Sometimes, you can have ideas percolating in the background and just one day, out of the blue it all connects and you know what to do and how to act! Ever have that happen to you? It is a marvelous feeling!
I have loved flying since the first time I can remember being up in an airplane and then going out with my uncle when I was ten and flying myself with him guiding me. :)
Here are some photos from flying last year in Schweiz over the Alps. I had a great time.
Here are photos from flying over Florida and the Caribbean.
Finally, here are some photos from the Air Force at two air shows I have attended in recent years.
I have never thought much about it apart from being a good past-time. Actually, I dated a guy who was afraid of flying, swimming and many things, that I gave up in order for him to be happy. He wasn't though! Ha ha. Lesson learned ---> don't give up what you love to do to make someone happy.
I started flying again in 2012 with friends and as a hobby. I discovered that I really love airplanes and flight beyond a mere hobby. I have now been working on a few ideas for new airplane designs, parachutes and other things. I love flying and I wish to see it reinvented and improved in many ways (consumer travel).
Looking back on my own life, I can see some influences. Two maternal uncles served in RAF (Royal Air Force) and four others married into the family (mom and dad's). I have grown up around pilots and it is kind of in my blood! :) I am the first female pilot and the seventh pilot in our direct family.
It's not something I had ever considered as a career, but I am glad to pursue some further training hopefully in the near future, so I can offer some services if needed. It is good to be prepared. :) Right now, I am a volunteer pilot at CAP, the volunteer division of the Air Force. Now I feel it is time to work with the Air Force in some capacity, probably in terms of design. I would love that!
An Inspiration: Tammie Jo Shults
You may have heard about this amazing pilot, Tammie Jo Shults, who saved passengers aboard a Southwest Airline Boeing 737 commercial plane that had a broken engine. She deftly landed the plane on to the runway in an emergency landing, staying calm under pressure.
Tammy Jo Schults
via WSJ
via WSJ
I was greatly inspired by the story of Tammy Jo Schults, the Southwest Airline pilot who safely landed a commercial plane despite a malfunctioning and broken engine and a hole in the plane itself! So amazing really and reading that crystallized a few things for me. That is leadership under pressure and also she was remarkably friendly and humble about it. I love that! I think the story and her character stand as a shining example of what leadership and heroism truly look like. No dressing or embellishment required.