Flight instructor

“COVID changed the way I thought about the job and the customer service aspect. It was amazing and it was something I was used to, but I wanted something more….During COVID passengers always respected what the pilots were saying, but sometimes they did not respect what the flight attendants were saying. I loved the flight attendant lifestyle, but I wanted to ultimately be able to say, ‘I’m in control here.’”

She started chasing after her private pilot certificate, which deepened her love for flying even more. Before she knew it, she had earned not only her private pilot certificate, but also her instrument rating and flight instructor, instrument flight instructor, and multiengine instructor certificates through ATP Flight School. While she is still currently working as a flight attendant and flight instructor, her ultimate goal is to become an airline pilot.

Along the way she met her now boyfriend, Eric, who is a pilot for FedEx. The two purchased a Beechcraft Sundowner together and used it to open a flight school, Fly N66, together in upstate New York.

Between early mornings, long nights, and the chaotic schedule that often accompanies being a CFI, Aaronson still manages to find time to fly purely for enjoyment with Eric and her dog, Dexter, at their side.

“People usually look at CFI-ing as a stepping stone to the airlines, which sure, it could be looked at like that, but being an instructor has made me such a better pilot. It’s made me a leader, and I’ve grown so much as a pilot and as someone who is shaping the next generation of pilots.” FT

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