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4% of commercial pilot's licenses are held by women. Our sister Alicia set out to change that. She's not going to let financial setbacks or instructor shortages or wildfires stand in her way.
How She Got Her Start
As a theater educator, Alicia used her platform to increase visibility about issues female pilots face. Through her work in Grounded, a seminal piece about a female pilot, she connected with female aviators, partnering to create increased awareness.
Teaming up with our cousin, an instructor at Top Gun, Alicia toured Air Stations and Naval Bases where she performed for active duty pilots. It became clear to Alicia that she wanted to be one of these groundbreaking female aviators and use that position to create a meaningful difference for women in the field.
She found an aviation school run by the groundbreaking first female pilot at PanAm and enrolled. She moved from California to Utah, emptied her savings, and started ground school. She is the only woman in her class.
The Perfect Storm
Alicia was succeeding. She finished Ground School at the top of her class. Using what she learned, she tutored other female flight students for free. She shared her training flights with fellow students so they could get twice the training for their money. She took her first training flights.
And then the instructor shortage hit. Airtime became much more expensive.
Halfway through licensing, her funding also fell through. Alicia had spent all her savings and had counted on a loan to cover the rest. She was already enrolled and flying when the loan became unavailable.
She thought she would move home to Northern California to be able to afford to finish the training she started. And then the wildfires scorched Northern California. The smoke is so thick in our hometown it isn’t safe to breathe, let alone fly.
What You Can Do
Alicia is out of options and out of time. She has to find a way to stay in Utah and pay for the remainder of her training. Otherwise, she will have to drop out, having spent everything she has to get this far. The world of aviation needs more women like her. Together, we can put her back in the air!
Donations will directly fund the remaining flight hours and instruction our sister needs to become a certified pilot.
How She Got Her Start
As a theater educator, Alicia used her platform to increase visibility about issues female pilots face. Through her work in Grounded, a seminal piece about a female pilot, she connected with female aviators, partnering to create increased awareness.
Teaming up with our cousin, an instructor at Top Gun, Alicia toured Air Stations and Naval Bases where she performed for active duty pilots. It became clear to Alicia that she wanted to be one of these groundbreaking female aviators and use that position to create a meaningful difference for women in the field.
She found an aviation school run by the groundbreaking first female pilot at PanAm and enrolled. She moved from California to Utah, emptied her savings, and started ground school. She is the only woman in her class.
The Perfect Storm
Alicia was succeeding. She finished Ground School at the top of her class. Using what she learned, she tutored other female flight students for free. She shared her training flights with fellow students so they could get twice the training for their money. She took her first training flights.
And then the instructor shortage hit. Airtime became much more expensive.
Halfway through licensing, her funding also fell through. Alicia had spent all her savings and had counted on a loan to cover the rest. She was already enrolled and flying when the loan became unavailable.
She thought she would move home to Northern California to be able to afford to finish the training she started. And then the wildfires scorched Northern California. The smoke is so thick in our hometown it isn’t safe to breathe, let alone fly.
What You Can Do
Alicia is out of options and out of time. She has to find a way to stay in Utah and pay for the remainder of her training. Otherwise, she will have to drop out, having spent everything she has to get this far. The world of aviation needs more women like her. Together, we can put her back in the air!
Donations will directly fund the remaining flight hours and instruction our sister needs to become a certified pilot.