More Scholarships

This is amazing! I have heard so much since I posted the Girls With Wings Scholarship announcement from other organizations that are having a difficult time giving away their scholarships. In the interest of cooperation and furthering the mission behind Girls With Wings (encouraging more girls' interest in aviation), I am posting the following links to the websites of three of the major women in aviation organizations over the next few days. Please PLEASE give yourself the *gift* this year of personal development: take some time to apply!

Women In Aviation, International 2008 Scholarships


Dispatcher Scholarships

Airline Ground Schools, Inc. Airline Ground Schools (AGS) will award one dispatcher training award leading to an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher certifi­cate. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. AGS offers two options: a 13 weekend course in Florence, KY (near Cincinnati); and a Distance Learning Course with a 6-day resi­dency. No previous aviation experience required. (Scholarship value $3000)

Airline Dispatcher’s Federation Scholarships The Airline Dispatcher’s Federation will award at least one dispatcher training award, donated by ADF Scholastic Partners, which can lead to an FAA Certified Aircraft Dispatcher License. Applicants must be 21 years of age to begin a training course and, upon successful completion of the training, may be hired as a Dispatcher’s Assistant until legally able to exercise Joint Operational Control (as per Federal Aviation Regulations) as an aircraft dispatcher with any U.S. FAR 121 Domestic/Flag Carrier at age 23. Previous aviation experience may be applied, but is not required. (Scholarship value varies)

Engineering Scholarships

Delta Air Lines Engineering Scholarship Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student cur­rently enrolled in a Baccalaureate degree in Aerospace/Aero­nautical, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the 16th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference (in­cludes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations and conference fee). Applicants must be full-time students at the junior or se­nior level with a minimum of two semesters (as of March 2008), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Appli­cants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. IN ADDITION to all WAI requirements you must also include a detailed essay (500 -1000 words), double spaced, type written which addresses the following topics: 1. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in Aero-space/Aeronautical, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering? 2. What is or has been your greatest life challenge, and how has it enriched your and/or someone else’s life? 3. If someone else was to describe your greatest strength, what would it be and why, and what do you consider to be your strongest characteristic and why? 4. What has been your most memorable academic experience and how did you handle this situation? 5. Why are you the most qualified candidate for the Delta Air Lines Engineering Scholarship? (Scholarship value–$5,000; Estimated total value–$6,000)

Flight Scholarships

Commercial Airline Pilot Advance Training– Airline/Jet Transition Course Scholarship The Commercial Airline Pilot Training (CAPT) will award one Advance Training -Airline/Jet Transition Course Scholarship to a qualified candidate. This course will include a commercial/multi-engine/instrument review course (academics and flight) in a crew concept environment with the student culminating 24 hours in a transport category-type Flight Training Device. Upon successful completion of the course, the recipient will be eligible for employment through CAPT’s partnering airlines. Applicants must meet all WAI scholarship requirements, complete and submit the WAI application as specified on the form. Applicants must be holders of a Commercial multi-engine land license with an instrument rating and a minimum of 300 hours. The recipient is responsible for all travel and housing-related costs for the estimated 10-week course located at the CAPT training facility in Palm Coast, FL. A list of available housing will be provided to the recipient. (Scholarship value $22,495 estimated)

Continental Airlines 737 Flight Training Scholarships (2) Continental Airlines is offering two Boeing 737 type rating training scholarships. Criteria requires a minimum of 1,500 hours total time, 1,000 hours turbine, 1,000 hours multi, 1,000 hours PIC. Applicant must possess commercial and instrument ratings, a first class medical with no waivers, and must have successfully completed the ATP written exam. To apply for these scholarships, apply online. The deadline for applications is December 7, 2007. Go to www.continental.com (Scholarship value-$8,000 - each
scholarship)

Delta Air Lines Boeing B737-800 Type Rating Certificate Scholarships (2) Delta Air Lines will award two B737-800 Type Rating Cer­tificates to qualified recipients that are currently enrolled or have a Baccalaureate Degree. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) and have leadership potential. All training will be approximately 6 concurrent weeks and conducted in Atlanta, Georgia. Lodging accommodations and round trip airfare will be provided during training (meals not included). In addition to the B737-800 Type Certificate, each recipient will receive a trip to the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference (including round trip airfare, hotel accommodations and conference fee). Résumé must include the following: all schools attended, including high school with city and state for each school, GPA, dates attended for college and all degrees. If applicable, all military history, including all occupations, ranks, education, and dates must be included. Candidates should list academic honors, scholarships, awards, and special achievements. Minimum qualifications include the following: commercial, instrument, and multiengine land certificates a minimum of 1,000 hours total time, and a current first class FAA medical certificate. Candidates must include a copy of their automobile driver’s license, current passport, and list any moving violations, dates, locations and associated details for the last seven years. Candidates must include a statement of conviction (any type of violation of the law, moving or not) with complete dates and locations. Candidates should provide details pertinent to any letters of inquiries from the FAA regarding any aircraft incidents or accidents, and a list of all FAA check ride failures. (Scholarship value $35,000 - each scholarship)

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Type Rating Scholarships Southwest Airlines is proud to announce that we will award two scholarships for Boeing-737 type ratings. The scholarships are available to WAI members only who meet our minimum criteria (as described in this listing). The winners will be announced at the convention in San Diego, and training will be held in Dallas, Texas. Scholarship winners must be available for potential em­ployment by Southwest Airlines within one year of success­ful completion of the B-737 type rating class and additional re­view board. To obtain an application go to www.southwest. com and click on “Careers”, scroll down to the “What’s new section” and click on the Women in Aviation link. All scholarship applications must be postmarked on or before December 1, 2007. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:Flight experience:- U.S. FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.- Must be at least 23 years of age, at time of hire.- 2500 hours total or 1500 turbine total, including a mini­mum of 1000 hours in turbine aircraft as the Pilot in Com­mand, as defined by FAR Part I. Recency of experience is considered.- Southwest considers only Pilot time in fixed wing air­craft. This specifically excludes simulator, helicopter, WSO, RIO, FE, NAV, EWO, “Other”, etc.Medical:- Current FAA Class I Medical Certificate.- Must pass FAA mandated drug test.Education:- High School Diploma or equivalency required.- Graduation from an accredited, four-year college preferred.Work authorization: Established authorization to work in the United StatesLanguage: Must read, write, and speak English fluently. WAI Membership: Membership will be verifiedRecommendation Letters: Minimum of three letters from any individuals who can attest to the pilot’s flying skills. (Scholarship value $TBD)

Women Military Aviators – Dream of Flight Scholarship Women Military Aviators (WMA) seeks to preserve, for histo­ry, the important role women played in creating and supporting the American Spirit through their contributions to flight, aeronautics and space. This is an elite band of women that changed the way the world works and who put their lives on the line in defense of their country and for the love of aviation. WMA is committed to passing this legacy from one generation of women to another and has established an annual scholarship program in support of this commitment. Advocating the love of aviation, WMA offers an annual scholarship to advance a young woman in her pursuit of flight ratings at an accredited institution or FAA part 141 approved flight school. Over the past 25 years this scholarship has been given to select candidates so that they may pursue opportunities in the aviation field and to support the advancement of women in civilian and military aviation. The selection criterion includes the applicant’s ambition to advance women in aviation, demonstrated persistence and determination; financial need; ability to complete training; and ability to bring honor to the women of WMA. All criteria should be addressed by the applicants in their application in addition to interest in military aviation. Applicants must be able to complete training within one year of the award; be en­rolled in high school, an accredited flight program, or an accredited college or university. In addition, applicants should address all selection criteria in their application and identify the college or university in which enrolled. The 2008 Award will be given in honor of the women aviators who have served or are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Scholarship value $2500)

General Scholarships

Airbus Leadership Grant One scholarship will be awarded to a student at the college level of sophomore year or above who is pursuing a degree in an aviation-related field, who has achieved a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and who has exhibited leadership potential. All applicants should submit one 500-word essay which addresses their career aspirations and explains how they have exhibited leadership skills. (Scholarship value $5000)

The Boeing Company Career Enhancement Scholarship The Boeing Company will award a scholarship to a woman who wishes to advance her career in the aerospace industry in the fields of engineering, technology development or management. The award is to be used for educational purposes only and may not be applied towards flight hours. Applicants may be full-time or part-time employees currently in the aerospace industry or a related field. Also eligible are students pursing aviation and aerospace-related degrees at the junior level with a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale). (Scholarship value $2,500)

Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation Scholarship Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. is awarding a $1000 scholarship to support a woman seeking to pursue an undergraduate or grad­uate degree in an aviation-related field. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, fluent in English and have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) in her most recent year of schooling. Applicant should submit a one-page essay detailing her current educational status, what she hopes to achieve by pursuing a degree in aviation and her aspirations in the field. (Scholarship value $1000)

"If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It" Scholarship (2) Nicole Cagnolatti, A&P/ Pilot has been the recipient of several WAI scholarships and benefited immensely from the as­sistance. She wants to personally contribute to the WAI Scholarships (for the 3rd year) by offering other aviation dreamers the opportunity to pursue their dream. In addition to the WAI requirements, include a 500-word descriptive essay detail­ing your Aviation Dream (Flight, Maintenance, Management, etc.), where and how you hope to use this award, and an approximate timeline of completion towards your goal. Applicants will be evaluated on a clear dream presented, past ambitious nature (aviation or other field, including volun­teering) and following application directions. Awards will be made out to the organization under the recipient’s name. Applicants must use funds within one year of acceptance. Financial assistance to your dream must make sense for amount offered. (Scholarship value $500 - each scholarship)

The Keep Flying Scholarship 2008 Both sponsors, Deborah Hecker and Evelyne Tinkl, were recipients of WAI type rating scholarships, benefited immensely from the assistance and want to give back to the aviation community. They recognized a need for an intermediate level scholarship to assist individuals making strides in aviation/flight. One scholarship totaling a maximum of $3,000 will be awarded to an individual working on an instrument or multi-engine rating, commercial or initial CFI certificate. Payments will be made directly to your flight school. Flight training must be completed within one year. Finalists will only be interviewed at the annual Women in Aviation Conference. Minimum requirements: private pilot certificate, 100 hours of flight time, copy of current 70%+ written test only for the certificate/rating sought. In your essay tell how the funds will be used, include other information you feel is relevant. One letter of recommendation must be from someone you have flown with.
(Scholarship value $3000)

"Ride the Sun" Ruth Maestre and Denise Waters have enjoyed (and contin­ue to enjoy) some once-in-a-lifetime experiences through their general aviation flying. Their chance meeting while flying their own respective Grumman Tiger airplanes to an AYA convention started a friendship and flying partnership that continues to grow. As general aviation pilots and air racers, flying is not their primary occupation. They have flown and raced throughout their country and internationally. They enjoy and treasure the freedom of flight at home in the USA. You are encouraged to continue the experience and help retain these freedoms. Many friends, family and sponsors have helped them achieve their dreams of flight beyond the ordinary training experiences. They would like to pass this opportunity on to you. The path of flight is challenging and can be expensive. Let them help you see that you can fly it! Requirements: 1. Meet all WAI scholarship requirements. 2. An additional 500 word essay on what flight means to you and specifically how you will use this financial assistance. 3. Upon receiving the award, provide the name of the organization that is to receive payment on your behalf. 4. Upon utilizing the award, write a short report (and photos would be appreciated) of how the assistance was used.Financial assistance can be used for any of the following involving FLIGHT:- Air Racing - Entrance fees, fuel, etc.- Convention or aviation seminar (Fuel for flying, registration fees, etc.)- Additional training including Aerobatic, Spin, Formation Flight, Mountain Flying, Soaring, Ballooning, etc.- An unusual flight challenge, such as to challenge an NAA record or participate in an international rally or competition- Special Flights
(Fuel or other expenses involved with flying to give back to others, such as Angel Flight). (Scholarship value $500)

Spirit of Aviation Scholarship The Northern Spirit Chapter in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is proud to award the “Spirit of Aviation” scholarship. The recipient of this award will receive her Conference registration, as well as travel and lodging expenses to attend the International Wom­en in Aviation Conference in San Diego, CA. Our objective is to help someone benefit from the WAI Conference who would not otherwise be able to attend without financial assistance. This scholarship is open to all WAI members involved in aviation related fields. Applicants must adhere to all WAI scholarship requirements. Descriptive essays and résumés should address your aviation history and goals, what you have done to achieve your goals, how the scholarship will help you achieve your objectives, and your current involvement in aviation activities in your community. Preference will be given to a local WAI member. (Scholarship value $1200)

Women in Aviation, International Achievement Award (2) One scholarship will be awarded to a full-time college or university student pursuing any type of aviation or aviation related career. A second scholarship will be awarded to an individual, not required to be a student, pursuing any type of aviation. (Scholarship value $750 each scholarship)

Women in Corporate Aviation Career Scholarship The Women in Corporate Aviation Career Scholarship is offered by the members and sponsors of Women in Corporate Aviation to any man or woman pursuing professional development or career advancement in any job classification of corporate/business aviation. The award must be used toward a specific program of education. Suggested uses include (but are not limited to): Flight training, dispatcher training, maintenance career training, corporate flight attendant training, upgrades in aviation education, NBAA Professional Development Program (PDP) courses, and college aviation degree courses. The award cannot be used for general business course work. The scholarship winner will have the award deposited with the training provider. Applicants are limited to one award per year from Women in Corporate Aviation. (Scholarship value $2000)

Maintenance Scholarships

Aircraft Electronics Association Aviation Maintenance Scholarship The Aircraft Electronics Association is offering a scholarship for a female student seeking a degree in the aviation maintenance field (preference will be given to an avionics major) at an accredited college or technical school offering such a degree. A minimum GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. (Scholarship value $1,500)

Delta Air Lines Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student currently enrolled in an Aviation Maintenance Technician Program (A&P) or a degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference (includes round trip
airfare, hotel accommodations and conference fee). Applicants must be a full-time student, with a minimum of two semesters left (as of March 2008), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. IN ADDITION to all WAI requirements, please include a detailed essay (500 -1000 words), double spaced, type written which addresses the following topics:1. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in Aviation Maintenance Technology?2. What is or has been your greatest life challenge, and how has it enriched your and/or someone else’s life?3. If someone else was to describe your greatest strength, what would it be and why, and what do you consider to be your strongest characteristic and why?4. What has been your most memorable academic experience and how did you handle this situation?5.Why are you the most qualified candidate for the Delta Air Lines Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship? (Scholarship value $6000)

Delta Air Lines – Engine Maintenance Internship Delta Air Lines would like to extend a 2008 Summer Intern­ship (13 weeks) opportunity to a student currently enrolled in a Baccalaureate degree in Aerospace/Aeronautical, Mechani­cal or Industrial Engineering. In addition to an internship position, the recipient will receive a trip to the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations and conference fee). Ap­plicants must be full-time students at the junior or senior level with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Lodging accommodations will be provided for the duration of the 15 weeks. Compensation is paid to interns based on the following guidelines:Junior $2,253 per month ($13/hr) – Completed at least 60 hours in collegeSenior $2,427 per month ($14/hr) – Completed at least 90 hours in college The primary role of the Engine Maintenance Operations in­tern is to participate in and lead projects in support of engine maintenance production. As an intern, the selected applicant will use his/her skills to investigate a myriad of problems af­fecting the various maintenance areas and their ability to pro­duce quality, safe and timely products. IN ADDITION to all WAI requirement, interested applicants should submit a résumé and cover letter detailing their qualifications. Applicants should list academic honors, scholarships, awards and special achievements. (Internship value– $10,159 -$10,681 including salary, lodging, and Conference)

Management Scholarships

Delta Air Lines Aviation Maintenance Management/Aviation Business Management Scholarship Delta Air Lines will award a $5,000 scholarship to a student currently enrolled in an Associate or Baccalaureate degree in Aviation Maintenance Management or Aviation Business Management. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, the recipient will receive a trip to the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference (includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations and conference fee). Applicants must be full-time college students, with a minimum of two semesters left (as of March 2008), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. IN ADDITION to all WAI requirements, please include a detailed essay (500 -1000 words), double spaced, type written which addresses the following topics:1. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in Aviation Maintenance Management/Aviation Business Management?2. What is or has been your greatest life challenge, and how has it enriched your and/or someone else’s life?3. If someone else was to describe your greatest strength, what would it be and why, and what do you consider to be your strongest characteristic and why?4. What has been your most memorable academic experience and how did you handle this situation?5. Why are you the most qualified candidate for the Delta Air Lines Maintenance Management/Aviation Business Management Scholarship? (Scholarship value $6,000)

GAT Wings to the Future Management Scholarship GAT Airline Ground Support, a maintenance, cargo management and ground support services provider, will award a scholarship to a female student in an aviation management or aviation business program at an accredited college or university. The scholarship will be applied to the tuition of the recipient and cannot be used for flight fees. Applicants must be full-time students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). The recipient will also receive travel and lodging expenses to attend the 19th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference in San Diego, California in March of 2008. (Scholarship value $2500)

Women in Aviation Management Scholarship This scholarship will be awarded to a woman in an aviation management field who has exemplified the traits of leadership, community spirit and volunteerism. The scholarship can be used to attend a leadership-related course or seminar to raise the individual’s level of management. (Scholarship value $1000)

Announcing the Girls With Wings Scholarship!

Announcing the First Ever Girls With Wings™ Scholarship!

We are pleased to announce that we will be now accepting applications for the 1st Annual GWW Scholarship. Applications are to be an essay with photo stating why the applicant believes she is a role model for Girl With Wings™, to include her motivation, inspirations and future plans. There is no minimum or maximum length required in the essays; quality and completeness are key. There is no need to submit financial information, but if a factor, can be discussed in the essay. The only prerequisite is that applicants must not have yet received her private pilot's license. Applicants agree to possibly have portions of or their entire essays and pictures posted on the GWW website. Deadline for submission is November 1st, 2007.

One scholarship winner will be notified December 1st, 2007 and be sent a check for $500 to be used toward flying lessons at the flight school of her choice. The winner will be ultimately determined by the President of Girls With Wings™/Very Important Pilots, LLC. The awardee agrees to have her winning essay posted on the website and to submit at least three pictures taking during flight training. In addition, the winner agrees to submit a final essay summarizing how the scholarship helped her, what she learned, and her intent to continue her work as a role model for Girls With Wings™, and her education, flight training and otherwise, by July 1st, 2008 or return the awarded amount. All awardee submissions are to be released for use by Girls With Wings™ and its parent company, Very Important Pilot, LLC, at our discretion.

Please send your essay to:
Girls With Wings Scholarship
1275 Andrews Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107

You may also email your application (and attach a photo) to: Scholarship@GirlsWithWings.com.

Disclaimer: Applicants agree to not hold Very Important Pilots, LLC, accountable for the outcome of using this monetary award. The selection of a flight school for training rests solely with the awardee and the conduct and safety of the flight training is in no way the responsibility of Very Important Pilots, LLC. By submitting an application, the applicant agrees not to hold Very Important Pilots, LLC, liable for any harm or injury, personal or otherwise, that may result from the award, if she is so selected.
_____________________________
Girls With Wings™ is a movement to encourage more young girls to have an interest in aviation. www.GirlsWithWings.com is a fun and interactive website for girls of all ages to learn more about their opportunities through an active volunteer network of women in aviation role models.

For more information, please contact:
Lynda Meeks
Founder, Girls With Wings™
"Our mission is to encourage girls to have wings no matter what they may dream."
Cell: 216.577.6131
admin@girlswithwings.com

***Sign up for our eZine at http://www.girlswithwings.com/Signup.html***

Lost Nation Airport Airshow

Hi All,

Well, I am recovered. Between my last two 8 day tours for work where I worked in their office filing flight plans from 6am til 3pm, I did my six day hike in the Utah canyons. On my first day "off" I went to the Lost Nation Airport in Willoughby, Ohio, to participate in A Gathering of Eagles XII Airshow put on by the United States Aviation Museum, featuring aircraft of WWII, Korea, and the Cold War. Airshow proceeds benefitted the restoration of "Doc," a Korean-war era B-29.

What I didn't realize was that my "booth" was a marked off piece of grass on the airport (explains why it was only $100 - many shows are more than $1000). Talene, the newest member of the Girls With Wings Role Model Crew, had volunteered to help out so she went by to pick us up a canopy from the local mega store. Well, it lasted about four and half minutes before the strong gusty wind picked it up and tossed it like a leaf into the surrounding vendor tents and trailers. Luckily, no one was very upset and everyone jumped up to catch the tent, dismantle it, and throw the pieces in a pile near our site. The canopy was ripped, so there was no reason to put it back up.

So, for hours, Talene and I sat out in the blazing sun jumping up everytime a gust of wind knocked over our racks or blew t-shirts or jewelry items to the ground. I only brought stools, so every once in a while we would take cover under the nearest tent, run by the USO, to cool down and sit in their comfy chairs. I was really feeling the low sales weren't making up for the time, effort and energy to be out there! I was so exhausted I felt like lying down and napping in the middle of it all (except it was too dern hot!).

The sky also grew increasingly darker, and despite assurances that rain wasn't in the forecast, made us a little nervous. Remember, I have my life savings in these t-shirts sitting unprotected in the grass. About the time that Talene and I decided to pack up those items that were not selling so I could take them home and reduce the number of things out on Sunday, it started to rain. Then pour.

Amazingly, all these kind people from the surrounding tents jumped up to help throw merchandise into plastic bags, and get my fragile mannequins out of the wet! Even a guy's two little kids humped items into the fifth wheel trailer of a guy across the way who had extra room. I went to get my little trailer to get more bags and boxes to pack stuff up and we had everything put away in no time. What a great reflection on human kind!

Meanwhile, two of the men noticed my rather rickety trailer, held together by bungees. Hey, you need two people to get these bolts tightened and it's just me at home. So, they both grabbed their socket sets and tightened the trailer walls up right. Awesome! So I went home and slept for 10 hours. I could have slept longer, but I still had to get up to be back at the show by 9. Thanks also to Talene, who I know wasn't planning on being there all 10 hours.

The coordinator for the airshow felt sorry for us, so sunday he let me use a tent that had been abandoned by the vendor. Early the next morning my friend Carol and her husband Wally helped me to set up under this 10x20 tent - I felt like a queen! It was almost cold under the shade (it was still windy). Sales were still slow, so it was the perfect opportunity to discount merchandise, located the damaged items, get it all refolded, etc. I still went home sunday night and slept 12 hours.

All in all, it was a good time. And a good lesson, which I am constantly learning getting this business up and running. A woman harrumped when she had learned that my new tee, "It's not how tall you are, it's how high you fly!" was $22. Unfortunately, half of that price is my cost to have the tee made, and after I pay for the booth (like I said, only $100+10% of sales to go to the aircraft restoration), one quarter of that is for such logistics, and the remaining quarter goes to my accountant, my lawyer, the retail supplies (and display racks), my website, etc., etc., leaving little or none to reduce the money I've put into Girls With Wings. When I go to Oshkosh, my costs are so high that I make nothing. I even lose money.

Am I complaining? Heck no! I love getting out and talking to the people. Everyone loves the idea of GWW. I knew when I started this venture I was taking a risk, but I wanted to make a difference in girls' lives, which I have over and over. What greater reward is there?

So I am well rested now and packing up for the trip to Oshkosh. Before I can go, I am on my way to Dayton, to the National Aviation Hall of Fame for the inaugural Wings of Women Conference (WOW) to be held on Friday, July 20.

"Outstanding women who have achieved success and recognition in their respective field will share their passion, commitment and time with high school girls who are looking toward their future career. Some of the dynamic women of aviation invited to participate as WOW speakers and mentors include Connie Tobias, US Airbus Captain to Europe and first woman to fly a Wright 1903 replica, USAF Col. Colleen Ryan, Commander, 88th Air Base Wing, Wright -Patterson Air Force Base, Dr. Peggy Baty Chabrian, President and Founder of Women in Aviation, International, and others to be confirmed in the coming weeks."

Then I pick up the RV and head off to Oshkosh. I can't wait!

...I'll sleep again later. Maybe in August.

Back from my Trip to Utah!

I am back from my travels to Utah - and although glad to be back, I really enjoyed my time communing with nature. Not only were temperatures in the 100s, but also breezes kicked around the hot sand. Whew.

My dad, a co worker of his, and I spent a couple of days near Paria River, in a slot canyon, which was formed by a river cutting through the sandstone. It was amazingly beautiful being surrounded by canyon walls hundreds of feet high, seperated by only 10-20 feet of sandy floor. The river was barely visible this time of year, mostly a bunch of interconnected puddles. We were expecting a bit more water, so instead of wearing my hiking boots I wore my Teva sandals. After three days of hiking, I had to duct tape them together to make the hike out of the canyon!


Then my dad and I went on to Kolob canyon, which was completely different. There was at least some vegetation, and a lot of hills to go up and down. Still hot and dry - in fact - it was so dry it was like a tinder box. Wildfires are a constant fear. Both places we carried everything in our packs; tents, sleeping bags, food, water, etc. The only wildlife we saw were a couple of skunks!

We did a day hike here to Bear trap, a canyon with a waterfall. It was very cold water, maybe 50 degrees. It took our breath away - but having been days without bathing, it was impossible to resist.

It was a great time. Even though I am stressed about our upcoming appearance at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh WI with all that I have to do to prepare for that, it was so refreshing to get away for a week to commune with nature. I know this entry doesn't have much to do with aviation, but it does have to do with travel, getting out to see more of the world, testing your physical abilities and making the most out of life!

Have a great day,
Lynda

International Forest of Friendship

Lynda Meeks --Press Release, International Forest of Friendship, June 23, 2007

Ms. Lynda Meeks of Cleveland, OH was honored as a 2007 inductee into the International Forest of Friendship, in Atchison, Kansas during ceremonies in June. The Forest is a living, growing memorial to the world history of aviation and aerospace.

Ms Meeks has made many contributions to aviation as a military aviator, commercial pilot and educator. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army’s Aviation branch in 1992. After flight training she was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany for 3 1/2 years, and was trained for fixed wing aircraft flying throughout Europe and Southwest Asia. She attended the Military Intelligence Advanced Course and was Flight Operations Officer in an Aerial Reconnaissance unit out of Ft Bliss, TX, doing counter drug operations. After leaving the active Army in 1999, and while a Mesa Airlines captain, she joined the Ohio Army National Guard to return to flying helicopters. She is currently a Beechjet pilot at Flight Options, LLC, a fractional airline.

In addition to her fulltime job with Flight Options, she is the president of Very Important Pilots, LLC and the founder of Girls With Wings™, a movement to encourage more young girls to develop an interest in aviation (http://www.girlswithwings.com/) and to know their opportunities better. Lynda has also founded Generate LIFT, Inc., a non-profit organization created to encourage youth to achieve their personal and academic aspirations by emphasizing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education (http://www.generatelift.org/).

She also makes presentations at schools and other educational forums where she can make known her goals for increasing educational goals through the use of aviation, to include: “Cleared for Liftoff, A New Generation of Women in Air and Space,” presented by The International Women's Air & Space Museum (IWASM), The Women at Work museum's exhibit "Women Who Fly," "Girls Rock-et," a joint NASA Glenn Research Center/Northeast Ohio Girl Scouts event, and the National Conference on Aviation and Space Education. She is sponsored by the Lake Erie Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots.

The International Forest of Friendship was a gift to America on the Nation’s 200th birthday (1976) from the City of Atchison (Amelia Earhart’s birthplace) and the Ninety-Nines. It is made up of trees representing all the 50 states and 35 countries around the world, including a “moon tree” grown from a seed taken to the moon on Apollo 14. Among the more than 1200 honorees are such internationally recognized flyers as Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, the Wright Brothers, Sally Ride, Eileen Collins, and Chuck Yeager. The public is invited to the induction ceremonies which are held during the 3rd weekend of June (June 20-22, 2008). More information about the Forest, and points of contact are at http://www.ifof.org/

Hi all,

This 8 day tour I haven't been flying. My employer is short of "Flight Planners" and so I have been in the office all day from 6am til 3pm filing flight plans.

Wikipedia says flight plans are: Flight plans are plans filed by pilots with the local Aviation Authority (e.g. FAA in the USA) prior to flying. They generally include basic information such as departure and arrival points, estimated time, alternate airports in case of bad weather, type of flight weather instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, pilot's name and number of passengers. In most countries, flight plans are required for flights under IFR. Under VFR, they are optional unless crossing national borders, however they are highly recommended, especially when flying over inhospitable areas, such as water, as they provide a way of alerting rescuers if the flight is overdue. More information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_plan

We use http://www.jetplan.com/ to file a couple of hundred flight plans a day (more with changes and cancellations). This program has the performance information for each of our aircraft programmed in, so all we have to do is input the departure and arrival points and passengers. We provide the pilots with the current weather and NOTAMs for the time that we file the flight plan, but the pilots are still responsible for checking this information - it may have changed or there might be something NOTAM'd that might affect their ability to actually do the flight.

NOTAM or NoTAM is the quasi-acronym for a "Notice To Airmen". NOTAMs are created and transmitted by government agencies under guidelines specified by Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services of the International Convention on Civil Aviation. A NOTAM is filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of any hazards en route or at a specific location. The authority in turn provides means of disseminating relevant NOTAMs to pilots.
NOTAMs are issued (and reported) for a number of reasons, such as:

• hazards such as air-shows and parachute jumps
  


• flights by important people such as heads of state
  


• closed runways
  


• inoperable radio navigational aids
  


• military exercises with resulting airspace restrictions
  


• inoperable lights on tall obstructions
  


• temporary erection of obstacles near airfields (e.g. cranes)
  


• passage of flocks of birds through airspace (a NOTAM in this category is known as a BIRDTAM)
  

Software is available to allow pilots to identify NOTAMs near their intended route or at the intended destination. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOTAM

Visit the store at https://www.shop.girlswithwings.com/splashPage.hg to see our new items!

Hello all,

Last tour I took this picture in Palm Beach, FL, on one of our very early morning days. I wanted to show you the GPU, or ground power unit. These provide electrical power to the airplane before the engines are started and without running down the aircraft battery. They may be powered by gas, like the one on the left, or by electricity, like the smaller one on the right.

This way, we can turn on all of the radios (so we can get our clearance and plug it into the FMS, flight management system) and especially in FL, turn on the air conditioner! Unfortunately, they are rather loud, and not very environmentally friendly.

Some of the larger aircraft have APUs, or auxiliary power units, which is like an extra engine in the airplane. They are much louder than GPUs, but if I had one, I sure would be using it.

Here's a little more info from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxiliary_power_unit

An aircraft APU is a relatively small, self-contained generator used to start the jet engines, usually with compressed air, and to provide electricity, hydraulic pressure and air conditioning while the aircraft is on the ground. In many aircraft, the APU can also provide electrical power in the air.

A gasoline piston engine APU was first used on the Pemberton-Billing P.B.31 Nighthawk Scout aircraft in 1916. The Boeing 727 in 1963 was the first jetliner to feature a gas turbine APU, allowing it to operate at smaller, regional airports, independent from ground facilities.
Although APUs have been installed in many locations on various military and commercial aircraft, they are usually mounted at the rear of modern jet airliners. The APU exhaust can be seen on most modern airliners as a small pipe exiting at the aircraft tail.

In most cases the APU is powered by a small gas turbine engine that provides compressed air from within or drives an air compressor (load compressor). Recent designs have started to explore the use of the Wankel engine in this role. The Wankel offers power-to-weight ratios better than normal piston engines and better fuel economy than a turbine.

APUs fitted to ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operations) are a critical safety device, as they supply backup electricity and compressed air in place of the dead engine or failed main engine generator. While some APUs may not be startable while the aircraft is in flight, ETOPS compliant APUs must be flight-startable at up to the aircraft service ceiling. Recent applications have specified starting up to 43,000 ft (≈ 13,000 m) from a complete cold-soak condition. If the APU or its electrical generator is not available, the airplane cannot be released for ETOPS flight and is forced to take a longer route.

APUs are even more critical for space shuttle flight operations. Unlike aircraft APU's, they provide hydraulic pressure, not electrical power. The space shuttle has three redundant APUs, powered by hydrazine fuel. They only function during powered ascent and during re-entry and landing. During powered ascent, the APUs provides hydraulic power for gimballing of shuttle's engines and control surfaces. During landing, they power the control surfaces and brakes. Landing can be accomplished with only one APU working. On STS-9, two of Columbia's APUs caught fire, but the flight still landed successfully.

Icing

Hello! I am sitting in Rockford, IL, where we had some minor work done on the airplane (the passenger seats were getting stuck in the aisle - and FAA regulations require that during takeoff and landing they are at the most outboard position as to not block the exits).

So I was taking advantage of our time here to clean off my flash drives and I found a bunch of pictures that I took this winter. We were on a flight to New Jersey when we had a small maintenance issue that we diverted into our headquarters/maintenance base for. We needed to burn off some fuel (you can take off at a higher weight that you can land sometimes, and sometimes the length of the runway determines that you must be lighter than you had originally planned), so we did some turns in holding. When we landed, I took pictures of the accumulated icing...

Ice on the airframe reduces the lift produced by the airplane because it disturbs the airflow. That is why airplanes need to get deiced before takeoff. The statistic I remember is: even a light coating of frost can reduce lift by 30%! For safety reasons, better to do it than not.

A view of the inside

Hey! I just realized I've never shown you the inside of the Beechjet that I fly. It only holds 8 passengers (if someone is willing to sit on the "potty"), but it's pretty comfy for the usual 1 or 2 people that we carry. We've spent this tour thus far mostly in the northern midwest; Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota. We spent last night in Rapid City, and I was impressed with the town and it's residents. Especially all of the furry ones; deer (saw them on the running trail), cows, and ground hogs (I think the locals probably would like to see fewer of these).

I've got some pictures in the hopper, so I hope to be able to post a few times this week. Things are just busy; I'm going to Atchison, KS, to be inducted into the 99s International Forest of Friendship, and after the next tour, going hiking in Utah for a week. Then, OSHKOSH! in July. IF you're going to Oshkosh and would like to help us out at our booth, we have a camper with some extra room where you could stay. Email me at admin@girlswithwings.com if you're interested.

Kim's Solo!

Hi All,

Kim, one of our Girls With Wings, just soloed yesterday! I am so proud of her. Watch the video here: http://www.girlswithwings.com/. Her instructor is narrating, and he's obviously pleased. When he says, "More chirping, Wow" it means great landing - that's the sound of the tires touching the pavement. Even the tower controller tells her "Nice Job!"

Kim found us on the net many months ago and sought out guidance on her voyage to her pilot's license. She is a wonderful young woman with so much potential that I feel so blessed to have met her. She has also volunteered so much of her time to Girls With Wings, attending airshows and conferences and spreading the word about us wherever she goes. She is currently looking for an Air Guard job and I wish her the best of luck, she deserves it!

Way to go, Kim!

Lynda

The Pope's Airplane

When I first started classes on the Beechjet, we did a pre-flight of the aircraft with an instructor. He called it "The Pope's Airplane" because it was holy. In other words, all those drain holes on the bottom of the aircraft.

What are they all for? From the air cycle machine (or air conditioner), fuel drains, battery drains, etc. Mostly we just check during pre-flight to see that they are "unobstructed."

Here is a closer picture.

Static Wicks

Part of the reason the airplane had to have maintenance this week was because we had a broken static wick. According to our MEL (Minimum Equipment List), we have to have at least one static per moveable surface on the airplane.

Why and what are static wicks...?

According to Wikipedia:

Static dischargers are commonly known as static wicks or static discharge wicks. They are used on aircraft to allow the continuous satisfactory operation of onboard navigation and radio communication systems. During adverse charging conditions, they limit the potential static buildup on the aircraft and control interference generated by static charge. Static dischargers are not lightning arrestors and do not reduce or increase the likelihood of an aircraft being struck by lightning. Static dischargers are subject to damage or significant changes in electrical resistance as a result of lightning strike to the aircraft, and should be inspected after a lightning strike to ensure proper static discharge operation. Static dischargers are fabricated with a wick of wire or a conductive element on one end, which provides a high resistance discharge path between the aircraft and the air. They are attached on some aircraft to the ailerons, elevators, rudder, wing, horizontal and vertical stabilizer tips.

So now you know!

A Research Study

Hi Everyone!

My flying partner and I have been assigned to a broken airplane for the first three days of our tour - hence not a lot of flying to talk about here. I did want to pass along a link to this research project being taken on by Libby Culpepper, a graduate student, completing a doctorate degree in Human Factors Psychology at Wichita State University. Her research interests include human performance modeling, workload and cognitive assessment, and crash investigations. Habit accommodation is a study investigating the age-related effects of cognitive and sensory abilities on daily and flight performances.

The Wichita State University Human Factors Laboratory is conducting an important study of the effects of age-related changes in vision, audition, motor control, and cognition in pilots. Libby is collecting data for this study via an on-line survey. Here's the link: http://pilotsurvey.notlong.com/

The survey is anonymous and takes 20-30 minutes to complete. The researcher is interested in collecting data from all kinds of pilots -- young, old, male, female, commercial, private, fixed wing, rotorcraft -- you name it: If you fly any kind of aircraft, you're eligible to participate. All nationalities are welcome. The survey questionnaire is in English. While the study focuses on pilots, the researcher also wants to include some non-pilots in her sample so that she'll have some comparison data. So, if you're not a pilot but would still like to participate, you can be part of the comparison group by clicking on the link above and filling in the survey as a non-pilot. One more thing: The more data collected, the more reliable the results, so please pass the word about this very worthwhile study to your colleagues so that they can participate, too. Since the researcher is trying to publicize her survey as widely as possible, it would be greatly appreciated if you would post the link to the survey in your crew lounge or on a forum where you are a member. Use this easy link: http://pilotsurvey.notlong.com/

By participating in this study, you will have the option to enter in a prize drawing for a Sporty’s Pilot Shop gift certificate or cash. There will be four drawings in all. If you need more information, please contact Libby Culpepper at alculpepper@wichita.edu.

Scholarships!

Oh, I wish Girls With Wings was profitable enough to offer scholarships...

Since I'm not, I do try very hard to post scholarship information that is sent to me or that I come across on the Girls With Wings message board (as well as the Generate LIFT, Inc. one).

Judy Rice, of Careers in Aviation, just sent me a couple.

Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance Scholarships & Awards 2008

and

National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees $2,000 Scholarship Application 2007

There is money out there!

Swept Wing Design

I said in my post yesterday that the Beechjet is faster than the Citation V. Both of these aircraft have Pratt and Whitney JT15D-5s. So why the performance differences of faster cruise speeds at altitude of the BE400 and shorter landing distances of the CE560?

The two aircraft have a different wing design. The Be400 has swept wings as opposed to the straighter wings of a Ce560. Above is the Be400, and below is the Ce560. Both pictures are taken at right angles to the fuselage, but look how far back the Beechjet's wings go.

Wikipedia says: A swept-wing is a wing planform common on high-speed aircraft. A swept-wing is typically swept back, instead of being set at right angles to the fuselage. They were initially used only on fighter aircraft, but have since become almost universal on jets, including airliners and business jets.

Straight wings are better for short takeoffs and landings, low speed, and fuel-efficient flight, and swept wings are better for high-speed, particularly supersonic, flight (um, but not that fast in the Be400!).

When we climb to altitude at full throttle, there is no hesitation - we go right up at 250knots until passing FL300, a nice change from the Citation. But I have had to learn to compensate for the low speed handling issues that swept wings generate. Below a certain speed, the wing simply quits flying, so power on approaches are required (don't pull the power back too early or "thump.")

New Beechjet Pilot

Hi All!

I finished my first week in the Beechjet doing IOE - Initial Operating Experience. Most airlines do this - put newbies with a designated Captain to learn the ropes either for the new aircraft or the company or both (I've been working with my employer for 5 years, so this is aircraft specific for me). We spent almost the entire week flying in the Southwest, which is really nice this time of year.

I am now "flying the line" with a regular line Captain. So far, we've been mostly in the Southeast! Much better to be in Florida when it's still relatively cool.

One big difference between the Citation I just got out of and the Beechjet is speed. The Beechjet has more power than it knows what to do with. We actually have to pull the power back at cruise so we don't exceed Vmo/Mmo (Velocity/Mach maximum operating speed). The Citation had the nickname "Slow-tation!"

These pictures were taken in West Palm Beach, FL, very early in the am before flying all day. My employer does a lot of maintenance at this airport, so there are always a lot of Beechjets to choose from. We flew in an airplane with a maintenance issue and picked up this one that was ready to go!

Talk to you again soon....

The Girls With Wings Game

Finally! I had a down day due to maintenance, and so was able to get the "game" up on the website: http://www.girlswithwings.com/game.html

Here's an overview (but see site for all the info):

I've had a lot of inquiries about the Flight Instrument "game" that I often mention on the website and the newsletters. I use it for when I meet with the Girl Scouts, but it could be used for a variety of venues and ages. The game is not available for purchase. You need to make it yourself, and feel free to email me if you have any questions.

What's great about this game is that it uses aviation, air traffic control, teamwork, and communication skills. There is no way to win or lose, but as of yet, I have not had any complaints!

First, have some cockpit posters laminated. You can buy them (I use 172 posters -- pretty simple layout) from Sporty's and have them laminated at Staples, which costs very little. When you use the game consider the size of the group. If you're getting just a few girls at a time, one poster is enough. I don't suggest more than five girls per poster, because it just gets too crowded. I did up another poster with a pilot's multifunction display so they get an idea of how the same instruments have evolved into a one-screen display.

Then, create cards that show the basic instruments and laminate them for durability. For more options, make different sets of cards for each poster showing different indications. I have five posters and five sets of cards, 1 each: attitude indicator, airspeed indicator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, compass, and turn and slip. I used MS Picture It to make cards that show climbs, turns, different speeds, etc. The cards can be downloaded from this page.

I usually start with an overview of my background as a pilot. This can fulfill badge requirements. Then, I tell the girls I am going to teach them everything they need to know to be a pilot. I also printed out a page with the phonetic alphabet. I show them where their call sign is and how to say it. The girls LOVE to figure out what their call sign is! I make sure there is a large cheat sheet that shows how to make a radio call.
"Cleveland Center
This is *call sign*
*Tell Center the information they need*."

Example questions to get things started:

Who has ever seen the flight deck of an airplane before? Then, I go through the instruments. What is the biggest difference between flying an airplane and driving an car on the ground? Altimeter. How do you measure your speed in an airplane? We use nautical miles per hour, or knots. Airspeed indicator. Additionally, you need to know how fast you're climbing or descending. VSI How do you know what direction you're going in? Compass. I like to explain that just like if someone is skiing or snowboarding, or even riding a bike, they need to make sure the back of them is going in the same direction is the front; or else they'll be skidding and sliding around. The pedals help make turns. Turn and slip. What if it's cloudy out and we can't see the ground? How will we know how our airplane is traveling over the ground? Attitude indicator. Ask why it's colored blue and brown. This is a good time to ask the kids to interpret what their attitude indicator is telling them they're doing (climbing or descending, turning left or right or straight and level).

Now, to make it a game, I use a friend who is an Air Traffic Controller. She asks the girls where they want to fly. Since her job is to coordinate and direct the airplanes, she tells them that she needs to figure out who is going the fastest, since she is going to put them first in line. She has a list of the airplane tail numbers and she asks them to "say airspeed." Each table reads back their airspeed. (This takes about twenty minutes up to this point for five groups). Then she tells them she is going to help to vector them to the airway they need to follow to get to their destination. Then, since everyone is heading in the same direction, she says she needs to know what altitude they are at, so she can keep them separated in the sky, followed by asking them their vertical speed. At this point, depending on the age of the girls, you could then ask them what they need to do to make the airplane climb or descend (power/yoke), what to look for on their instruments, etc. This "game" is very popular because the girls walk away feeling like they've really learned something they can use. I was warned it would be too difficult. Well, the girls had no problems figuring out what to do and were so proud of themselves for doing so! See a video clip of the game in action on the site.

Hi Everyone,

I am slowly catching up. The newsletter went out yesterday, and that is a two day process alone. If you'd like to receive the monthly Girls With Wings eZine, you can sign up here. In one of my previous posts, I talked about Wiley Post, a big supporter of early Women in aviation, the instructor to Pearl Carter (a 13 yr old private pilot in the 20s) and who is mentioned quite often in a book that I just loved: Gene Nora Jessen's "Powder Puff Derby Of 1929." He was quite a character, and contributed much to aviation. A reader of this post sent me the following information for those of you who would like to read more about Wiley Post and his life. Some of the links I added in after the fact.

Lynda...
I'm always scouting around trying to find where my websites are linked when I ran across your blog. Love it!! I want to give you a couple of links that maybe you will enjoy:

www.wileypost.com

www.taxi-strip.com

Are you aware of Cheryl Stearns? (Championship skydiver and pilot, CHERYL STEARNS of Raeford, NorthCarolina was named the 2005 recipient of the prestigious WILEY POST SPIRIT AWARD.) http://www.taxi-strip.com/CherylStearns.html

Check out these pages:

http://www.taxi-strip.com/Pearl.html(The Chickasaw Indian Pilot I wrote about earlier.)

You are correct in saying that Wiley Post supported women pilots. He was a great supporter of Amelia Earhart http://www.ameliaearhart.com/, Faye Gillis http://www.ninety-nines.org/faygilliswells.html and many others. As you know, that was very unusual for the time, but Wiley was an unusal kind of guy. At present I'm working up a book on Wiley Post's wife, Mae Laine Post...here's a bit about her

www.taxi-strip.com/Wileypostpage.html

I serve as a trustee with the Ninety-Nines Museum of Women Pilots http://www.museumofwomenpilots.com/ ....ya might say that I like "girls with wings". I have a great picture that I think you will enjoy...if I can find it I'll send it along. Please feel free to use anything you want from my two sites.

Best Regards,

-- Bob Kemper

Executive Director, Wiley Post Heritage of Flight Center

www.wileypost.org

www.hangarmail@wileyposthangar.org

Note: Faye Gillis was instrumental in creating the Forest of Friendship, which I will be inducted into this spring.

The Forest is nestled on a gentle slope overlooking Lake Warnock, on the
outskirts of Atchison. It is made up of trees from all fifty states and
thirty-five countries around the world where Honorees reside. Each tree has its own flag, and on special occasions, the Forest is ablaze with the brilliance of colors of more than 100 flags blowing in the breeze.

Who are the Honorees inducted into the Forest of Friendship?

• Women and men of all ages who have given dedicated service, leadership, friendship, and supportive effort to help others achieve aviation goals.
  
• Women and men of all ages who have been supportive and contributed to the furtherment of aviation. The Honorees need not be pilots.
  
• Pioneers in Aviation and Aerospace.
  
• Aviation writers and educators who spend their lives encouraging others to fly.
  
• Women and men of all ages who have made significant contributions to the development of aviation; and those who have established recognition for setting world aviation records.

For more information see: http://www.ninety-nines.org/fof.html

I'm back!

Hi all,

I have successfully completed my Beechjet transition and am home for a few days before I actually get to go out on the road and fly it. A great big stack of mail and numerous emails have been awaiting my return, so I will get back to all of you as soon as I can. I am further tied up in searching for my cat who escaped during the night, unfortunately.

One of the emails sitting in my inbox was the following. I am posting it here because there is such short notice. Maybe you'd know someone interested. Email me if you have questions not answered by this paste. I will hold on to the original email just in case.

IT'S TIME!! The NASA Space Pennant Challenge has begun.

Please pass this along to any of your colleagues, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, schools or museums that may be interested in participating. Attached are Teacher and Student Flyers, official entry template and an updated presentation on the challenge.

We would love to have museums, science centers, schools and libraries place the flyers in their venues to promote the contest and display student pennants.

Below is a press release for the Challenge, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

NASA, AOL, Mad Science Host the Space Pennant Design Challenge

For some scientists and engineers, designing something that flies in space might be the pinnacle of a career. NASA now is offering that opportunity to grade school students. NASA, AOL's Kids Service KOL and Mad Science are teaming up for the NASA Space Pennant Design Challenge, which begins Thursday, March 15. Students will design pennants based on either the upcoming STS-118 shuttle flight or America 's long-term exploration strategy, known as the Vision for Space Exploration. The winning design will fly on the shuttle Endeavour during the STS-118 mission, targeted for launch in summer 2007.Students need more than just a creative design for their pennants. They must research their topic, apply what they learn, and write an explanation of their design and how the pennant incorporates their knowledge about STS-118 or the Vision for Space Exploration.Entries may be submitted online or through the mail. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, April 10. Ten semifinalists will be chosen in each of three age groups: 6-8, 9-10 and 11-12. Judges from NASA, KOL and Mad Science will then select two finalists from each group. On May 3, those six finalists will be announced, and one overall winner will be selected through online voting. The STS-118 mission will be the first flight of an educator astronaut and an important step in the ongoing assembly of the International Space Station. The Vision for Space Exploration is the program that will see humans return to the moon then travel to Mars and beyond. Through the process of designing a pennant, students have the opportunity to learn about the requirements of spaceflight and the science surrounding NASA's programs while gaining a lasting understanding about the importance of space exploration.The grand prize will include a trip to the STS-118 launch for the student and a parent or guardian. Each of the six finalists will receive an autographed picture of the STS-118 shuttle crew, and an online NASA game will use their pennant design. A NASA Space Day, featuring a speaker from the agency, will be held at the finalists' schools. The schools also will receive NASA education resources, including seeds that have flown in space. All students who submit entries will receive certificates of participation.Through the NASA Space Pennant Design Challenge, NASA continues its tradition of investing in the nation's education. To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations and career ambitions of America's young people, NASA is focused on engaging and retaining students in education efforts that encourage their pursuit of disciplines critical to NASA's future engineering, scientific and technical missions. For more information about the
challenge, visit: http://www.kolexpeditions.com/
For details on the STS-118 mission and its crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/sts118

Where in the world is Lynda?

Hi everyone,

I'm still at school learning to fly the beechjet. We're done with ground school (an instructor teaches us about the systems) and start the simulator portion next. I'll be back soon...

Do you need feet to fly?

I was telling my accountant the other day that I was going to have to fly in place of someone who had hurt his foot. She laughed, thinking that I was joking. When I told her I wasn't, she told me that she didn't think that people needed feet to fly.

The answer is that yes, you do! Uh, well, sometimes. More complex aircraft have an autopilot and/or yaw damper system so that you can in cruise flight take your feet off of the pedals, but everyone needs to use their rudder pedals for takeoff and landing. Helicopter pilots use their pedals (called anti-torque pedals) to counteract the torque of the main rotor. Remember Newton's Law of "For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction?" See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newtons_laws. It would be nauseating to be spinning in the opposite direction of the rotor blades.

And, more importantly, there are also organizations, like Able Flight http://ableflight.org/, that promote flying for people with disabilities. That includes not having, or not having use of, feet.

From the Centennial of Flight Website:

The rudder controls the movement of the aircraft around its vertical axis. The rudder is one of three primary flight control surfaces found on an airplane. It is a movable surface hinged to the fixed surface that is located at the rear of the aircraft called the vertical stabilizer, or fin. The rudder controls movement of the airplane about its vertical axis and causes the airplane's nose to move to the right or left and point in a different direction. This motion is called "yaw."

Control cables connect the rudder to the rudder pedals. Pushing down the right rudder pedal moves the rudder to the right and causes the plane to turn to the right. Pushing down the left rudder pedal turns the plane to the left.

That's a pretty simple explanation, especially since it can be said pilots primarily use the ailerons to turn the aircraft in most cases. Ailerons are deflected on the wing to change the amount of lift produced by one wing. Read on to learn more.

Wikipedia, as usual, says it better (But I wanted to make a pitch for the Centennial of Flight Website, they have some cool stuff).

On an aircraft, the rudder is called a "control surface" along with the rudder-like elevator (attached to horizontal tail structure) and ailerons (attached to the wings) that control pitch and roll. The rudder is usually attached to the fin (or vertical stabilizer) which allows the pilot to control yaw in the horizontal axis, ie change the horizontal direction in which the nose is pointing. The rudder's direction is manipulated with the movement of foot pedals by the pilot.



In practice, both aileron and rudder control input are used together to turn an aircraft, the ailerons imparting roll, the rudder imparting yaw, and also compensating for a phenomenon called adverse yaw. Adverse yaw is readily seen if the ailerons alone are used for a turn. The downward moving aileron acts like a flap, generating more lift for one wing, and therefore more drag. Initially, this drag yaws the aircraft in the direction opposite to the desired course. A rudder alone will turn a conventional fixed wing aircraft, but much more slowly than if ailerons are also used in conjunction.


Ailerons are the trailing-edge control surface nearest the wing tip (although on some airliners they can also be found at the wing root). On this parked Piper Cherokee the aileron has deflected downwards.

Use of rudder and ailerons together produces co-ordinated turns, in which the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is in line with the arc of the turn, neither slipping (under-ruddered), nor skidding (over-ruddered). Improperly ruddered turns at low speed can precipitate a spin which can be dangerous at low altitudes.

Sometimes pilots may intentionally operate the rudder and ailerons in opposite directions in a maneuver called a forward slip. This may be done to overcome crosswinds and keep the fuselage in line with the runway, or to more rapidly lose altitude by increasing drag, or both.

Recovery

I apologize for not writing any blog entries for the last couple of weeks. I had to recover from the Women in Aviation conference (and thanks to some behind the scenes difficulties -- am still recovering...) and had to go on the road for a few days with work. I have been sorting and counting all of the merchandise which is now on the Girls With Wings online store: www.shop.girlswithwings.com. If I do say so myself, I think it's a great interface and much easier to navigate than the old eBay store. Please let me know what you think by writing me at admin@girlswithwings.com.

I am also studying for my Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP transition class starting this week. My employer is getting rid of the Citation 560s I'm currently flying. I enjoyed that airplane and I'm sorry to see it go. But studying a new airplane really gets those synapses firing again in my dusty brain...

I am memorizing the emergency procedures and limitations for the aircraft, and one of them has to do with minimum and maximum operating temperatures, which are -65 degrees Celcius and ISA + 35. What's ISA and why don't they just say a temperature in degrees?

...International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
The term ISA (pronounced as eyes-zha) is the abbreviation for International Standard Atmosphere. ISA was established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a uniform reference for temperature and pressure. The properties of the Earth's atmosphere are constantly changing. The barometric pressure, temperature and the amount of humidity in the air are subject to annual, seasonal and diurnal variations. The pressure, temperature and humidity are also subject to altitude changes over the same geographical location. A uniform reference became a necessity not only for operational reasons but also essential for aircraft design.

The standard atmosphere was derived from the average conditions for all latitudes, seasons and altitudes. The properties of a standard day are related to sea level at latitude 45 degrees with absolutely dry air. The standard temperature is 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) and a standard temperature lapse of 2 degrees Celsius (3.5 degrees Fahrenheit) per 1000 feet. The standard barometric pressure is 1013.25 hectoPascal (milibars) or 29.92 when expressed in inches of mercury.

Aircraft Performance Data Charts use both pressure and density altitude to determine aircraft's performances. When using these charts, the pilot must ensure the use of the appropriate units. Temperature is often expressed in terms of ISA+ or ISA - (degrees Celsius). For example, in standard atmosphere the temperature at 4000 feet is 7 degrees Celsius. However if the actual temperature at 4000 feet is 12 degrees Celsius, and can be expressed as ISA+5.

Excerpts taken from http://www.pilotsweb.com/wx/w_sense.htm