Aviators are passionate about aviation. Once you get the bug you are addicted for life and there is no need, or desire, to search for a cure. It is that passion and addiction that gives you the determination, perseverance, and motivation to pursue a career in aviation. This is the story of one such aviator who discovered his passion for flying as a young boy. Then, as a young adult, embarked on a journey to pursue and achieve his dream of becoming a pilot. This dream took him from Venezuela to Singapore, to Macao and Hong Kong, and everywhere in between. His journey offers those aspiring to become aviators a glimpse into the fascinating world of corporate aviation. For those individuals already following their own journeys in aviation this book offers them a chance to see the remarkable journey of one of their own.
With females making up just 5% of the world’s pilots, this memoir crosses genres to combine aviation history, the author’s journey from unwanted child to successful pilot, and the feminist experience, and will appeal to multiple aviation communities. “Don’t be silly! Girls can’t fly,” seven-year-old Lola’s father admonishes her as they fly across Canada on a commercial flight in 1962. She is crushed—but decides he must be right. She’s only ever seen male pilots, after all. Highway to the Sky begins during the empty zone of women in aviation, a three-decade drought following WWII when men reclaimed the jobs that had been performed by women during the war and forced women back to diapers and dishes, where they “belonged.” Despite Lola’s childhood desire to avoid the straitjacket of traditional female roles and become a pilot, her desperate need for unconditional affection after a lonesome childhood sways her determination. At age twenty, she leaps into marriage and motherhood. Four years, one toxic relationship, and one private pilot license later, she leaves her husband, even though she knows she’ll be censured by friends, family, and 1970s society at large. Lola’s head-on battle with tradition continues as the lone female pilot in her advanced flight training program and on the job as a flight instructor, bush pilot, charter pilot, and commuter airline pilot between 1979 and 1993. Flying is challenging at times, yes—but her true obstacles are the hostility, sabotage, and discrimination she faces in her industry. She perseveres, however. Ultimately, flying is what gives her the courage to regain control of her life—and helps her find personal happiness.
Charts the history of women aviators, telling the stories of women who took to the skies, from pioneering hot air balloonist and pilot Marie Marvingt to Spationaut doctor Claudie Haignere.
The Well-Grounded Aviator June 1, 1998: While flying as a passenger, I survived a plane crash with traumatic head injuries and a loss of smell, taste, and sight. August 15, 1999: Went to the Rehabilitation for the Blind in Raleigh to learn all new life skills. June 6, 2000: Became the first and only blind Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) in the world. June 12, 2000: Received first Guide Dog, Lincoln, from Southeastern Guide Dog Incorporated. October, 2000: Became first and only blind Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) in the world. December, 2004, graduated from University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), with Lincoln the Navigator. May, 2007, graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), with Lincoln the Aviator, became the first and only blind graduate student in their 82 year history, and graduated with distinction. June 1, 2007: Nine year anniversary of the accident, began doctoral degree in business administration with a specialization in aeronautical safety, online at Northcentral University. January 20, 2009: Jet, my second Guide Dog came into my life from Guide Dog Foundation. March 1, 2010: Began work with the FAA as an Aviation Safety Analyst with the Commercial and General Aviation Branch, AFS-800, at Headquarters in Washington, DC. August 1, 2014: Married Robin at Graceland, in Elvis’s Chapel in the Woods. July 5, 2017: Dissertation completed and gave oral defense of: “The Relationship between Pilot Attitudes and the execution of Flight Safety Checklists”, to become Dr. Hyde. July 30, 2018, Bravo, third Guide dog received from Southeastern Guide Dog Incorporated. ERAU’s first president, Jack R. Hunt, had a famous saying, “For most people, the sky is the limit. But for those who love aviation, the sky is home.” For me, the sky is home, and I will always want to be a part of flying the friendly skies.
The key to the successful completion of any flight, whether a short-distance domestic flight or an ultra long-haul flight, is meticulous planning, timely preparation, precise execution, and the crew's ability to anticipate and cope with sudden changes. Every trip is unique. Some are more challenging than others and you can always count on last minute changes and surprises. For the most part, however, trips tend to be uneventful but never routine. Upon a successfully completed trip we derive a great sense of satisfaction knowing that we completed it safely, effectively, and efficiently (in that order of importance).What follows is a four-sector westbound trip around the world in a Gulfstream G650ER. This particular trip underscored the immense value of a business jet in optimizing high level executives' productivity. Although this trip is seen primarily from a pilot's perspective there were many other highly capable and dedicated professionals whose contributions made it possible. These individuals, who take great pride in what they do and how they do it, are part of the support system that make airplanes like the Gulfstream G650 a powerful business tool. This book was written, in great part, as a tribute to them.
The Well-Grounded Aviator June 1, 1998: While flying as a passenger, I survived a plane crash with traumatic head injuries and a loss of smell, taste, and sight. August 15, 1999: Went to the Rehabilitation for the Blind in Raleigh to learn all new life skills. June 6, 2000: Became the first and only blind Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) in the world. June 12, 2000: Received first Guide Dog, Lincoln, from Southeastern Guide Dog Incorporated. October, 2000: Became first and only blind Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) in the world. December, 2004, graduated from University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), with Lincoln the Navigator. May, 2007, graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), with Lincoln the Aviator, became the first and only blind graduate student in their 82 year history, and graduated with distinction. June 1, 2007: Nine year anniversary of the accident, began doctoral degree in business administration with a specialization in aeronautical safety, online at Northcentral University. January 20, 2009: Jet, my second Guide Dog came into my life from Guide Dog Foundation. March 1, 2010: Began work with the FAA as an Aviation Safety Analyst with the Commercial and General Aviation Branch, AFS-800, at Headquarters in Washington, DC. August 1, 2014: Married Robin at Graceland, in Elvis's Chapel in the Woods. July 5, 2017: Dissertation completed and gave oral defense of: "The Relationship between Pilot Attitudes and the execution of Flight Safety Checklists", to become Dr. Hyde. July 30, 2018, Bravo, third Guide dog received from Southeastern Guide Dog Incorporated. ERAU's first president, Jack R. Hunt, had a famous saying, "For most people, the sky is the limit. But for those who love aviation, the sky is home." For me, the sky is home, and I will always want to be a part of flying the friendly skies.
In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. “The history [is] exhilarating. . . . The Aviator’s Wife soars.”—USA Today NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong. Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. In the years that follow, Anne becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States. But despite this and other major achievements, she is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness. Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more. Praise for The Aviator’s Wife “Remarkable . . . The Aviator’s Wife succeeds [in] putting the reader inside Anne Lindbergh’s life with her famous husband.”—The Denver Post “Anne Morrow Lindbergh narrates the story of the Lindberghs’ troubled marriage in all its triumph and tragedy.”—USA Today “[This novel] will fascinate history buffs and surprise those who know of her only as ‘the aviator’s wife.’ ”—People “It’s hard to quit reading this intimate historical fiction.”—The Dallas Morning News “Fictional biography at its finest.”—Booklist (starred review) “Utterly unforgettable.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “An intimate examination of the life and emotional mettle of Anne Morrow.”—The Washington Post “A story of both triumph and pain that will take your breath away.”—Kate Alcott, author of The Dressmaker
