs over the general public
even today.
What role do skills in math, science, engineering and technology play in
supporting your job? Math, science, engineering, and technology play an
extremely vital role in my work as a pilot. I never was a star student in my
math classes and I learned that using a calculator doesn’t mean you’re not
smart - it means you would rather be safe than sorry.
What activities do you suggest for young children or young adults to
prepare them for a career like yours? I would suggest hanging around your
local airport (with a parent, of course) and getting to know the managers.
If you have a family friend who is a pilot or an aviation professional, talk to
them and see if they can take you up on a flight. Also pay attention to local
aviation events in your area.
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| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
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