Get To Know Me

It all began when I was fifteen years old. I was standing anxiously outside of the flight school with my Dad on a cold January morning. Today was my introductory flight. Today was the day that I would decide whether or not I wanted to dedicate part of my life to becoming a private pilot. A flight instructor met us outside and we all walked over to the small plane as he introduced himself and began explaining everything about the plane. I’ll never forget the moment that I turned on my headset and heard all of the commotion blaring over the radio from the Air Traffic Control tower. I instantly thought to myself, oh my God how could anyone ever understand this? Everything sounds so complicated; I could never get this. A few more minutes passed, we taxied to the runway, and then we were off. Little did I know that this flight would change my life forever, enhance my passion for success, and solidify my desire to become a pilot. In a male-dominated field, it is important to me that I create a name for myself, build my reputation, and become a mentor to other young women looking to get involved in the field. Some female leaders that have inspired me the most throughout my life are Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart. Their influence continues to inspire me to pursue my goal of becoming a professional pilot and being an individual that others can look up to as well. I am now nineteen years old, pursuing my BS in Aeronautics with minors in both applied meteorology and management, and have over one hundred logged flight hours. Due to these opportunities, the influence of other women pilots, the encouragement around me, and my own personal motivations, I know that I am a driven, hard-working young woman who has a passion for aviation and a desire to influence other women to become part of the aviation industry. In 5-10 years from now, I see myself as a professional pilot, flying smaller corporate jets in and out of well-known airports. I hope to be piloting the jets of acclaimed individuals and executives and possibly beginning my own flight chartering company. My short-term goals include building my flight hours, earning my instrument and commercial ratings, continuing to make strong connections within the aviation industry, and building my reputation as a pilot.