Another update from Lisa, GWW Private Pilot Scholarship Winner!

This is the second journal entry provided to us by Lisa Kienholz, who was selected for a  Private Pilot Scholarship from Girls With Wings. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Private Pilot Scholarship, to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of a private pilot certificate. This scholarship targets those individuals who have soloed but have not completed the Private Pilot Course.  The Private Pilot Scholarship is in the amount of $1000.00, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Lisa's application essay is published here and her second essay here.

 

This past month of flight lessons has been an interesting ride. I am in my final stages of preparing for my checkride, reviewing the books over, and over, and fine tuning the maneuvers with my instructors in the plane. I can see light at the end of the tunnel and yet, at times, the light continues to flicker. Most of the time I feel like “I can do this” but one day the wind might be blowing and the landings aren’t as good as I’d like and the nagging self-doubt attempts to surface, “Am I really ready?” One day I think perhaps I’m not yet ready and then I wonder if I’ve just got checkride-itis and I’m making it out to be more difficult that it needs to be. Of course I can do this and of course I will. It’s just been a long time since I’ve worked so hard to reach a new, challenging goal. I’m unfamiliar with the struggle to meet my own expectations and with the roller coaster like highs and lows I’m experiencing. I have spent the last number of decades as a fiercely independent woman and letting it be okay to be dependent on others was a big leap for me. Learning to fly has taught me how to ask for help and how to graciously accept the kindness of other aviators. As an owner of an antique airplane that I don’t yet know how to fly, I found myself in the position of having to ask other’s to be my PIC to get her up in the air. Plus, I have an ongoing long list of questions. I feel so fortunate to have new friends that are so willing to offer their time and expertise. I have learned to push myself past my comfort zone, to allow myself to be the beginner that I currently am. I have learned so much about how I learn, my learning style. I am intrigued by how people learn: some are visual learners, some verbal and others really need to learn by doing. I admire flight instructors, in order to succeed with each student pilot they need to figure out what the student needs before the student knows themselves. 

There have been moments when I forgot that the reason I’m flying is because it is fun. But it is fun, so much fun! When I find myself stressing about being ready for the test I try to remind myself to breathe deep and enjoy the flight. With every take off I get the rush of “I’m flying”. Every steep turn, every slow flight, every stall is fun. Sometimes I’m up there in the sky and I feel like I’ve got to pinch myself to believe that I am indeed flying this little airplane, I am a pilot. Yes, still a student pilot but a pilot nonetheless. Every flight puts a big smile on my face. 

I am continuing my lessons in CP Aviation’s Cessna 150s because I am close to the checkride but I have now begun lessons in my Luscombe 8E as well. Perhaps this is adding to my challenge but I just can’t leave her in the hangar all of the time! I look forward to getting my PPL soon. It will be a relief to take the weight off of my shoulders and then I will be able to concentrate on my tailwheel endorsement in the Luscombe and mastering the fine art of the tailwheel flying. 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

Another update from Deborah, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the third journal entry provided to us by Deborah Katvala, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Deborah's application essay is published here and her first essay here and second essay here.

Hello all! In my last update I talked about the first half of my two day cross-country adventure from Dallas, Texas to the Huntsville, Alabama area. In this update I’d like to talk about the return journey and the challenges and rewards I faced on my way back to Texas. 

We had a great morning perusing the artifacts and displays at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. We were also able to see a short documentary on the D-Day invasion just two days before the 70th anniversary of D-Day! After the museum we chose to drive out to the town that I lived in briefly as a child. It was amazing to see the house that I had lived in and the school that I attended! The day went by quickly and all too soon it was time to head back to the airport. 

On the return trip to my home airport (16X), I wanted to start off by filing my first IFR flight plan. I filed using ForeFlight, which I have been using for the last several months. It was so easy! I left MDQ under VFR and requested my clearance shortly after take off. There were no changes to what I had filed so I followed my route VOR to VOR and along some V airways. I felt a sense of accomplishment getting more comfortable talking to the various controllers and understanding all the IRF lingo and clearances. 

 As the flight progressed we entered an area where clouds were beginning to form. Finally there was one right in front of us! The time had come to finally get to see what it’s like to fly in actual clouds! As we entered the first cloud I immediately felt a new sense of accomplishment! Making sure to scan all the instruments carefully, we navigated through the cloud with ease! For the next few hours we went through cloud after cloud and I began to feel more comfortable with my instrument scan with every subsequent cloud. My confidence level reached a new high and I was having a great time! And I got to add 1.2 hours actual to my log book! 

Unfortunately, I was also dealing with a 14 knot headwind the entire way back. I had to cut the first segment a little short to pick up additional fuel. Sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned and how you deal with them is the most important thing. I decided to go to HEE in West Helena, Arkansas. We stopped at that airport because it said in the A/FD that it was attended during daylight hours. Unfortunately, you cannot always trust what you read. We arrived around 3:30PM and they had already gone home for the day! Thankfully, there were two gentlemen working on their agriculture planes. They told us that the local “procedure” was simply to fill up your tanks and leave a note for the staff. Whew! About a week later I got a call from the airport staff and we settled up our bill. 

We slowly continued on to our next fuel stop and two more approaches. Finally, everything clicked on my ILS and LOC approaches! Usually I find myself chasing the needles and feeling stressed during the entire process. This time I got myself on the glideslope and localizer early and just kept them constant all the way down. It was incredible to look up and see the runway right there! After another quick fuel stop we started the last portion of the trip, the night portion! With the exception of an additional third fuel stop due to increasing headwinds, it all went just as planned! 

 I highly encourage everyone to go on a long cross country! I was thankful to have my boyfriend (who is my stand-in instructor) along for the ride. It was exhausting but exhilarating. Actually using all these skills and going somewhere far outside of my comfort zone gave me such a burst of confidence! I was able to check off three major milestones. My long commercial cross-country, my first instrument cross-country and my night commercial cross-country were all done in this one amazing trip! I would like to thank all the wonderful people involved with Girls with Wings! Without your help and encouragement this wonderful trip would not have been possible! 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

Another update from Erin, GWW Advanced Training Scholarship Winner!

This is the second journal entry provided to us by Erin DeYoung, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Erin's application essay is published here and her first update here.

Girls With Wings: Post 2 
When I applied for the Girls With Wings Scholarship there were two events I was diligently working on for the spring/summer. One of them was a roaring success; the other, sadly, was not. 

At the end of April I coordinated a Girl Scout Aviation Day. We had over 60 girls attend, and nearly 20 of them took introductory flights. The girls learned about helicopters, C-5s, weight and balance, air traffic control, flight patterns, and even flew a simulator. As I was working with the girls during their flights just before the day officially kicked off, I had a girl ask, “Are there really any female pilots?” Of course I responded that I was one and that all day she would be surrounded by female pilots. The look on her face was priceless, but, even better, was the fact that at the end of the day she told me she wanted to be a pilot, too! I have never seen so many smiling faces as I did during the day. The girls had a great time, the pilots had a great time, even the parents had a great time. The event was such a huge success, we already have people ready to sign-up for next year! 

 On the other hand, I attempted to put together an event for women at the beginning of June. I fly into and out of an Air Force Base, and we (myself and the Chief at the Aero Club) had been hoping to interest some of the spouses on base (and in the local community) to learn a bit about aviation. We titled the program, “Aviation 101,” and made it completely free (it even came with free food!). I had so many female pilots, mechanics, ATC controllers, etc. absolutely thrilled to take part….but I had exactly 0 women sign up. I had a lot of people tell me they were interested, but, at the end of the day, they didn’t actually commit to coming. I was devastated. I asked the Club to wait until the last minute before cancelling, just in case someone else decided to sign-up. No one did. 

 Having to cancel an event was difficult for me. Like most pilots, I’m excited to share my passion and enthusiasm with everyone, and I really struggled with the fact that this time I wouldn’t be able to do so. As I was expressing my frustration, I met another woman who runs an after school program for at risk high school girls. We started talking, I shared a bit about my girl scout day (and my failed attempt at getting women interested with Aviation 101), and she asked if I’d be willing to organize an event for her girls. Of course, I jumped at the chance. This summer I’ll be working with about 30 high school girls introducing them to aviation and building their confidence. We both hope the girls will begin to see just how many opportunities are available to them. I’ve also been introduced to the Aviation Explorers Program, and I am hoping to organize a group down here in Delaware. 

 I know education will be my calling in aviation. I know I want to be a CFI, and I’ve already acquired my ground school certifications. But I needed to find a focus for my outreach. I’ve figured out I can educate women better if I know them, if I take them flying, if I get them excited, and, if I then try to teach them about aviation. I know this isn’t true of all women (or even all adults), but so far, it seems to work better than organizing classes. Young adults and kids, on the other hand, if I can get them together with some of their friends and organize a day full of different activities—then, they are sold. Most kids (especially young girls) don’t know they can be pilots…they don’t even know the option is there, and they don’t know the steps to achieve that goal. This past month has forced me to sit down and revise my flight plan. I was so intent on a one size fits all idea that I lost sight of the challenges different people face. I consider this month the month where I learned how to divert to an alternate. Flight plans have to be adaptable. 

 This month hasn’t been full of disappointment, in fact, I’ve done very well in my flight training! I’m flying a Part 141 syllabus, and I have three stage checks along the way. I have passed my first stage check, and I am halfway through my second! I am halfway through my instrument training! I just finished working through holds (as designated by ATC), and they still make my brain hurt. I think I may have joined the ranks of all the Instrument pilots who pray ATC never gives them a hold outside of a published approach! Now, I’m tackling VOR approaches. I’m really working on understanding the timing, and precision, involved in non-precision approaches. It seems like a paradox—the non-precision approaches require more precision—but my ILS and RNAV approaches tell me everything I need to know (on one instrument!), but the VOR/NDB approaches don’t. It can be overwhelming, but I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge. 

And, lastly, my most exciting news this month: I am officially a Doctor! I just received my Ph.D. from Trinity College Dublin. I had to fly to Dublin to defend my thesis, and I was terribly nervous on my flight over (it’s the first time I’ve ever been nervous to fly). However, the Captain of the airplane was a woman, and somehow, seeing her, I knew everything was going to be okay. I talked with her a bit about the Girls With Wings program, and she is just as excited as all of us to encourage more young women to fly. She even let me take her picture. With just .2% of the population as pilots and only 6% of them as women, we all need a little reminder of just where our flight plan is going. 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received. 

Another update from Deborah, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the second journal entry provided to us by Deborah Katvala, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Deborah's application essay is published here and her first essay here.

Hello all! I just finished my longest cross-country to date! I successfully flew from 16X (near Dallas Fort Worth) to MDQ (Near Huntsville) and back during a two day trip in a Cessna 152! During those two days I put 17.2 hours on the Hobbs mostly due to a 14 knot headwind on the way back. I accomplished many firsts and learned several great lessons on this fun and eventful trip!  I was also able to check off of my list several of the requirements for my instrument and commercial ratings! 
 
Let’s start with the way out there. I planned the flight out there as my commercial day cross-country. Due to the length of the trip I had to plan several fuel stops along the way. I tried to pick places with inexpensive (relatively) fuel and available services in the off chance we had any sort of problem. I settled on CDH (Camden, Arkansas) and PMU (Batesville, Mississippi). On the day of departure I woke up early to find that most of the trip out was showing IFR weather until later in the morning, so I delayed my departure by two hours. As the heat of the day started to burn off the low overcast, the airports along the route started trending toward nice VFR weather. The two hour delay ended up working out perfectly in terms of the weather. Finally I was headed to the airport to start the long awaited trip with the first crisis handled! 

I arrived at the airport to find the airplane out of the hanger and all ready to go! David, the owner of the plane, was nice enough to have it all fueled up and ready with a fresh oil change and two extra quarts in the back just to be safe. He also let me use his portable GPS with datalink weather, which would prove to be very useful in the hot summertime weather. I did my usual preflight checks taking special care to make sure everything was working just right seeing as how I was taking the airplane so far from it’s home. After a brief discussion with David about the route, weather and destination, we decided all was well so I got in and off I went! The run-up, takeoff and departure all went as planned and I climbed up to 5,500 feet for the reduced fuel burn and cooler temperatures. A couple hours into the flight I encountered my next crisis. As I was cruising along my window latch came loose and the window popped open! I had a surge of my old fear of heights as I reached out to pull my window back in. Luckily, we were flying level and the airplane was trimmed out so I could figure out how to keep my window closed. Thankfully I always have hair ties on my wrist and used one to hold the window latch to the door. This was another lesson in remaining calm and thinking through what you can use that you currently have available to solve a problem. If my hair tie hadn’t worked the next step would have been landing and finding some rubber bands or string. Second crisis handled! 

 My flight out to MDQ after that went as planned! My fuel planning went as scheduled and the stops at CDH and PMU were uneventful. As the flight progressed the heat that had burned off the overcast earlier was now starting to cause some cumulous pop up clouds. For most of the remainder of the trip I had to fly left and right of my original course avoiding the clouds and taking care not to enter any special airspace. It made the trip even more fun!

We stayed the night in Huntsville and went to the Space and Rocket Center the following morning where I felt so inspired. I spent three years working at Challenger Learning Centers teaching aerospace and this museum brought back a lot of amazing memories! I’ll talk about the return trip in my next update. Until then, Fly safe! 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

An update from Lauren, GWW Dreams Take Flight Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Lauren Prox, who was selected for a Dreams Take Flight Scholarship from Girls With Wings. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Dreams Take Flight Scholarship was designed to introduce the world of aviation to someone who would benefit from experiencing the joy of flight. This scholarship is intended to fund introductory flight training to encourage achievement of a stated goal, whether in aviation or in another field of study.  There is no prerequisite flight training required for this scholarship, just enthusiasm and the desire to learn.  The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship is in the amount of $500.00, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Lauren's application essay is published here.


After a week full of thunderstorms, I eventually got to go flying. Thankfully the weather was beautiful. I decided to fly with a new, local flight school called Freedom Aviation. This flight school is actually just a few buildings over from my aviation high school; which made it my first choice. My flight instructor, Corey, was amazing. Along with instructing me, he also gave me advice on excelling in my upcoming aviation contest. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about taking control of the aircraft because of the unfamiliar course we were taking. Once I did take control of the plane and started heading back towards the airport, another plane declared an in-flight emergency. This incident sent us outside of the Class D airspace, and allowed us to get some more sightseeing done. I was able to gaze along the James River and saw several large ships, bridges, and even Water Country USA. 

When the plane in distress landed, we were able to safely return back to the flight school. I was then rewarded with a freshly-made, chocolate chip cookie for doing so well. I had a great time flying with Corey and I can’t wait to get up in the air again. Before my flight, I never realized just how familiar I was with the field of aviation. For example, after taking an ATC course for an entire school year, I can now keep up with the expeditious speed of the Air Traffic Controllers. I have my wonderful teacher Mr. Lamanque to thank for that.

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

Another update from Rachel, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the second journal entry provided to us by Rachel Borsa, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Rachel's application essay is published here and her first update here.

Today…. I passed my Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Check Ride! YAY! I’m very excited to have been able to get this rating so quickly. I think it helped that I have a year of instructing under my belt and had been teaching in the simulator. Also, I tend to talk out loud when I fly (it helps me) so teaching instrument approaches and maneuvers was no problem.

I had an hour-long oral about instrument flying and different teaching techniques. The Designated Pilot Examiner had a lot of good tips about teaching instrument students, especially with steam gauges. It is a little, and when I say a little, I mean a lot, different flying instrument approaches and intercepting airways in a glass cockpit. I believe this training has made me a better pilot and instructor.

During the oral, the DPE started talking about Lafayette airport; turns out he was also a Boilermaker! He went through the Professional Pilot Program, too, and flew for TWA for 36 years. He was such an inspiration and a wonderful person to take a check ride with. Thank you, Wally, for such a good experience.

 The school I was flying at, CRAFT, has asked if I will stay on as a flight instructor. Once Air Race is over, I plan on instructing after work and on the weekends. So, if anyone is in Charleston and wants flight lessons, I’M NOW AVAILABLE

Thank you to Girls with Wings for making this possible! I would not have been able to afford it on my own this summer. And thanks to CRAFT for allowing me to train with them and for having such well maintained airplanes. I feel so blessed to be adding another rating to my license. Flying is my passion and if I can help make it someone else’s, then I’m a happy pilot!

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

An update from Amy, GWW Dreams Take Flight Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Amy Dahlheimer, who was selected for a Dreams Take Flight Scholarship from Girls With Wings. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Dreams Take Flight Scholarship was designed to introduce the world of aviation to someone who would benefit from experiencing the joy of flight. This scholarship is intended to fund introductory flight training to encourage achievement of a stated goal, whether in aviation or in another field of study.  There is no prerequisite flight training required for this scholarship, just enthusiasm and the desire to learn.  The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship is in the amount of $500.00, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Amy's application essay is published here.

I could not be more excited to have been selected as a Dreams Take Flight scholarship winner! I am so excited to become more involved with Girls With Wings and support their cause. 

I was able to start flight training April 30. Flying has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I was beyond excited to get in the air. Training has gone by so fast since I started. With the help of my awesome instructor, I learned how to takeoff, make radio calls, do steep turns, and so much more. I learned how the airplane instruments work, and even learned more about the mechanics of the airplane. The toughest part of training for me so far has been learning to land, but after lots of practice I was finally able to get it. 
 
June 3rd was my first solo flight! I flew a Piper Warrior and took off and landed three times. Getting ready to solo was a little nerve-wracking for me, but when it was finished I felt amazing! Flying solo made all of the training and hard work so worth it. It’s still hitting me that I actually flew a plane by myself. I can’t wait to do it again! 

I am going to have my first stage check sometime in the next week. After that, I will start stage two. My goal is to get my check ride done before the summer ends! 

 I was given the opportunity to attend the Metropolitan Airport Commissions Boot camp, a week long course at the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Airport where a few students from Minnesota State University, University of North Dakota, St. Cloud State, and Metro State learned about airport operations. We got to inspect a runway, which was pretty awesome. We learned about wildlife management at the airport. I got to drive a snow plow used to clear runways. We also got to tour one of Delta’s A33O’s, which was my favorite part. I think it would be awesome to be able to fly a plane like that someday! I had such a great time spending the week learning about airport operations! 

I am also looking forward to being a Minnesota Aviation Career Camp Counselor this summer. I will get to spend another week at the MSP airport with students in 10 to 12th grade and explore all kinds of different aviation career paths! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds in store for me and for what this amazing career will have in store for me. 

Thank you to Girls With Wings for the scholarship and the support. It means so much to me and I appreciate it very much! 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

An update from Ema, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Ema Marter, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Ema's application essay is published here.

Winning the advanced training scholarship has been such an honor! I won it just in time for the cross-country phase of my flight training, the third (and last) stage in the syllabus my flight school uses, and the one with much lengthier (i.e. more expensive!) flights. The objective is to introduce me to cross-country procedures specific to IFR, and to increase my proficiency to the level required for the upcoming check ride (according to the FAA’s practical test standards). 
 
Before I started the instrument segment of training, many aviators warned me that it would be the hardest. Very experienced pilots admitted that they had the toughest time with instrument; meanwhile they are now flying G650s and other large jets. Fellow students mentioned that there were days they did not want to go to the airport, and these were people just like me. Naturally, I was a little apprehensive at first. 

Stage one taught me how to control the airplane by instrument reference only (instrument cross-check, instrument interpretation, and aircraft control), many times with partial panel. We also utilized VOR, GPS, and localizer navigation. Stage two introduced holding patterns and instrument approaches. This is when things became frustrating; there is a lot going on during the approach phase of flight! What I began to realize though, is that it is all very doable. Do not be discouraged by others! 
 
Soon I will be taking the instrument written test. My college classes have already ended, but here I am studying and taking practice tests! I have become very familiar with the test’s figure booklet, ensuring that I am able to interpret each one. 

While my head has been in a book the past few weeks, I did go out for fun recently! There was an airshow over Jones Beach on Memorial Day weekend, which I was happy to drive down to (even if flying would’ve been better!) with a fellow member of the Hudson Valley Aviation Club. We watched the U.S. Army’s parachute team, the Golden Knights. We saw a V-22 Osprey! The “Screamin’ Sasquatch,” a jet-powered aerobatic biplane, was probably the biggest surprise of the day. That thing was loud! I also experienced the Blue Angels for the first time, which was more impressive than I even imagined. “Fat Albert,” their C-130, was big and beautiful; the only disappointment was that it didn’t perform its Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO). 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received. 

An update from Brittany, GWW Dreams Take Flight Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Brittany Danko, who was selected for a Dreams Take Flight Scholarship from Girls With Wings. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Dreams Take Flight Scholarship was designed to introduce the world of aviation to someone who would benefit from experiencing the joy of flight. This scholarship is intended to fund introductory flight training to encourage achievement of a stated goal, whether in aviation or in another field of study.  There is no prerequisite flight training required for this scholarship, just enthusiasm and the desire to learn.  The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship is in the amount of $500.00, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Brittany's application essay is published here. 

This is a quick journal update from Brittany Danko. 

First, again let me say, I am very grateful to have been awarded the Girls Take Flight Scholarship. 

On Thursday, April 10th, I was able to take my first flight lesson thanks to the Aviation program at Prosser Technology center. Since that time, I have been flying several times a week at the Clark County airport. 

And they aren't lying, once you get bitten by the aviation bug, there is no turning back! Flying has just been one of the most fantastic experiences to me. Now, I have finished with the hours provided to me by Prosser and am about to start being able to utilize the scholarship money awarded by Girls With Wings! 

The scholarship money will kick in just as I am coming up on my solo in the next couple weeks and I couldn't be more excited. It is rather apropos that I will solo with the help of Girls With Wings! This organization really is about empowering women in the field of Aviation and I have never felt more empowered in my life than when I sit in the seat of a Cessna and take flight! 

My instructor and I were talking and he said to me, "I am just so proud of you, not only for being 17 and working so hard, but for being a girl in this industry." It was a prideful moment and I realized that I wouldn't want it any other way. I have just been so entirely blessed with this entire process and I could not be any more grateful for this scholarship.

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received. 

An update from Willow, GWW Private Pilot Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Willow Seward, who was selected for a Private Pilot Scholarship from Girls With Wings. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Private Pilot Scholarship, to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of a private pilot certificate. This scholarship targets those individuals who have soloed but have not completed the Private Pilot Course.  The Private Pilot Scholarship is in the amount of $1000.00, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Willow's application essay is published here.

I'm not even sure that the expression, “I'm on Cloud 9” describes how I felt on Wednesday, May 21, 2014. I remember waking up that morning with a stomach full of nerves. It was a big day for me, my final FAA check ride for my private pilot license was scheduled for 9 am and my high school graduation was that night at 7:30 pm. Barely 18, these are huge milestones, and I was flooded with emotion! The dedication, devotion and hard work that I had endured was about to be recognized. 

I remember sitting down in the left seat of the Cessna 172, my heart was racing. The words of the check ride pilot as we began our taxi out put the reality of the situation into perspective, “This is it, are you ready to become a private pilot?” I looked him straight in the eye and confidently announced, “Alright lets do this!” Maneuver after maneuver everything was going smoothly, however, he was a man of few words and even fewer expressions. At this point, I was confident in my ability, but the question was, “Is he?” Finally, what seemed like forever, he spoke. “Willow” he exclaimed and then paused, and paused, and paused....oh my nerves! The anticipation of his next words silenced the airplane, but finally, loud and clear, I heard him proclaim “You are now a private pilot.” My face grew a smile from ear to ear. I couldn't do anything but smile the whole way back to the airport. 
 
Later that night, as I sat at my graduation and looked around at my fellow classmates, I once again had an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. Our principle spoke many words of wisdom, but one thing he said, drove it all home for me. “Today is only one of the many successes that you are about to experience in life, be proud of yourself, remember this feeling, and experience it again and again.” Twice, in one day, I had experienced success. I must admit, I LIKE IT! 

As much as I like to say “I did it”, the truth is, I did it with a lot of support! I want to give a huge shout-out to UND Aerospace for the excellent training. Words cannot express what a great program they have. I never once fell behind in my flight training thanks to my instructor James Irby for always working out his schedule to accommodate my high school academic and athletic schedules. I would like to thank my mom and dad for all the money and sacrifices they had to make to ensure I was in the air at least three times a week. Lastly, I would like to say Thank You to Girls With Wings for the financial assistance and the support! I am proud to be apart of this organization and I am looking forward to being there for the next girl who wants to take it to the sky! 

Thank You Again, 
Willow Seward 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received. 

An update from Deborah, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Deborah Katvala, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Deborah's application essay is published here.

Today I passed my Instrument Airplane Written! I was working a lot this past month so didn’t have as much time as I would have liked for actual flying. So, I used the time on my overnights to study for my written with the plan to complete it by the end of May. Well, I completed it just a couple days early! The written always feels like a huge accomplishment and once completed allows me to really focus on the flying. 

I followed the written by flying for over three hours in the 152 I have been renting. I completed ILS approaches and holds at Mineral Wells airport. I am finally managing to keep on the glide slope all the way down. Hurray! 

Now, I am planning a loooooong (for me) cross country to Huntsville and back to the DFW area. I plan to take pictures to share and I am sure will have lots of stories after completing this trip! Just the preparation has been a great experience for me and has furthered my knowledge. It is the longest cross country by far that I have planned and will take me at least two days to complete. One of the things I am really hoping to improve while on this trip is talking to Air Traffic Control. Up to this point, I have mostly flown at an uncontrolled field and have never felt completely comfortable on the radios in a controlled environment. I am very excited to get more exposure!

Thanks again to Girls with Wings for the scholarship! My long cross country to Huntsville wouldn’t have been possible without the scholarship. 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

An update from Rachel, An Advanced Rating Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Rachel Borsa, who was selected for an Advanced Training Scholarship within The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of an Advanced Rating or Certificate such as instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, instrument flight instructor certificate, multi-engine rating or multi-engine flight instructor certificate. This new scholarship award is in the amount of $1000, funded by the generous donations from supporters of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Rachel's application essay is published here.

Girls With Wings

Journal #1
5/22/14 

First Flight for Instrument Rating add-on to Flight Instructor Certificate 
 
Let me start by saying I have never flown an airplane without some kind of GPS. Whether it is the glass cockpit G1000 in the Cirrus airplanes, or the Garmin 430s in the Arrow and Seminole, there has been something to help with the process of instrument flight. I was in for a good laugh when I climbed into the right seat of the Cessna 172 with only a single VOR and ILS components. 

I started my training at CRAFT flight school in Charleston, South Carolina. They are right on Charleston International/AFB which is so cool. I took off behind a C-17 military cargo aircraft! It was amazing, that airplane is huge! 

My first flight was to get used to the airplane. So we left and went to Charleston Executive airport to shoot an approach and then come back to Charleston to shoot another and land. We were on our way to Charleston Exec, when I realized I didn’t know how to identify the fixes. I’ve never done it before without the GPS as a primary means to establish myself on the route. I was so confused looking at all of the round dials, that I hardly use, and sitting in the right seat, which takes away visibility of half of the instruments. So, I started asking questions. I mean a lot of questions. 

By the time the approach started, I was pretty much set up and thought I had it all down. On the approach however, I was still a little lost. Needless to say, it wasn’t a good one. By the time we got back to Charleston International, I felt a little bit better and was able to set up my approach and fly it to a nice landing. I love landing Cessnas. They float forever and then just set you on the ground. If you ever want to impress someone who doesn’t small planes; land in a Cessna. 

After the flight, we debriefed and I’m going to go into the full motion Red Bird simulator available to the flight school for training. This way, I can get even more used to the airplane and hone in on my teaching skills. I really want to get this rating before I head out for Air Race, which is in 2 weeks! 

I’m excited to keep flying and I’ve been studying for the Check Ride like crazy this past weekend. None of this would be possible without GWW! Thank you so much for helping with this rating and I’ll be keeping everyone updated on my progress!   

Girls With Wings 
Journal #2 
5/29/14 

Earlier this week I flew in the simulator to get used to the airplane and also to practice my instrument teaching skills. It’s a lot cheaper than the airplane; which means more flying practice later! 

Today…. I took off behind a Dreamlifter! The reason I am in Charleston is the internship I have with Boeing this summer. Boeing is an amazing company and I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to work there for a few months and see what they do. Anyway, they make the aft section of the 787 there and also assembly the entire airplane at the plant. Which is beyond cool. The Dreamlifters, which there are only four in existence, are always flying in and out, taking and bringing aircraft parts for the airplanes. It is truly amazing to watch. The Dreamlifters’ category is Heavy Giant – which means they are massive. 
 
I was able to do three approaches today around Charleston. Two to uncontrolled fields and one into Charleston International. I feel a lot more confident in the navigation equipment I’m using and in my instrument skills. I was able to teach while I did everything. When mistakes were made; it was a teachable moment. Today was a great flying day, until we saw this huge thunderstorm coming in, then we decided to go land! 

Over the weekend, I’m going to try to fly one or two more times and then take my check ride. Wish me luck! I’ll be studying all weekend! If anyone has any study guides or tips they would like to share, I’d love a shout out. 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.

An awesome update from Natalia, A Private Pilot / Rick Dahl Scholarship Winner!

This is the first journal entry provided to us by Natalia Dzyndra, who was selected for a Private Pilot Scholarship from Girls With Wings / Rick Dahl. The Girls With Wings 2014 Scholarship Program includes the Private Pilot Scholarship, to help defray the cost of flight training lessons in pursuit of a private pilot certificate. This scholarship targets those individuals who have soloed but have not completed the Private Pilot Course.  This special Private Pilot Scholarship, established to remember Rick Dahl, is in the amount of $2500.00, funded by the generous donation of Jennifer Jordan, a huge supporter of Girls With Wings, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Natalia's application essay is published here.

I started my flight training at the end of January and had been flying twice a week, on average. That is, until April rolled around, and I was running out of money. I flew a few times until I completely ran out. There’s only so many hours I can work in a week as a graduating student with two bachelor’s degrees, but I worked as much as I could and saved up for my next lesson which was supposed to be my first flight to a towered airport. But as deadlines and graduation approached I realized I couldn’t really work anymore; so with my instructor’s advice I decided to put flying on hold, even if it meant not flying for a month. Then May happened...I got the news that I was awarded the scholarship, and I was in disbelief (only for a moment, though). I was so grateful and excited, and I quickly scheduled my next flight lesson. We were off to learn tower communications and flight following. At this point my mind had been so overwhelmed with classes and final projects and making sure I had everything ready to graduate, that I had quickly forgotten much of that flight. I was pretty discouraged and lacking confidence in myself. It was a good introduction and good practice planning a flight log, but I realized if I kept flying while I was still in school, I wouldn’t be gaining much from the lessons. So, grudgingly and reluctantly, I said no more flying until I graduate. I needed to declutter my mind and catch up on sleep so my body could function normally again. 

So here I am now, three weeks later and thrilled be graduated and done with school. But more importantly, I can fly again! Today was my first cross country flight as well my my first attempt talking to tower. Although my first experience with tower was confusion, I wasn’t ready to give up so easily. Last night I planned my route with the proper checkpoints (avoiding the Air Force Base), calculated my winds, heading, speeds, and times, and made sure I had everything I needed clipped neatly to my kneeboard. I arrived at the airport this morning and preflighted the little Cessna 150 as usual and filled the tanks to the top so we’d have plenty of fuel on board. The day was quite windy, but sunny and clear. I was ready to take off. Except for I forgot one thing: file a flight plan. Silly me...so back inside I went with my instructor, Jen. Today she decided she was going to be mean to me and have me call and file the flight plan. “You want ME to call? I don’t like phones! I don’t like talking to people I don’t know! I don’t know what I’m doing! Why don’t you do it this time and I’ll just watch and listen?” I had no choice, she was making me do it. Of course she was still somewhat nice to me as she did walk me through it first. So then we called in, and I told the briefer that it was my first time and I was a student pilot. It actually wasn’t all that difficult. It was pretty simple, and she was very nice and slow (part of my confusion with radio communications is that it all happens so fast). I felt pretty good, and now I can easily file another plan anytime. There’s really nothing to it. 

 Back to the airplane we went. We loaded all of our stuff into the plane and proceeded with our checklists. My first checklist was to take a picture for this journal entry. I couldn’t forget that! Then we taxied to the end of the runway to do our typical run-up. This is when I began to worry a bit and here’s why...when we flew three weeks ago, during the run-up carb heat check, the carb heat increased rpm instead of decreased. We decided to fly anyways but when we got back and finally talked to our mechanic, Bob, he said that was no good. So I marked it in the squawk sheet and forgot about it–until today. I looked at the log and there had been at least 10 flights since we flew it last. When Jen saw the increase in rpm she immediately said we’re taking it back to Bob. We weren’t going to fly today, at least not in that plane. The only other option was the Piper Archer which I had never flown before. So as I cleaned up the C-150 and moved everything into the Archer, Jen preflighted and amended our flight plan. Two hours after I had arrived at the airport, we were finally on the center line, taking off, and I was getting a crash course on the differences between the two airplanes. I was definitely feeling the AIRMET turbulence as I was struggling to fly straight and level. But aside from that, it was just like flying my little C-150, but better! Even though the flight log I had planned was for the other airplane, we still used it for our pilotage and dead reckoning. Surprisingly, the numbers weren’t far off. The flight was great! I was passing all the right checkpoints at the right time, and I was feeling very proud of little flight log. 

That was the fun and easy part, then came tower communications. Jen told me what to say when I radioed in, but I forgot before she finished saying it. So I wrote it down, word for word, and then made the call. And then I didn’t know (or actually, didn’t remember) what to do after tower responded so I looked to Jen with a pitiful expression hoping she’d jump in and save me. And like the good instructor that she is, she did. I listened carefully as she communicated with tower because I knew there would be no mercy for me next time. We were cleared to land and as I was maneuvering to the extended centerline, Jen reminded me that we were in a different airplane and the outside “picture” would be different upon landing. “Oh great!” I thought to myself. “Low-wing airplane, gusts up to 24kts, different airport...I can’t do this.” I was pretty content just letting her land the plane. But that wasn’t on her agenda because she just kept talking me through it all the way down and just barely helped toward the end. I landed that thing pretty much by myself! I was excited! Now I was waiting to get permission to taxi. Which is still a new concept to me because my home airport isn’t towered so I do what I want, when I want. Anyways, we taxied back to the runway as I stuttered with tower. It’s really not that hard, but not knowing what to expect and forgetting what I’m supposed to say is what’s giving me a hard time. Jen gave me some radio calls that I can study before my next flight so I’ll be more prepared and expectant. 

The flight home was a little more eventful when I realized I was overflying an airport that was about 8 nautical miles off of my intended route. Uh-oh. I checked my heading and indeed, it was way off! If I would have kept flying that heading, I would have ended up right in the middle of the Air Force Base which also had a TFR at the moment. I quickly corrected to get back to the original heading. The rest of the way home was fairly easy until we got on the final leg and Jen realized how bumpy it was. She definitely had to help me land the plane this time! Now that I was on the ground, I realized the time. We hadn’t even flow for 2 hours. This Archer is fast compared to the C-150! It should have taken us at least 2.5 hours based on my calculations for the 150. I think I like the Archer...it may be more expensive to rent, but it’s faster so I can get more done in an hour than I can with the little plane. So hopefully soon, I can get checked out in that plane as well. As we were cleaning up the Archer, I realized I had completely forgotten to take pictures of the flight! There is a section of the route that is really pretty and I knew I wanted to get a picture, but I forgot! I shouldn’t be surprised though, since anytime I go flying everything else just vanishes from my memory. So we decided we could at least take a picture next to the Archer. I also found a picture in my cell phone when I rode along with another student on a part of the route. It was taken a couple months ago but still looks the same right now. It doesn’t matter how many time I fly over mountains or canyons, I’m still amazed each time! It’s just so beautiful! I can’t imagine my life without ever flying. Seeing your home town from a different perspective gives you new dimensions and meaning to life. 

Well, now I get to study, study, study. Jen has a policy where students can’t go on a solo cross country until they get the knowledge exam done. So I’m hoping to get that done in the next couple weeks and in the meantime, we’ll be working on some more radio communications, and I need to review some of my basic maneuvers that I haven’t practiced for a long time. I was never grounded as a child, but now I know what it feels like since I had be physically grounded for three weeks. Not the best feeling. I’m thrilled to be flying again! 

Essays about flight training from the other awardees will be published here as they are received.