Springing

Soap Box

Nearly eight decades after Helen Richey became the first female commercial airline pilot, women account for only 5% of membership in the Air Line Pilots Association, and only about 450 women worldwide have risen to the rank of captain.

Now on with the topic…

Springing

April 20th the first day of Spring. Last month my fellow pilot and friend, Judy said, “We should plan a Fly-Out.” So we did. I posted the proposed date and destination – Elma airport. Just 28 miles from my home airport, this is still a good destination as a short flight is better than none. The field is 2,280 x 30, a lot smaller than the airports most of us are used to. Tucked into trees on three sides, it appears to be even tighter. Not a bad thing – a challenge keeps skills sharp or offers the chance to acquire new skills.

Soon momentum began to build. Pilots indicated their desire to attend, a second then third group picked up on the plan and soon we reported to the owner of the Happy Landings Café that she could expect 15 planes to arrive between 11:00 and Noon.

My friend Judy wanted to be the first so she could take photos of planes arriving, so we landed at 10:30. By 11:00 there was a near constant stream of planes announcing their intention to join us. Elma is a sleepy little airport that shares a communication frequency with several other local airports, and few planes visit.

When pilots heard all the traffic at Elma they were curious. Plane to plane conversations likely went like this.
“Elma traffic – what’s going on over there?.”
“Fly-out. We’re all going in for lunch, why not join us?”
“I’ll see you on the ground.”

Weather wasn’t as good as we’d expected, with mixed high overcast and some areas of lower clouds. Air was bumpy and the wind, unfortunately was gusty, hard and a few degrees off runway heading.

Needless to say this made for some interesting, amusing and even scary landings. Arrived Pilots and passengers gathered to “score” those coming in. We might laugh at or deride other pilots for less than stellar landings but we’ve all been there, so it’s in good fun. One guy in a very small, one person, open cockpit bi-plane managed three bounces and proudly accepted “worst landings.” He had a lot of competition, as all but 2-3 planes had trouble with the approach over tall trees and managed a bounce or two. Yes, I did have one small bounce.

Final count – 21 planes on the ground. Each carried 2 or 3 passengers. One came down from Canada, one up from Oregon. That is a very respectable turnout for a less than stellar flying day.

It was also a LOT more people than the Café was expecting or prepared for. We filled the place, totally overwhelming them.

It was a successful event, lots of happy people sharing a love of flight and good conversation.

On the way home I flew past a local grass strip to show Judy where it is.

Back in 2004 just after my mountain flying training, I landed here and was feeling quite pleased with my skills, prideful even. Then I learned that the owner kept his DC-3 here!
Not a big deal to land a 172 with fuselage about the same size as one of the engines on this bird, but I still felt good. For me, it was a challenge well met.

Centennial of Women in Flight

100 years ago the first woman earned a pilot license - Baroness Raymonde de la Roche in France. A year later Harriet Quimby became the first woman pilot in the US. For those who are wondering Amelia Earhart obtained her license in 1922.

Since that first, women have gradually expanded their numbers and hold steady at a mere 6% of licensed pilots. As of 2009 there were 594,285 pilots in the United States, 36,808 of them women – roughly 6%.

As an aviatrix (I think that is such a cool word) I’m passionate about encouraging everyone to fly, but especially women. A sad thing about male pilots is how often their wives have no interest in or flatly refuse to fly with them. Here they are with this wonderful skill to view the world and explore it as few can, and the person they would most like to share it with stays on the ground.

Of course, I would like more women to become pilots, joining me in this sisterhood. But barring that, I want to help them appreciate the joy of flying. To do this I introduce the concept in a way, as a fellow woman, that often encourages them to try flight, sometimes becoming enthusiastic or at least willing to go more often.

Last December I flew woman and girls all afternoon as a part of a program called Fly it Forward. Some were excited, some fearful but brave, some reluctant but going on a dare from a friend. All came away with something. All left something behind too. I flew home with the remembered sounds of their surprise, joy and laughter the brightness of their smiles, giving me wings.

If you’ve ever thought you might like to fly, don’t put it off… go for it. Events are being held all over the country for Centennial of Women in Flight and Fly it Forward…find one near you. Then write and tell me all about your time in the air! Can't find a flight? Email me and I'll help you.

This young woman is learning about pre-flighting before we go up.