The day I became a pilot!

So I’ve been getting the question a lot lately about how I got into flying, and I figure it best to put it out into the public arena how I did it and what flying is to me.  I learned about flying in High School from two pilots who ran a local flight school in Burbank, California.  When I went home that night to tell my mom that I wanted to be a pilot, she said, “That’s nice honey, can you please pass the peas?”  It’s funny to look back on that night, but my parents have been very supportive since.  I went to a traditional university, graduated, joined the peace corps, and upon my return walked onto Santa Monica airport and started taking flying lessons – 7 years after the day I learned about flying.  And I haven’t left the airport since.  I actually started The Abingdon Co. during my private pilot training because I hadn’t found a pilot’s watch made for women. (Drive right?)  And now it’s my full time job and I ferry aircraft and flight instruct out of KLGB part time to stay current in flying.  It seems that if I go a couple weeks without flying, I start to look at people with homicidal thoughts…flying is better than therapy now.

You need clocks? We got big ones, small ones, round ones, square...

Well, that is what I assume it means.  Peter Tilkema has created a link central website to anything clock related around the world and it is very impressive how organized his site is.  It’s organized by type of clock (vintage or watches, etc.) and by country.  No need to worry if you don’t have English or Dutch (I think must be his mother tongue) as your first language – he has his site translated in over 50 languages.  And no site is complete without the option of turning on some light classical music so you can surf time related instruments to Elgar or Curzon.

http://www.klokhus.nl/index_eng.htm

The Abingdon Co. will definitely be back for JCK Las Vegas 2012

What a whirlwind last week was!  The Abingdon Co. – for the first time – participated in one of the largest international jewelery and watch trade shows for wholesalers and retailers - JCK Las Vegas.  UN-BE-LIE-VA-BLE!  Thousands of people attended from all over the world.  It was such a great learning experience for how the industry works and to meet so many people from so many different places who do everything from gemstones and diamonds (many thanks to my new friend, Guy, for teaching me about gemology) to just watch bands or just gold jewelery or just bridal jewelery (yes, Mamie, I will come visit you in Eugene, Oregon!).  I also found out what a small world we live in.  I met a wonderfully kind person, Martin Petersen, Founder of Kadloo in Germany, who knows my friend, Daniel, in Zurich.  An amazing show with great exposure for The Abingdon Co. – this show will be a fixture for many years.

According to the FAA, lady pilots are increasing in number

I was happy to read a recent article by Avweb.com, Gender Shift In Aviation?, that talked about the recent statistics released by the FAA showing that there is an 18.6% increase in women pilots since 2000 and those with the elite Airline Transport Pilot rating has gone up 35%!  Of the 627,588 certificated pilots in the FAA database in 2010, 42,218 of those pilots are women (including myself) which increases women in aviation from 6% to 6.7%.  Also, related fields like dispatchers, mechanics and repair workers also went up 35%-43% from 2000.

I’m really happy to see more women in this industry and wonder why we are still at such a low percentage.  However, we are growing and that is what counts.

Check out the FAA’s stat page here.

Cast your vote for your favorite design at www.facebook.com/abingdonco

So I’m very excited to bring out some new designs for reusable totes for beach time, grocery shopping – or any kind of shopping that is.  I love them because they are environmentally friendly and super stylish.  The Abingdon Co. fanpage on Facebook is taking votes for the best design.  AND, The Abingdon Co. is accepting designs from artists.  If you submit your own design and it gets picked, you get an Abingdon timepiece as the grand prize!  How neat is that!  So click on the link below and cast your vote – and while you’re at it, become a fan.  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150595467970174.681584.348209035173

Best of luck in retirement, Jack!

One of the greats in aviation has stepped down from his throne.  Jack Pelton, who has been with Cessna for 11 years, retired yesterday, May 2nd, and Textron Chairman and CEO, Scott Donnelly will take over in his place.  I don’t know much about Donnelly, but Pelton has always been a strong advocate for aviation – not just as a Cessna representative, but also lobbying in DC and promoting general aviation to everyone.  There will always be a special place in my heart for Cessna as that was what I learned to fly in and what I got my pilot’s certificate in.  In fact, I would venture to guess that over 90% of people who learn to fly have learned in a Cessna.  Best of luck, Jack, you did a great job.

Here is Kristen in our Centennial Cirrus Race Airplane #43

Last week, I was so excited when my Kristen Jurn called me up to ask if I wanted to race a Cirrus with her in June for the all women’s air race!  That’s right everyone, I am adding to my many titles, “Race Pilot.”  The race is called The Air Race Classic and it will be from June 20th-24th, race through 11 different states beginning in Iowa City and ending in Mobile, Alabama, and so far has 50+ aircraft registered.  Kristen and I are race plane #43.  This race is so amazing because it’s not just about speed – it’s also about endurance and LOTS of planning.  For example, if we can go 3 knots slower, and burn less fuel, we may save time by not having to make as many fuel stops resulting in a faster overall time.  So cool, I say. So cool.  I’ll let you know more as I find out more. http://airracechics.org

http://www.indiegogo.com/Bookcase-For-A-Booklover?a=70426&i=addr

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With fines up to $700USD, you better make sure you are in your Sunday best when traveling to this Italian seaside town.

up to a $700 fine for mini skirts, sunbathing, or blasphemy in Castellammare di Stabia,Italy

Runway opens at world’s first spaceport

Virgin Galactic’s VSS Enterprise made a celebratory flight over the runway
Commercial space travel took a step closer with the opening of the runway at the world’s first spaceport in the US state of New Mexico.

The event was marked with a flypast of an aircraft carrying SpaceShip Two.

The vehicle has been designed to take fee-paying tourists on trips to the edge of space and back.

British billionaire Sir Richard Branson – whose Virgin group has backed the venture – said the first passenger trip should take place within 18 months.

The opening of the nearly two-mile (three-kilometre) runway comes less than two weeks after another major step for Sir Richard’s Virgin Galactic company: the first solo glide flight of SpaceShip Two.

“Today is very personal as our dream becomes more real,” Sir Richard said.

“People are beginning to believe now. I think the drop flight two weeks ago, which went beautifully, I think it made people sit up and realize this is really reality.”

More than 300 people have already paid at least $200,000 (£128,000) each for a three-hour flight.

Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two – the jet-powered mothership that will carry SpaceShip Two to launch altitude – appeared at Friday’s ceremony at Spaceport America near the Mexican border.

The craft, carrying SpaceShip Two, passed over the spaceport several times before landing on the new runway.