Another day on the road

In my hurry to get breakfast at the hotel this morning (we had a relatively late 8:18am show to make up for our previous pre-dawn shows), I posted the pictures from yesterday onto the blog with no text. Sorry, redo....

So, we started the day in New Jersey where the ramp was crowded with airplanes. I think this is an awe-inspiring sight. We had to taxi over to another FBO (sometimes our passengers prefer one over the other) where we saw this poor little (beaver, groundhog?) trying to escape off the ramp. I can't imagine his or her disorientation created by very large, very metallic, very LOUD creatures moving around him. Occasionally you will see an animal, stray dog or fox, loping down a taxiway. Some airports have warnings saying "deer in vicinity of airport" so many pilots will "buzz" over the runway before coming in to land. Hitting a deer with an airplane can be catastrophic (if you've seen the damage to a car, imagine an airplane). If there are personnel working at the airport we let them know and they'll chase the "intruders" away.

We flew up to Ontario, Canada, where we spent a few hours awaiting passengers attending a meeting. Its beautiful up there in the spring and summer, but I can imagine the winter is wicked. The Captain noticed that instead of using wood or rubber chocks (usually triangular blocks placed around the gear to prevent the airplane from rolling while parked (we don't leave the parking brake set when we leave the airplane because the line crew may need to move it when we're not around to unlock the door), they used fat lengths of rope. My theory is that the typical chocks would freeze and break in the winter months and they had just gotten used to using the rope all year round. Any other theories?

Workouts, part II

I wrote previously about trying to get good running routes on the road. Since I run only other day (or try to), the other days I try to do some other form of aerobic conditioning with some weight training. Luckily, most hotels that we stay at have some kind of fitness center. The quality varies, from a barely usable 1980s era stair stepper, to the high tech ellipticals or the equivalent with a tv screen right in the console! If I'm lucky, there will be free weights or machines.

However, some days we have to be at the airport at 6, 5, or even 4 in the morning. As you can probably imagine, getting up at 3am is hard enough, much less getting up in time to workout. I had to do that at the start of this tour, but there was good news. I was flying to SWF, or Newburg, NY, where my friend Kim (a GWW and recently commissioned in the Air National Guard) was drilling with her new unit. We were only able to spend a few minutes together, as she had to get back to work and I had to get the airplane ready to fly to TEB (yes, ending up back at the trails through the Meadowlands (I call them a swamp...). But pictured the C5s at Kim's unit, seen on final approach into the airport as I was airlining to my airplane.

Our airplane had a maintenance issue, so we were done after our flight to TEB, Teterboro, NJ. They did have a nice workout room, so I had to force myself to go workout in the evening. I am much more of a morning person. But again, we had a 4am show, so I knew I couldn't work out in the morning. Same thing today. Ended up in TEB late in the day, so I switched to running.

One can work out on the road, but you have to stay disciplined. It is SO easy to just go back to the room and veg. With all the food we can get on the road, though. I would soon outgrow my uniform!

Airmarking

Ever visit an airport and see the name of the airport painted in big white letters on the ground ? Maybe a colorful "starburst" looking design? That, my friends, is a compass rose. These are part of a larger program of navigational aids for pilots. My local chapter (Lake Erie) of the 99s painted the compass rose at Geauga County Airport (7G8) a couple of days ago. The rest of this posting includes excerpts from an article written by Ellen Nobles-Harris and published in 99NEWS Magazine March/April 2002.

MARKING THE WAY

Next time you go flying, look down at the airport and the surrounding buildings. You may notice markings pointing to the airport and will probably see the airport name painted on the field. This program of identifying airports to pilots was started as the National Air Marking Program. This program was the first U.S. government program conceived, planned and directed by a woman with an all-woman staff. The program was a part of the Bureau of Air Commerce.

In 1933, Phoebe F. Omlie was appointed Special Assistant for Air Intelligence of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics - NACA (forerunner of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA.) The following year Phoebe convinced the chief of the Airport Marking and Mapping Section of the Bureau of Air Commerce to institute a program where each state would participate and better identify its towns and cities from the air.

Under the program, a state was divided into sections of 20 square miles. Where possible, a marker with the name of the nearest town was painted on the roof of the most prominent building at each 15-mile interval. If the towns were far apart, white painted ground markers, such as rocks and bricks, were used.

At the time that the program was established, few pilots were flying on established airways or had the benefit of radios. With the aid of markers, even the most inexperienced pilots could determine where they were.

The program was funded as a system of state grants from the Works Progress Administration. Not only was this the first appropriation of funds specifically set up to aid private pilots, but it was also hoped that the program would provide jobs for the unemployed and would establish valuable permanent airway aids. By the middle of 1936, 30 states were actively involved in the program, with approvals given for 16,000 markers at a cost of about one million dollars.

In 1935, Phoebe chose five leading women pilots as field representatives for the program; Louise Thaden, Helen Richey, Blanche Noyes, Nancy Harkness and Helen McCloskey. At the time, these women were very well known in aviation.

Phoebe continued as head of the program until it was well on its way to being a success. She then returned to her duties at NACA. But then came the war. After the bombing at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. Government determined that marked airports along the east and west coast were obvious targets for enemy identification and attack. Consequently, Blanche Noyes, who had set about the work of marking some 13,000 sites, went about the work of blacking out those very markings she and her team of women pilots had diligently created.

In a Christian Science Monitor magazine article in 1943, Blanche remarked, "Once in a while I get a little jittery wondering if some particularly zealous airplane spotter might mistake me for an enemy ship and shoot me down and ask questions later, for of course I'm flying constantly over restricted areas. Too, one small mistake in my clearance papers might cause me to make a `sudden' landing, for if is my experience that the Ground Observers Corps is certainly doing a crack job as far as aircraft spotting is concerned!"

After World War II, Blanche Noyes was in charge of the air marking division of the Civil Aeronautics Administration. Blanche believed that it was critical to not only replace the airport markings that were removed during the war for security reasons, but also to add even more navigational aids. And thus the work began all over again.

Today, Ninety-Nines carry on the tradition and fulfill the need for airmarkings by volunteering their time to paint the airport names, compass rose symbols and other identifications on airports. Some of the letters in the airport name can be 50 feet tall. And, Ninety-Nines airmark airports based on need, which many times takes them far from their local areas. When Ninety-Nine members in Alaska did airmarkings last year, some members traveled up to 300 air miles to meet at the designated airport.

Funding for the airmarking program no longer comes from the national government. After Blanche Noyes's husband was killed in the crash of his Beachcraft Staggerwing, Blanche devoted her energies to the Air Marking Program as a way of overcoming her grief. She became one of its most ardent supporters, so much so that when the federal funds for the program ran out, she flew all over the country to gain financial support from local chambers of commerce and civic groups.

Our chapters are still doing this. For example, the Anchorage (Alaska) Municipal Airport Advisory Commission asked the Alaska Chapter to mark a reporting point. A bright yellow theater which had been a reporting point for years was converted to a school and painted gray, making it a tough one to spot. With support from the FAA and local aviation businesses, they were able to educate the school district on why they wanted to paint a name on the roof. They had to work with the contractor who had installed a new roof so that the warranty would not be voided. The paint recommended cost $1,600. The paint was funded by Merrill Field businesses. This effort received some wonderful coverage from two local TV stations.

And the airmarking efforts of The Ninety-Nines involves more than putting names on rooftops. For example: The Colorado Chapter painted the numbers and aiming points on a new 7,000 foot runway. Many chapters have painted compass roses at airports to be used for swinging airplane compasses.

Since The Ninety-Nines is a charitable organization, we normally ask the airport or local or state government to supply the paint. Some airport businesses will also supply the paint. Normally the chapter will provide rollers and tools and the women and men to do the marking and painting.

So the next time you're flying, look down and imagine flying your biplane over those small towns in the late 1930s and how comforting it must have been to see that runway with your destination's name clearly painted on it. For that you could thank early members of The Ninety-Nines for leading the way in the airmarking efforts of the 20th century. If you would like further information on airmarking, please contact our Airmarking Chair.

You can see by the pictures that a compass rose is huge and requires coordinated team work. A compass rose usually requires two days to lay out the pattern and paint it.

Girls With Wings and Touching History

Just in case you missed the announcement in the last newsletter, we have a special promotion for Full Flight Crewmembers (Support Crewmembers: upgrade your membership!). GWW Flight Crewmembers will be sent a free copy of this book with any order from the online GWW store (current and new Flight Crew). Email for limited offer details. If you are not receiving the newsletter, please add Newsletter@GirlsWithWings.com to your address book.

Touching History: The Untold Story of the Drama that Unfolded in the Skies over America on 9/11, a recent book out by GWW Lynn, is a definite success. See her schedule of upcoming speaking events.

Touching History: The Untold Story of the Drama that Unfolded in the Skies over America on 9/11

Finally . . . the complete story. Simon & Schuster presents the gripping, inspiring minute-by-minute account of the heroic battle in the skies on 9/11.

The story of the astonishing drama that played out in the skies and in the military installations and air traffic control towers on 9/11 has never before been pieced together and portrayed in a vivid moment-to-moment drama.

In this riveting book, commercial pilot Lynn Spencer brilliantly brings that drama to pulse-quickening life. She went on a quest to interview the vast number of people caught on the front lines in an unprecedented air war in which thousands of commercial pilots with flights in the air, air traffic controllers, military commanders, and jet fighter pilots snapped into stirring action. Calling on their exceptional preparedness and unflinching readiness to put their lives on the line, they improvised a defense against a shocking threat the nature and extent of which they could have no comprehension as the events unfolded.

Her sources include hundreds of key players, from Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers to the FAA's command chief, to the general in command of air defense for the United States, the controllers who tracked the hijacked flights, and the fighter pilot, who, with no weapons loaded on his jet, unquestioningly accepted an order to take down United 93 with his own plane.

Lynn Spencer has crafted a powerful and vital account of the unknown story of the pivotal day in American life.

The First Women's Aviation Day in Hungary 2008

Several months ago I started getting emails from a woman in Hungary wanting to promote women in aviation in her own country. I complimented Irina on her ambitious goals and wished her the best of luck. Well, I am happy to say that she has come through with flying colors! I just wish I could make it...

Here is her invitation:

Hi Lynda,

We would like to invite You and Your girlfrinds, who love aviation to the First Women's Aviation Day Hungary 2008

Patner - Organizatiorrs : Pannon Air Service & Diamond Aircraft Com
http://www.pannonair.hu/ http://www.diamond-air.at/

Date and Time: 26 th. July 2008 ( Saturday ) from 10.00-a.m to 27 th. July 2008 ( Sunday )
till 16.00- h.m
Place of Event : Aero Hotel Jakabszállás : http://www.aerohotel.hu/
Booking of the rooms at the hotel's reception

The main page of the event : http://womanmeet.extra.hu/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Honoured Guests : Dr.Peggy Chabrian President http://www.wai.org/
Mag.Markus Scharinger Sales Director http://www.breitling.com/

Come and visit us, we invite all the ladies who like aviation !

Best Regard

Irina & Attila Sinkó Aviatrix

Run like the wind

I was kind of struggling for a topic to post on the blog. No significant weather or maintenance issues, and I've been sworn to secrecy about my passengers...

My flight training partner, who you met in a previous post, suggested I talk about eating right and exercising while traveling. First, the exercising, especially with my being 39, is really important to staying alert and feeling good on a pilot's crazy schedule. (Have you seen the picture of the 41 year old olympic swimmer?? Shown at left courtesy a NYT article - I've subtitled it "My hero!")

We might have to show up at the airport at 4 am one day and then fly until 4 am the next. Most hotels we stay at have fitness centers, which I try to visit every other day. The other days I try to run.

I'll stop at the front desk to ask for recommendations, and every once in a while get lucky and get to run along a wooded trail or river path. Sometimes I have to run around an outlet mall or industrial park. Not very scenic, but listening to NPR on my player helps.

Sometimes the hotel clerk is clearly NOT a runner. For example, day before yesterday the clerk said I could take a left and then a right, and I'd find a park. Ok, discovering said park, but a swingset in an open lot does not do me any good! I ended up doing my 6 miles around the city blocks. This morning I ran around trails around a marsh in New Jersey. The actual trail was nice, but the sight of the murky muck and the smell was not so.

I also try to leave word at the front desk about where I'm going and when I should be back, just in case...

More later. Have a great day!

Fireworks!

I spent last night in Bangor again, and had the opportunity to walk down from the hotel to the waterfront to watch the fireworks display. I don't always get to see fireworks, because I'm usually working. Meaning not only on the road, but actually flying. You can actually see fireworks from altitude, but not the way you might think. If you're several miles in the air and the fireworks only a thousand feet up, you have to look down to see them (it's not like you're flying through them). So you can just look down and see bursts of color on the ground. Cool, but not as impressive as watching a fireworks display from the ground.

Happy Independence Day!

p.s. Wikipedia has a great article on the names of the different bursts. Name your favorite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks

Lost baggage

Well, it finally happened. After ten years of flying for regional and fractional airlines, the commercial airline that brought me to the airplane for this week's tour neglected to send my suitcase all the way along with me. I know it's safer to carry all of your suitcases on the plane with you, but it gets so tiring lugging that thing around and maneuvering it down the aisle. So usually I just check it. I had to change airlines on my commute from Cleveland to Monterey, so I should have known it would get lost in the shuffle.

Since we had to fly the airplane to Pendleton, OR, there wasn't a way to get my bag other than have it, my suitcase, travel to Bangor, ME (on the redeye, no less), so it could meet up with me the next day. I spent a night in the hotel without all of my gear. Makes you wonder why you pack so much stuff when you can see what you can do without. OK, maybe for just a night. I didn't have my workout clothes with me, and I try to work out every day, that includes on the road. Plus two days in the same shirt is hard on the other pilot (or at least his olefactory glands).

I couldn't work out this morning either (couldn't being a relative word), because we had a 4AM show at the airport FBO to sit standby. I couldn't get up any earlier than 2:45. Seriously. Sometimes you just have to concede to human's propensity for sleep. I don't know how long we'll be sitting here, but since there is no wireless (usually standard in most FBOs) the time is going to go a lot more slowly....

The July Girls With Wings eZine is out!

Just in case you aren't yet subscribed to the eZine, we just wanted to let you know about some of the great stories in there...

For example, congratulations are in order for GWW Kim, who received her commission as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) in the USAF Air National Guard last week. She will soon be attending flight schools in Mississippi and Texas for over a year and will be returning to the New York Air Guard's 137th Airlift Squadron, 105th Airlift Wing, flying the C-5A "Galaxy." She will be updating her bio soon to let others know how they might follow in her footsteps. We are so proud of you, Kim.

I was honored to administer her oath to the State of New York. I had to drive roundtrip from Cleveland to Knoxville to do it (this 8 hour trip that really took 10 each way, what with construction and rain, not that I'm complaining...), but was honored to have been invited to attend the ceremonies. Kim has been an active, visible, and dedicated volunteer with Girls With Wings from the start. She found the website while she was just looking in to flight lessons, and we GWWs shared in her quest to find out all of her options and opportunities. The Air Guard is looking for fewer and fewer pilots, so her acceptance into officer school and flight school is a reflection of her great qualities, intelligence, maturity and personality just to name a few.

Her parents, seen pinning on her 2LT rank at left, were understandably proud. Her daughter was just one of a handful of women in her training class. I spoke to the captain in charge of her training, and she said Kim had a "steep learning curve," going from a straight civilian to an officer in just six weeks. We both think Kim is destined for great things. I hope that you will drop her a line to wish her well and stay tuned to the website for updates on her training in the T-6A Texan and T-1 Jayhawk.

Lynda and Brenda

I was so lucky my first tour to end up at KVNY (Van Nuys, CA) on my first tour. The airport is just a few minutes away from the home of the first ever Girls With Wings Scholarship Winner: Brenda!

The 2008 Scholarship will be announced next month. We are always looking for donations - we seek to encourage more new pilots: the only requirement is that the applicant cannot have yet received her private pilot's license.

Wherever I go, I try to keep in mind who's in the local area. Unfortunately, at my job we never know where we're going too far in advance and it's always subject to change. Once we get to our intended destination there's no telling how long we'll be there. If we are the back up for another trip, we might have to do a "quick turn," grabbing fuel, supplies, and our clearance and go! That's why I love this kind of flying. I got bored with the scheduled commercial airlines. Going the same places, everyday, at the same time... The only difficult part of this job is getting everyone I know to understand I am completely unable to answer the question, "Where are you flying to tomorrow?"

Getting to know the Citation X

I have completed my first tour of IOE (Initial Operating Experience) and it was so nice to get into the real airplane. Of course, every successful flight begins with a good preflight, so here we go...

Yup, that's our airplane way out there on the ramp. This is Florida, mind you, so that walk across the ramp undoes my recently completed shower and subsequent primping.

We check the outside, and we check the insides of the outsides, and then the inside inside. There are many panels to be opened up and examined, to include one that the captain I am flying with is standing up in. His legs are to the left.

Once we are through checking out the airplane, we can get it towed closer in. This particular airplane has an inoperative APU or Auxiliary Power Unit (isn't that what I wanted the Citation X for?), so we will have to adapt. An APU usually powers up the aircraft in two ways. First, the APU is started by an electric motor, with power supplied by a battery or external power source (ground power unit). After the APU accelerates to full speed, it can provide a much larger amount of power to start the aircraft's main engines, either by turning an electrical generator or by compressing air.

APUs also have several auxiliary functions. Electrical and pneumatic power is used to run the heating, cooling, and ventilation systems prior to starting the main engines. This allows the cabin to be comfortable while the passengers are boarding without the expense, noise, and danger of running one of the aircraft's main engines. Electrical power is also used to power up systems for preflight checks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxiliary_power_unit

Since we don't have our APU, we get towed closer to the hangar so we can take advantage of the GPU, or ground power unit and their Huffer cart, an external engine that creates large volumes of pressurized air used to start large gas turbine jet engines on some types of aircraft. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huffer The captain has been flying this airplane for more than ten years and has never had to use a Huffer cart. I guess this makes me a bearer of good luck. Well, anyway, at least it was good training.

A Great Start!

I am back from my first tour with my new employer. I had a great time and am really looking forward to getting back on the road. I take it as a good sign that my first stop was Jacksonville, FL, where I airlined in and grabbed a shuttle over to the FBO. There were a lot of policemen there (no, that's not the good sign), and I over heard someone say that a certain well known someone was on his way in.

More Motivation

Sometimes when I'm explaining the mission of Girls With Wings to people, they kind of look at me funny ("wait, you want to encourage girls to have an interest in aviation... uh, why...??"). Every once in a while, someone shows me that not only am I right on track, I may be a little behind. As in, some girls are way ahead of me here.

As evidenced in this letter I just received:

Dear Ms. Meeks,

Thank you so much for your wonderful program, website and webstore. I bought my daughter 2 shirts and a pair of airplane socks for her birthday and she LOVES them - you can tell it's Monday at our house (the day after laundry day!!) if she is wearing her airplane shirt. Needless to say it has withheld many washings. I found your site looking for an airplane shirt for a young girl and I found so much more. Thank you so much for providing this to all girls, myself included. We have just sent her name to the moon thanks to your site, I would have never have heard of that program on my own. My daughters love of planes started young, around 2, and is growing right along with her. She is currently sleeping with a playschool plastic plane filled with little planes instead of stuffed animals. Her dad and I started out not knowing a lot about aviation two years ago and have enjoyed learning with her. She wore one of your shirts on her birthday trip to Pensacola to see the Blue Angles, who were so wonderful with all of the children and signed autographs (we don't wash that shirt!). They took the time to chat with them about flying, I was impressed and would recommend both the museum and your website to anyone interested in flying!!!

Thank You!!
Warmest Regards
Kristen and Zoe of Mississippi

Hot, hot, hot

I don't know why I took this picture... but it highlights the wires that run through the windshields (how many depends on the model) on the front of the airplane. These heat producing wires run between two pieces of glass so that not only can the pilots see (they won't frost/ice over), but also to provide bird strike protection. They are usually always "on" but can be turned up to high if necessary. Just in case this ice protection fails, there is a backup: some airplanes have some anti icing fluid that will spray over the window to clear a small portion of the window for landing (this would be under the "emergency" category).

And luckily, they are not usually this obvious. You hardly notice them.

The Plane Truth

I sat down to read my Reader's Digest and saw the Special Report: The Plane Truth. There's a lot of information in this series of articles - to include how a pilot would inform the passengers of how he really feels about security, delays and airline food. More importantly and interestingly for aviators is a story about "Pilots with Problems." It talks about pilots and fatigue, brought on by being forced to fly more hours to make up for paycuts (for those who don't know this, most pilots are paid for the hours they fly). When I worked for the regional airline, I made $1/hour when I was on the clock, but doing other duties such as preflighting, awaiting maintenance, hanging around the terminal awaiting my next leg, etc. - not exactly raking in the big bucks. Starting salaries for regional airlines are about $18,000, for major airlines, about $40,000. For a job that costs thousands to train for, the break even point comes many years down the road (this is why I usually advise student pilots not to bog themselves down with loans).

That's the bad news. The "impartial" news is that airlines are hiring pilots with fewer hours than ever, now just as few as 250-500. This means fewer years scraping by flight instructing, but less experience in the cockpit. If the captain can make up for it, great, but upgrades come faster as well. Often there are two relatively new pilots in the cockpit - but they are pilots in their prime. Pilots that have been flying a while tend to rely a lot on technology and some are a bit rusty in the basics, in my opinion.

Now here's the good news. Again, most pilots fly because they LOVE it. They love the travel, the hours, the varied schedule, etc., not because they intend to be rich. So for those of us who still intend to take to the skies, the airline industry is facing a pilot shortage. According to Air Inc., a major pilot hiring consulting company, 100,000 new pilots will need to be hired by the airlines by 2020 to keep up - and that is more than are being generated by flight schools. It will be interesting to see how the industry will make adjustments to make being a pilot more attractive and profitable!

You can visit the website to read more about problems with Air Traffic Controllers and what to do if you're stuck in the airport (the much talked about bill of rights). http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/airplane-pilot-shares-his-thoughts/article75244.html

Visit GWW!

Thinking about coming to see the Girls With Wings booth at Oshkosh? I've got good news:


AirVenture Advance Purchase Discount Extended!

The opportunity to purchase AirVenture 2008 tickets online is proving to be a very popular option. In order to give EAA members additional time to make their travel plans the advance purchase discount is being extended until June 30. This gives members additional time to take advantage of savings on 2008 admissions.
While the discount will go away on June 30th, you can continue to purchase AirVenture admissions online through the last day of the event.
It's quick and easy. To purchase and save, just click here.


More Reasons to Attend Oshkosh, July 28 - August 3
Here's just a peek at what you'll see in the sky and on the ground at EAA AirVenture 2008. You've gotta be there!
Opening Day concert featuring Foreigner
Awesome F-22 Raptors
Red Bull Helicopter
Electric-powered aircraft demonstrations
Spectacular Warbird activities all week
Space Tourism Story Unfolds
Public debut of Rocket Racing League
The Goodyear Blimp
First demonstration of Practical Jet Pack
"WomenVenture" promotes involvement of Women in Aviation
Evenings Come Alive: Nightly drive-in-style movies including appearances by Harrison Ford and John Travolta, and Theatre in the Woods plays host to comedian Jeff Dunham and actor Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band, and more
Daily Air Shows featuring the world's top performers

INTERNATIONAL YOUNG EAGLE DAY

Today is INTERNATIONAL YOUNG EAGLE DAY!

The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give interested young people, ages 8 - 17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers. Since 1992, more than 1.3 million Young Eagles have enjoyed a flight through the program. Young Eagles have been registered in more than 90 different countries and have been flown by more than 41,000 volunteer pilots.Participation is easy. Click Here to find the closest volunteer pilot. From there, arrange a convenient time to go flying. We hope you enjoy a Young Eagles introduction to the exciting world of aviation. Make sure you come back to visit this web site after your flight to continue exploring the wonderful world of aviation!

Women in Corporate Aviation 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 and/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:
Flight Training
Dispatcher Training
Maintenance Career Training
Corporate Flight Attendant Training
Upgrades In Aviation Education
NBAA Professional Development Program (PDP) Courses
College Aviation Degree Courses

The award cannot be used for general business course work.Scholarship Value: $2,000 Scholarship Due Date: June 30, 2008
Click here for the WCA Scholarship Application FormClick here for the WCA Scholarship Application Instructions
For questions, contact: Michelle Powell, Scholarship Co-Chair

Congrats, Brenda!

It's always nice to get recognition from family and friends. Brenda, the 2007 scholarship winner, has been hearing about her being mentioned in AOPA Flight Training Magazine. Here's a picture of the article. The 2008 scholarship will be announced in August. Donations are always appreciated!

A Girl With Wings on the Radio

One of the first Girls With Wings role models is on the Diane Rehm Show (usually on your local NPR station):

11:00
Lynn Spencer: "Touching History" (Free Press)
A commercial pilot gives a detailed account of what happened over our nation's skies during the morning and afternoon of 9/11. She provides a time-line of the days events and explains how the nation could be caught so unprepared.
Guests
Lynn Spencer, pilot for ExpressJet Airlines and a certified flight instructor. See her bio: http://www.girlswithwings.com/Bios/lynn.html If you miss the show you can download it for later.

Can you hear me?

This is another picture that I took in the San Diego Air and Space Museum. It is a picture of a Gosport Tube. As you can see the tube goes from the mouth of the instructor to the ears of the student in the old days of open cockpits (and before avionics with mikes and headsets).

I had trouble finding information on the web about it, other than the Wikipedia definition of a speaking tube: "A speaking tube or voicepipe is a device based around two cones connected by an air pipe through which speech can be transmitted over an extended distance. While its most common use was in intra-ship communications, the principle was also used in fine homes and offices of the 19th century, as well as fine automobiles, military aircraft, and even locomotives. For most purposes, the device was outmoded by the telephone and its widespread adoption. This device was also known as a "megaphone", but that use has since become superseded."

Interestingly enough, you still see this tube in use today (or at least recently enough): "...on certain playground equipment, which employ tubing connecting soundhorns or other speaking boxes to allow voices to travel to separate points, for the amusement of the children. [1] A similar device, often used by children at play, is the tin can telephone, which consists of two tin cans open at one end connected by string tied into the closed end of each can. When the cans are pulled apart so that the string is held tight, even a softly spoken voice can be heard clearly over a considerable distance."

I did find a few sites that referred to it's use, like this memoir on http://www.gulfcoastwing.org/basehap.htm, a website is dedicated to the men and women of the Gulf Coast Wing and the Tora! Tora! Tora! group who volunteer their hard work and sacrifice to keep the Confederate Air Force aircraft flying.

One incident I remember in particular. Once, before I soloed, he had me practicing landings at an auxiliary gravel field. On one trial, proceeding downwind the wind-sock changed so I would not be able to make a touch and go as we usually did. He told me over the gosport tube to go ahead and land anyway and we would have to taxi back for the other take off and landing. This field did not have runways. Explanation: The gosport tube was a funnel hooked to a tube in the front cockpit where he sat, then back to the cadet's helmet ear pads in the rear cockpit. The instructor used this method to communicate with the cadet (mostly cuss him out), but the cadet had no way of answering back. After we rolled to a stop, I began a taxi back downwind to the take off point. He said, "I got it" and raised the tail and began taxiing faster. From time to time, he turned around to tell me what I had done wrong. As we were passing a shack, whoops, here came another Stearman right in front of us. No way we could miss. We crawled right up his tail with our prop making red and white confetti out of his rudder; flipped over inverted on top of the other airplane with the leading edge of our wing cutting a big crease about 6" behind that other cadet's head.

I guess we were both 'kinda in shock, but with gas leaking all around, I had the presence of mind that I didn't need to hang around there upside down anymore. I cut the switches and, not thinking, I pulled my safety belt latch and promptly fell out on my head. I felt sorry for my instructor. That really hit him hard since he had years of flying experience, and that was the first time he had ever dinged an airplane. They took us to the hospital for a checkup, but we both checked out fine and were flying the next day.

The June Girls With Wings eZine has been published!

The Newsletter has been posted online. The lead story is below, but you can read the whole edition at http://www.girlswithwings.com/eZine/VIP4-6.html

Training Complete
Let's talk checkrides! I have opened up a thread in the forum regarding my checkride (and the subsequent retraining and recheck). Yes, that's right, I failed the first time around. Head to the message board to talk with other Girls With Wings about your experiences.

Slats and Flaps

There is a conversation going on right now on the Girls With Wings message board about taking your private and having to learn all KINDS of new things. Yes, there's a lot to learn when becoming a pilot, but sometimes we need to take baby steps...

I am not embarrassed to admit that I have been known to check out simple books on the library on aerodynamics and weather, for example, for the general public and then go back and learn how these things relate to being a pilot.

I swear I STILL look things up on Wikipedia to help me understand things in broad, general terms first before I tackle the technical stuff. I just learned the Citation X, my first airplane with slats, and don't you know I didn't even know what the dern things were!

But I found out:

Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a product of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly slower or take off and land in a shorter distance. They are usually used while landing or performing maneuvers which take the aircraft close to the stall, but are usually retracted in normal flight to minimize drag.

Much better than just "guessing," right?

The Checkride is over...

Yes, I passed! Unfortunately, I needed two sessions... I want to be able to talk to all of you about the checkride and some issues with it so that everyone can learn from my experience. However, we still have TWO more days in the sim, and I am worn out from the drama surrounding the experience and I want to ensure that I appear fair and balanced. Keep an eye out for the upcoming newsletter and successive message board posts. Sign up for the newsletter.

It's not all bad news

I hear often that people are not getting into aviation (aeronautics or aerospace) because of poor job prospects. Luckily, this viewpoint is not being ignored. First, AOPA is always encourage pilots into their "Project Pilot" program. And initiatives after that?

For example:
Legislation to Attract More Engineers into Aerospace Moves Forward
OKLAHOMA CITY – Two pieces of legislation geared toward growing Oklahoma’s aerospace industry have cleared one more hurdle in the House and Senate.

House Bill 3239 by Skye (yes, Skye) McNiel in the House and Kenneth Corn in the Senate easily won approval on the Senate floor Thursday morning by a 42-3 vote. HB 3239, which has often been referred to as the "Aerospace Industry Engineer Work Force Bill," grants engineers hired after Jan. 1, 2009, by an Oklahoma aerospace company a state tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for a period of time not to exceed five years. It also allows aerospace companies a tax credit of 10 percent for compensation paid to a qualified graduate during the first five years of his or her employment if the employee graduated from an in-state college or university or a tax credit of 5 percent if the employee graduated from an out-of-state college or university.

HB 3239 also affords Oklahoma aerospace companies an opportunity to receive a tax credit in the amount of 50 percent of the tuition reimbursed to a new engineer graduate for the first four years of his or her employment. The tax credit would be based upon the average annual tuition at a public university in Oklahoma, which is currently about $3,600.

“The fact that an overwhelming majority of lawmakers in both houses support House Bill 3239 shows just how vital our state’s aerospace industry is to the state and its economic prosperity. They understand that,” said Victor Bird (yes, Bird), director of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission.

Senate Bill 1171 by Sen. Mike Mazzei and Rep. Mike Jackson provides a $5,000 tax credit for up to five years to new engineers who earn an undergraduate or graduate degree after December 31, 2008,and go to work for an Oklahoma aerospace company. There are no tax credits for the hiring company,however. SB 1171 now moves on to the House floor for further consideration.

Bird said that the U.S. aerospace industry is currently facing a substantial shortage of engineers and the situation will get much worse in the next few years when an estimated 60,000 to 68,000 engineers retire. In Oklahoma alone, an additional 600 to 650 engineers will be needed by the year 2013. “If we expect to keep our aerospace industry growing and competitive with other states and countries, then we must provide incentives to attract more engineers to the industry. If we don’t, the industry will suffer down the road, and I don’t think we can let that happen,” Bird said.

Bird noted that other states around the country have already passed legislation this year that has benefited their respective aerospace industries. He pointed to Kansas, Georgia and Washington as examples. Just last week, Kansas lawmakers passed a bill that allows Cessna Aircraft Company to access up to $33 million in bonds to build an assembly plant in Wichita for its new Citation Columbus aircraft. The facility is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

The median salary of an engineer in the aerospace industry is approximately $75,000. Oklahoma is recognized as one of seven centers in the world for the modification, maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft.

Checkride around the corner

Hi All,

I'm still plugging away at my Citation X training! Checkride day is tuesday....

Pictured at left is my training partner, Chuck, and I. Chuck is a ex Air Force C17 pilot and we are paired up throughout the training and checkride. We have two sim sessions each day, so someone sits left seat for two hours and then we swap.

Interestingly enough, it's the right seater that works harder here. The person in the left seat "only" has to fly, while the co-pilot runs all the checklists, increased by the sim instructor's introduction of various malfunctions and emergencies. The co-pilot is also talking on the radio and programming the avionics. Things can get pretty busy!

The left seater is the Pilot in Command (PIC) though, so he or she is ultimately responsible for what does or does not happen on their flight. So, although the PIC can delegate tasks to the Second in Command (SIC), the PIC still needs to monitor everything going on in the cockpit.

Usually, especially at the experience level of Chuck and I, this is not a problem. But add into the mix an unfamiliar aircraft with different controls and associated "feel," this four hour session is EXHAUSTING. In fact, the checkride should be the easiest session because it is so straightforward. Unfortunately, most pilots are very self critical and exacting, so we want everything to be "perfect."
Our sim instructor assures us we are progressing normally, but yesterday we both felt as if we didn't do very well at all. So we took the evening off and didn't think about flying at all.

Sound strange? I have learned that it is difficult to "study through" the low points. I KNOW how to fly the airplane, so I just took a break to de-stress a little bit. We'll see how it goes today, as I am off to my sim session right now...

Girls With Wings really Flies!

Girl With Wings Jill Long features the GWW logo on her Pitts airplane.

A Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Jill “Raggz” Long has been flying since she was 16. Her dream of flight can be traced to an airshow she attended at the age of six, where after seeing the performers, she proudly declared, “That’s going to be me!”

The only woman to be selected to cross-train into the A-10 “Warthog” or “Tank Killer” after six years in the KC-135 Stratotanker, she has accumulated over 3000 military flight hours and 50 combat missions in the Global War on Terrorism. Born in Michigan and raised in Oregon, Jill lives with husband, Chuck, in Wichita Falls, TX, and is stationed at Sheppard AFB as the 80th Flying Training Wing Director of Staff and a T6 Texan II instructor/evaluator pilot charged with training future combat pilots at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT), as well as pursuing her personal dream of flight by performing in airshows in her Pitts S2B “The Ragged Edge,” inspiring millions each year, and encouraging young and old alike to follow their dreams!

Jill avidly shares her experiences as a military combat fighter pilot, instructor/evaluator pilot and airshow performer. Equipped with Finance, Business Administration & Marketing Bachelor’s degrees, and a Master’s in Management, she is living proof that no matter what path a person takes… with vision, passion and commitment they can SOAR! She and her husband Chuck partnered their airshow business with inspirational/educational programs including US Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp and Aviation Challenge, and the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Women Soar and Young Eagles. Jill was the recent winner of the Air Education and Training Command’s 2008 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Role Model Award.

She often states, "You don’t have to be the smartest person, or the most talented… you just have to believe in yourself, and you’ll find the strength to follow your dreams. Programs such as EAA’s and US Space and Rocket Center’s help young women and men find that strength and develop key lessons for life! We need to emphasize avenues that reach out to and encourage people to aim for the stars and follow their own dreams."

View Jill’s website and airshow schedule at and follow YOUR dreams!

Scholarship Information

Earlier I published a blog entry about several scholarships that I had seen that were available to folks interested in aviation. I received a comment to that post that I chose not to publish: "hi,linda,how can i get scholarship to study piloting/aeronautacal engineering,am a male in [a foreign country],pls lets chat on ymsger" The message also included this person's email address and personal blog, which I won't print to protect his privacy.

It's great that so many people want to get into flying; that's what Girls With Wing is all about, right? But recently I updated my scholarship page on the GWW website to reflect the frustration I have with messages being sent to me that say little more than the above comment. 'Course, misspelling my name earns 0 points!

This is not because I think I'm special and deserve special treatment. This is a basic fact of life. Ever hear the saying, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression?"

There are a lot of my opinions on my scholarship page that I had some reluctance posting because I don't want to turn anyone away from the organization. However, after numerous times of people firing off short impolite emails, I couldn't resist. If you are an individual looking for financial aid or guidance, Please, please, please! take any and all communications seriously. In other words, be polite and use proper grammar and spelling (especially the name of the organization!). Tell the recipient a little bit about you and what specifically you are seeking. I am a pretty busy woman (if you read this blog you'll know this) and do not have time to find money for everyone. You can do a google search on aviation scholarships just as well as I can.

When you find something you are interested in/may qualify for, read the information carefully and then if you have further questions, contact the organization. The vast majority of emails to me miss the two MAJOR characteristics of the GWW scholarship: it is announced in August, and there is no official application form. When I get an email asking about either of these, I know the sender is not really interested in the GWW scholarship, they are just firing off emails. That's fine if you make a base template and personalize it to the specific organization - keeping in mind all of the requirements of that application.

Be considerate and conscientious. Aviation is a small community, where "who you know" plays a major role. You need to make good impressions on people and maintain thos relationships.

Read more of my advice at http://girlswithwings.com/scholarshipinfo.html.

Send Your Name to the Moon Aboard LRO!

The Send Your Name to the Moon Web site enables everyone to participate in the lunar adventure and place their names in orbit around the moon for years to come. Participants can submit their information, print a certificate and have their name entered into a database. The database will be placed on a microchip that will be integrated onto the spacecraft. The deadline for submitting names is June 27, 2008.

"Everyone who sends their name to the moon, like I'm doing, becomes part of the next wave of lunar explorers," said Cathy Peddie, deputy project manager for LRO at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "The LRO mission is the first step in NASA's plans to return humans to the moon by 2020, and your name can reach there first. How cool is that?"

The orbiter, comprised of six instruments and one technology demonstration, will provide the most comprehensive data set ever returned from the moon. The mission will focus on the selection of safe landing sites and identification of lunar resources. It also will study how the lunar radiation environment could affect humans.

Credit: NASA/GSFC LRO will also create a comprehensive atlas of the moon's features and resources that will be needed as NASA designs and builds a planned lunar outpost. The mission will support future human exploration while providing a foundation for upcoming science missions. LRO is scheduled for launch in late 2008.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is being built at Goddard. The mission also will be managed at the center for NASA's Explorations Systems Mission Directorate in Washington.

Send Your Name to the Moon is a collaborative effort among NASA, the Planetary Society in Pasadena, Calif., and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

AOPAs ePilot Training Tips

If you are an aviation enthusiast but not yet a member of AOPA, the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, here's another reason to consider it (besides the fact that membership is only $39/yr).

AOPA puts out a Pilot Training Tips email that often includes aviation scholarships and training opportunities. Today's had three that I found of interest:

EXPLORER POST GETS TEENS INVOLVED IN AVIATION
When you're passionate about something, you want to share that passion with the world. For many pilots that means telling friends about aviation or taking them for rides. But for Darren Large, it means something bigger. Large started an Aviation Explorer post at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey where he serves as the projects and grants administrator. The program helps young people ages 15 to 20 who are interested in aviation explore career options and develop an understanding of the field through firsthand experiences. See the complete story on AOPA Online.

PASTOR USES AVIATION TO HELP AT-RISK YOUTH
A pastor in Waukesha, Wis., is using aviation as a tool to reach out to at-risk teens in his congregation and community. Pastor Jerome Spencer of the New Beginnings Ministry has recruited Milwaukee-area pilots as mentors, obtained a grant to cover some equipment and supplies, and worked a second job to get the program aloft, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Participating students take ground school in a donated hangar at Waukesha County Airport and work toward completing the private pilot knowledge test. Three participants have passed the test. "What has made this program work is the care and love of the Waukesha community coming alongside and saying 'I'll help,'" Spencer said.

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FLIGHT ACADEMY READY FOR TAKEOFF
The University of Oklahoma's Sooner Flight Academy will sponsor several aviation camps for children ages 4 through 18. The camps will kick off in June, and sessions will run through August. The programs promote aviation and teach practical application of math and science. Some camps include flight time. All activities take place at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. For more information or to apply online, see the Web site.

Register at www.AOPA.org.

Looking for something to do this summer?

The Summer Academy

Embry-Riddle's Summer Academy programs are residential programs at the Daytona Beach campus that introduce the technology of today to the aviators and astronauts of tomorrow. Students live in on-campus dormitories under the supervision of approved chaperones and share their initial experience of university living with other young people their age.

Summer Academy Programs

Aerospace I (ages 15-18) This course is designed to foster a basic understanding of space and space technology. The program is filled with hands-on activities and labs, classroom interaction, and exciting, fun-filled trips!

Aerospace II (ages 16 - 18) Prerequisite: Aerospace I For students ages 16 - 18, this course further encourages the interest of space-related fields, the space program, and the aerospace industry worldwide.

Flight Exploration (ages 12 up) Developed for students ages 12 to 18, Flight Exploration is a structured introduction to flying and flight training. Choose from one of our sessions offered from June 13 through July 30.

Aviation Voyage (ages 13 - 18) Prerequisite: Flight Exploration - Residential, for students ages 13 - 18. This program was devoloped for students who want to continue their flight training and work towards their first solo flight in the aircraft.Sun Flight (ages 15 up)Sun Flight offers three programs: first solo flights; private pilot license or custom flight training.

Aviation Career Exploration Participants will learn about the varied career fields involved with aviation and aerospace: Air Traffic Control, Meteorology, Engineering, Human Factors, Space technology, and Flight.

Generations Generations is an opportunity for parents and grandparents to experience aviation with their child or grandchild. Together, the two of you will share the experience of exploring the different realms of aviation.

Aviation Discovery for Women For female students ages 15-18, this program offers the opportunity to explore an interest in aviation and aerospace. Participants will learn more about fields such as Flight, Meteorology, Maintenance, Engineering and many more.

Click here to contact the Summer Academy office

FRENCH CONNECTION MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

In the interest of continuing my mission of getting the word out that there are many many scholarships out there, I give you:



THE FRENCH CONNECTION MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Daniel Heligoin and Montaine Mallet together formed French Connection Airshow for over 26 years. Their 180 hp Cap 10Bs were stock other than the smoke system. Montaine was a former aeronautical engineer who studied aerobatics with Daniel, who was originally a glider pilot, French Air Force fighter pilot and French Unlimited Aerobatic Champion. The couple met while working at Avions Mudry, makers of the Cap airplane, and the pair were the American distributors for the aircraft. In their air show performances, Mallet led routines and Heligoin followed just four feet from her wingtip. The French Connection is recognized for flawless mirror formations, the Fleur de Lys and their signature musical aerial ballet. Following their deaths during a practice session in May of 2000, family members, friends and fans worked together to create a memorial fund that could be used to give, as Daniel would say, "the gift of wings."

Besides being premier airshow performers, the French Connection operated an aerobatic flight school from the time they first arrived in the United States. They demanded the same precision and perfection in their aerobatic flight instructors as they demanded in themselves. They spent considerable time training their flight instructors the art of teaching aerobatics. They both felt that only if their flight instructors were highly skilled in aerobatics and communication could they pass on, not only basic aerobatics, but the more advanced levels as well.

The French Connection Memorial Scholarship is seeking a male and a female flight instructor who need financial help acquiring aerobatic training so he or she can do a better job teaching or to seek a position giving aerobatic instruction. Together, the French Connection Scholarship Committee and the recipient will select the aerobatic flight school or instructor, to ensure the level of instruction received will reflect the high standards Daniel and Montaine strived for.
Visit Fred Robbins' French Connection Memorial web pages

Qualifications: The recipient must be a certified flight instructor (CFI), and must use the scholarship for aerobatic flight training. Scholarship Amount: $1,000.
Download the application form(right-click link and select "Save Target" from the popup menu)French Connection Application
Follow the submission instructions on the application form carefully.Return completed applications to:scholarships@icasfoundation.org
Applications received by July 1st are considered for this year's award

If you know of any scholarships, please post them on the Girls With Wings Message Board.

The May Girls With Wings eZine

The May eZine is here! For easier viewing.


The video taken at this year's Women in Aviation Conference has made it on to the site. Thanks to all of the enthusiastic attendees that stated their love for aviation on the record (or DVD, as it were). Thank you to GWW Kim for filming and editing. You, too, can submit a video of yourself to add to your bio, just email it to me. (Kim has a video of her solo on her bio...!)


My home state of Ohio may have designated May 7th as a day to recognize the importance of aerospace, but for Girls With Wings, every day is a day to increase awareness of aviation, aeronautics and aerospace! Aerospace: the science, technology and industry associated with aircraft, missiles, satellites and spacecraft.

For those of you that read my blog you know I will be celebrating this particular day (and the rest of May) by completing my Citation X training with my new employer, NetJets. If you haven't been hearing from me so much lately, it's because I've been studying. Read some tips on how to study a new airplane. The reality of a pilot's quest for continuous personal and professional improvement (or to fly new airplanes) is a topic I always bring up in my presentations to young girls. Life as a pilot is rarely boring! And it's those especially "exciting" times we train so hard for.


Congratulations are in order for GWW Becky , who just received news that she is the recipient of the Chris Hanley Memorial Scholarship for $1500 worth of flight training so can continue her progress towards her private license. Kudos also on that successful cross-country! Tell us if you hear of any scholarships.




New Item
Plane Pillows - we know you love airplanes, now you can snuggle with them!


Play the GWW game (http://www.girlswithwings.com/funpages.html)!
Install the GWW Screensaver (http://www.girlswithwings.com/funpages.html)!


Coming Soon
Families With Wings, or "How to be a great wife, mother, and woman as well as a successful pilot." Email with your input.