Aviation History
Louise Thaden, speed racer
Fast women pilots and the birth of The Ninety-Nines
Few women pilots achieved notoriety in the Golden Age of aviation, but those who did remain well known today.
One of these women was Louise Thaden (born Louise McPhetridge), who learned to fly after joining the Travel Air Corporation as a sales representative in Wichita, Kansas. Her salary included free flying lessons, and she earned a private pilot certificate in 1928. That year she also became the first pilot to hold the women’s altitude, endurance, and speed records in light airplanes. She was the fourth woman in the United States to obtain an airline transport pilot certificate.
The general public was enamored with pilots, but not too keen on the idea of flying. Thaden admitted that her job at Beech was to convince prospective buyers that if a woman could fly airplanes, anyone could. And she was good at that job—from 1929 to 1931 she sold 25 aircraft, a high number for anyone considering the depressed economy.
By now the nation had begun following the exploits of pilots in local and national air races, but women were not allowed to participate in those events. That changed in 1929 with the first annual Women’s Transcontinental Air Derby, flown from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio. Thaden competed against Amelia Earhart, Pancho Barnes, Ruth Elder, Phoebe Omlie, Blanche Noyes, and 14 others in a multi-day event that saw one fatality, several engine failures, and a few suspected instances of aircraft sabotage. Ironically, humorist Will Rogers dubbed the event a “Powder Puff Derby” after he spotted some racers freshening their makeup before meeting news photographers at the stopover points.
Thaden went on to win the heavy class, while Omlie won the light class. By the finish line, the racers had become friends, trading maintenance tips and joking about the chicken dinners they consumed during the stopovers.
Not wanting to let go of that camaraderie, the racers talked about forming a club for women pilots. Thaden, Earhart, and others established The Ninety-Nines in November 1929. Of the 117 licensed women pilots of the day, 99 became charter members of the organization, which took the name from their number. The Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, headquartered in Oklahoma City, continues today with more than 5,000 members.
Stories such as this can be found in Freedom to Fly: AOPA and the History of General Aviation in America celebrating the eightieth anniversary of AOPA, written by AOPA writers, now available for $39.95.
News
AOPA named top trade association
By Amelia Walsh
The Washington, D.C.-based publication The Hill named AOPA a top lobbying trade association for the fifth year in a row. AOPA and President Mark Baker were recognized for a “demonstrated ability to wield influence and deliver results on Capitol Hill on behalf of its members seeking a voice in Washington.”
Under the leadership of Baker, and with strong support from its membership, AOPA and GA won the fight against ATC “privatization.” The membership rallied with more than 200,000 emails, phone calls, and letters to lawmakers opposing the legislation. AOPA has seen other victories under Baker’s leadership. In 2016, third class medical reform, known as BasicMed, was passed in Congress and implemented by the FAA in 2017. The reform is a success with more than 43,000 pilots now flying under the medical qualification. AOPA has also been active protecting airports from egregious fixed-base operator pricing.
Changes to Part 61 of the federal aviation regulations also provided a huge win for GA pilots. The rule change reduces costs to pilots by leveraging advances in avionics, aircraft equipment, flight simulators, and aviation training devices. AOPA worked with the FAA on the change, which is expected to save the GA community more than $110 million in the next five years.
AOPA has been influential in efforts to grow the pilot population with its You Can Fly initiative. In 2018, the program helped form 35 new flying clubs, bringing the total since its inception to 100 clubs. Thanks to the Rusty Pilots program, approximately 1,354 pilots returned to flying this year, bringing the total number of pilots returned to active flying to 6,040. And through its high school aviation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum, an estimated 2,205 ninth-grade students at 80 schools across the country are learning about what it takes to pursue a career in aerospace.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Pathways to aviation careers
Bold new programs offered by air carriers
By David Tulis
Regional air carriers, major airlines, and other aviation businesses responded to Boeing Co.’s prediction for “significant” pilot demand through 2037 by creating pathway programs that coach, mentor, and empower career aviators toward full-time aviation careers. In July 2018, the airliner manufacturer’s 20-year Pilot and Technician Outlook called for 635,000 commercial pilots, 96,000 business pilots, and 59,000 helicopter pilots for an estimated 790,000 total pilot positions. Many air carriers are offering aviation students career pathway programs and other incentives to fill the expected vacancies. Here’s a look at several of the pathway programs that AOPA has highlighted recently:
- American Airlines has partnered with American Flyers, CAE, and CTI Professional Flight Training for an integrated flight training program that could propel an aspiring career pilot into the cockpit of an American Airlines jet. Although participating in the cadet academy doesn’t guarantee a job, the airline says it offers the resources “to be a successful candidate for an interview at Piedmont, PSA, or Envoy,” its three wholly owned subsidiaries.
- Ameriflight initiated an intern program with package giant UPS where participants can gain Part 135 flying experience at Ameriflight and accumulate the flight time required to proceed to UPS Airlines.
- California Aeronautical University has relationships with eight regional airlines including SkyWest, Piedmont, ExpressJet, Air Wisconsin, Compass, Trans States, Mesa, and GoJet. CAU President Matthew Johnston said many students are “already in a pipeline or a cadet program with an airline” and the affiliations will allow students to find their dream job.
- Delta Air Lines selected Auburn University as one of the initial eight universities to take part in the company’s Propel Pilot Career Path Program that helps to “identify, select, and develop the next generation of pilots.”
- FedEx’s Purple Runway program supports students building time through feeder carriers including FedEx Express, Mountain Air Cargo, and Empire Airlines, and is on track to supply the overnight package carrier with a pipeline of full-time pilots and technicians. FedEx pledged $500,000 to Delta State University to help offset education costs for students “training to become the next generation of aviation professionals” and promised financial support to five other colleges including the University of Memphis, the University of North Dakota, Indiana State University, Arkansas State University Mid-South, and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
- JetBlue was one of the early adopters with its Gateway programs, defined pathways that put pilots in the seat of a Cape Air or JetSuiteX aircraft to gain time and experience. After completing a four-year program, pilots can move into an Airbus A320 and bypass time building in a regional air carrier. The air carrier also has partnered with the University of North Dakota, Jacksonville University, Auburn University, Bridgewater State University, and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
- Pan Am International Flight Academy in Miami partnered with ExpressJet Airlines to encourage flight instructors to seek employment with the air carrier to gain experience and help replenish the professional pilot population. The agreement calls for a pilot pay package of more than $50,000 in first-year compensation.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) division will place University of North Dakota sophomores and juniors in a pathway program for the agency’s fleet of 200 aircraft. If they keep their grades up, complete the training regimen, and accrue 1,000 flight hours, AMO Pathways Program students will be assured of full-time employment as pilots when they graduate.
- United Airlines developed a partnership with Metropolitan State University of Denver for undergraduate students to interview with the airline before joining one of United’s regional partner airlines. If they meet flight time requirements within 5 to 7 years of graduation, aspiring career pilots can move on to the major air carrier without another interview, said Capt. Michael McCasky, managing director of United’s Flight Training Center in Denver. “When you do your interview with us when you are a junior in college, you have done your last United interview.” Web: www.aopa.org/careerpathways
ASI NEWS
Make contact
How to be heard in busy airspace
By Bob Knill
How many times have you sat there, finger on the push-to-talk button, ready to go with your request to ATC—only to find no opening to talk? You’ve rehearsed what you’re going to say but can’t seem to squeeze in amongst all the other chatter out there. How do you get ATC’s attention when you’re fast approaching their airspace?
The AOPA Air Safety Institute sat down with controllers to ask them this question. As it turns out, there’s a simple, one-word announcement that’ll help move you to the front of their focus. In this Ask ATC episode, controllers reveal how to efficiently get their attention when the airwaves are buzzing.
As you know, in busy airspace with a lot of traffic, controllers are keeping track of a lot of information. If you’ve not been in contact with them previously, you have to introduce yourself and your intentions, thus adding to the workload. In certain airspace, it’s also a requirement that you be “in contact” with air traffic control before entering that airspace. Remember that having ATC simply reply back with your N number meets this requirement.
The simple introduction presented in this video opens the door to the legal communication requirement, but it also gives you the added benefit of relaxing a bit, knowing that ATC is aware of you and that you want to talk to them. You no longer need to be ready to blurt out everything you have to say as fast as you can, only to have them ask again for the same information because they weren’t ready for you. It works for you as a simple way of getting on ATC’s radar, both literally and figuratively.
For much of the country, flying season is coming upon us. It’s an opportunity to knock the rust off our flying skills, but also our radio skills. Both, like a muscle, diminish without regular exercise. If you want to fly like a professional, it often helps to sound like a professional, and breaking into busy ATC chatter like a professional pilot is a good way to start.
Web: www.airsafetyinstitute.org/askatc/busycontroller
Bob Knill is a writer on assignment with the AOPA Air Safety Institute.
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