WAI? To meet other women who really love to fly! January 22, 2008
Posted by Juice in California, Flight.Tags: California, Pilot, Flight, WAI, Women in Aviation, WAI Conference, Women Pilots
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The WAI conference is coming and I’m totally excited!
It will be my first WAI conference ever, but I read Women in Aviation and I can only imagine that the same type of interesting and helpful information I get from my monthly mag will be super condensed and jam packed into each of the breakout sessions.
This year’s theme is “California Dreamin’” and the location is San Diego (in the far south of CA). What’s great about the conference is that it is focused on topics related to making women better candidates for careers as professional pilots. I’ve been lucky in that I settled into a pretty great job right after getting my commercial license, but I can see where many, many women could really benefit from the discussions, education sessions, and networking that is going to be available at the conference.
Perhaps it is the meeting and talking with a wide variety of women pilots that intrigues me most. I’m a member of the Palms Chapter of the 99s and we are a fun bunch, but with the exception of the CFIs and myself, most of the Women I have met through the 99s have been GA pilots. I can’t wait to see the diverse tapestry of working women pilots at the WAI conference.
It truly is a magnificent feat to work one’s way up to the level of commercial pilot, and the paths each of us have taken from that point on are fascinating. I strive daily to promote future women in flight and to honor those who have come before me. Going to the WAI conference, looking about, and seeing thousands of us all writing the history of today’s aviatrixes will certainly be a sight to see.
Pakistan Takes a BIG Step Forward January 8, 2008
Posted by Juice in Flight.Tags: Aviation, Flight, Military, Pakistan, Women
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This story is a few months old at this point, but I had to remark on my complete astonishment when I saw this video:
Wow, wow, wow! In a society the world sees as at times unruly, and with a military dictator some believe to be tyrannical, these women have achieved something amazing.
I can only imagine what it must have been like for them, day in and day out, striving to prove themselves in one of the most intense of all male dominated atmospheres. The report states that the program was implemented by Musharraf, (no doubt as a way of staving off anti-regime rhetoric from developed nations critical of his other policies) and that must have led to an incredibly difficult dynamic for these women.
History has shown that when cultural shifts come violently from a top down mandate (especially in the military), life can be brutal for the pioneers in early integration programs.
In the U.S. we recall the trials and tribulations of the Buffalo Soldiers, the WASPs, but here we have a culture clash that comes, as some believe, straight from the pages of the Koran. The video has a very positive spin, but I can’t help but think there must have been moments of harrowing fear, dire loneliness, and ritual degradation. Just a few days ago, I read this article that shows women in developed forward thinking nations are still fighting battles every day with the goal of making true womanhood and career flight non-mutually exclusive.
Anyone who has been through a check ride can tell you, getting a pilot’s license in the U.S. is no cake walk. But these women in my opinion have leapt a bar as high, if not higher, than our beloved early American and European aviatrix role models. I salute the women of the Pakistan Air Force, pray we never meet them in battle, and smile as the cause of aviation equality and opportunity marches on.
Busy, Busy, Busy…Holiday!..Busy, Busy… January 3, 2008
Posted by Juice in California, Flight.Tags: Flight, gifts, holidays, shopping
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The holidays this year were amazingly busy. It seemed like I had just put away the costumes and decorations from Halloween and eaten the last leftover turkey sandwich from Thanksgiving, when all of a sudden it was time to go shopping.
I looked at my car keys and thought of the mall, and the traffic, and the hassle and thought, “this year, I’m going to put spin on shopping.” More precisely, a propeller spin.
I realized, it’s 2007 and I’m a pilot! There are tons of little shops and nooks all over the southern coastal region of California from Santa Barbara to San Diego, and I was able to get to a bunch of them by virtue of the local GA airports. I grabbed a couple friends to cut down of the cost of gas and we bopped out of Santa Monica to a host of little spots over a few days leading up to gift giving time.
My family delighted in the myriad of artifacts from differing parts of the map, and I was actually relaxed after shopping for once. It was a totally fun experience, and next year I’m hoping to expand upon my travels to nearby states.
Now, if I could just find a way to incorporate flight into New Year’s…
Ann Darr December 11, 2007
Posted by Juice in General Ramblings.Tags: Ann Darr, Female, Pilot, WASP
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I have often read the work of Ann Darr without knowing how much I had in common with her. As it turns out she was a woman after my own heart, as brave as they come, who opened the door for women in flight as one of our nations early aviatrixes.
After reading this article, I was prompted to look more deeply into Ann’s life and into her writing. I discovered a whole host of writings dedicated to her experiences as a WASP, and while many things have changed, many have remained the same.
Typically men in the business of piloting are welcoming and friendly, but the culture in flying is still that of a boy’s club and all of us female pilots have had our run-ins with the unpleasant. Ann had to work very hard to overcome an extreme atmosphere of masculinity. We may have come a long way, but reading this article made me realize there is still a ways to go.
It’s up to all of us established women pilots to at least show other women that we have made it, and they can make it too, regardless of age, culture, or class.
Here’s to you Ann, who can show us the way even in death.
Thanks November 26, 2007
Posted by Juice in General Ramblings.Tags: Thanksgiving
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After a long and glorious Thanksgiving weekend I had to take the time to say thanks to everyone who has stuck by me during this crazy year. Though you are too numerous to mention individually (and for fear of leaving someone out), believe me when I say that I couldn’t have done it without you.
The business is going along great and word is starting to spread among women pilots that there is a sisterhood between us all be our reason for flying military, commercial, or just because we love the sky. As the lineage of aviation becomes long enough to be legendary we can rest assured that women have secured a small but prominent (and ever growing) piece in the tapestry of that legacy.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and while I don’t have any physical offspring, my various interests take a great deal of time and energy to foster and would not have developed without the helping hands of people from all over the country. My hobby has become an occupation, and my occupation a defining characteristic of my life. Ergo, you have all touched my life in amazing and positive ways, and that’s surely something I am thankful for.
OH, Shizzzle…! November 14, 2007
Posted by Juice in General Ramblings.Tags: Live Music, Los Angeles, Music, Santa Monica
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It is official, the Renee Myara Quartet(“yeah, and there’s six of them!”) has restored my faith in live music. They played the Temple on Wilshire last night and tore it up, flat out, brought the house down. Their dynamic sound defies genres labeling and the sound is incredible powerful, while still maintaining a razor sharp artistic edge. If they come to a venue within a hundred miles of you, you must go.
Usually the story of a live music invitation ends in tragedy. You know the drill, it’s like: “So what’s up tonight?”…”Oh, I’m going to see a friends show, do you wanna go?”…and you think [Grr, probably gonna be terrible - but I guess I'll check it out so I can claim I have a life tomorrow at work]. So you say, “Sure!”…((Four hours and two overpriced girlie martinis later))… [I'm not tipsy enough to have a good time, and this band is even worst then the last one that made me swear I'd never go to a live show again]. You utter to your friend defeatedly, “I’m gonna go…I’m really tired and I have work in the morning.”
YEAH, not this band. No way in H.E. double-hockey-sticks. I had a great time and they were shockingly awesome on stage. Not a whole lot of screaming and clapping, it was like a bunch of people with their jaws dropped, totally intoxicated by the sound coming from the stage. Woah.
Check it out. Click the link!
One Crazy Week November 6, 2007
Posted by Juice in General Ramblings.add a comment
Ok, so I haven’t written for a week, but there is a very good reason. My check ride was Thursday and my birthday was Saturday. For the entire week I studied, studied, and studied some more, but come Thursday morning I was ready to rock. I had a great ride and passed with no real trouble.
The rest of the day was totally relaxed. I went out for a nice dinner at a hidden spot here in Santa Monica and then headed over to the monthly meeting of my chapter of the 99’s.
Ladies, you have got to join the 99’s if you haven’t yet (assuming you have a local chapter). After all of the business is done, the evening is spent having dessert and trading stories about racing, close calls, and basically how everyone is doing in their various endeavors. It’s a little like a mini Thanksgiving once a month.
Since I studied through Halloween night, my birthday party was a huge costume fest. My house filled with my friends, all dressed in random crazy outfits. Good food, great friends, and wine all mixed up with costumes that were not at all “G” rated made for an awesome party that went until almost four in the morning.
Long story, short. Last week was one crazy week!
Over There October 30, 2007
Posted by Juice in Flight.Tags: Helicopter, Iraq, Military, Pilot, War
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(Photo courtesy Guy Raz, NPR)
Typically, when I think of flying I think of euphoria. It’s the reason I fly and it’s the reason I wanted to learn how to fly. I enjoy the feeling of controlling the aircraft as it moves through the sky, and even the requisites of flight like navigation and calculation have a noble feel to me. But the woman in this article (pictured above) flies under very different conditions.
The piece describes Chief Warrant Officer Mary Rone as being potentially shot at and speeding through pitch dark night, all while some poor soul is critically injured on that god forsaken battle field.
I took a moment after reading that piece to think about how horrid it would have to be to take the flights I love and place them in that context. I’ve decided that, while I would definitely feel a sense of pride and warmth knowing I did my duty and helped a fellow soldier, there is no way I could glean from battle the feeling I get from flying safely through friendly skies.
The contrast in my mind served as an awesome reminder of how much the men and women of our armed forces are giving up by fighting day and night in the conflict in Iraq, and I had to take time today to state how much I support them and wish for their safe return.
Whether flying for work or pleasure I think it’s important for us all to remember that at the end of the day (or our contract, in some cases) we get to go home and, unless there’s a terrible mishap, it’s pretty much guaranteed we’ll be in one piece.
If only we could all fly purely for pleasure…
U.S. Airways Waives Fees to Southern California October 24, 2007
Posted by Juice in General Ramblings.Tags: Airline, California, Fire, Southern California
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I thought this was really cool and I wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy!
From the Aviation Weblog:
If you watch the news, then you know about the wildfires in Southern California. Over a million people have been evacuated and homes have been destroyed. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is or will be affected by…
The First of Many October 24, 2007
Posted by Juice in Flight.Tags: Airline, Aviatrix, Flight, Israel, Pilot, Women
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I stumbled across this article about Israel’s first female El Al pilot today and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for all of my aviatrix sisters.
Year after year we stake a bigger claim in the world of aviation and that says something. We are an adventurous bunch and we stick together. The pilot in the article gives a handful of examples of how she was inspired to fly and how her colleagues pushed her and helped her to achieve her dreams.
That sort of support is essential, and I just wanted to take a moment to encourage everyone to do the same. If you know a woman that’s working on her pilot’s license, give her some positive words. We all know, at some point, she’s going to need them.
I’ve read similar stories out of Europe, Africa, and South America and each time it’s about women and forward thinking men making a change for the better by lending support to a burgeoning aviatrix. We may not be facing as much adversity as the women pilots of Africa, but the truth is fewer than 10% of all pilots in the United States are women.
I’m guessing the low number is not because most ladies simply like to keep their feet on the ground. I think the idea of being a pilot is one that just never crosses the mind of most women and certainly very few young girls, even today.
So I’m calling for a nation-wide take a little girl flying movement (Let’s just say it’s in the very early planning stages – i.e. I just thought of it this moment.). Heck, take a big girl flying! If we all make a small effort to show other women and young girls they can enjoy flying and that a pilot’s license is within reach, I know the numbers will even out as they have in all other areas of female/male inequality.
Cheers to you ladies who already fly jumbo jets. Don’t bother scratching your head over who was first in the U.S., etcetera. For a great list of first females in aviation click here. Remember to think of all those who came before us every time you climb into the cockpit. We wouldn’t be flying without them.
