Women in Aviation

Glass ceilings have been around for years. Breaking them is not new. I'm amazed to learn of women who chose to get out of the kitchen every once in a while to follow their dreams. It was a beautiful day in Evergreen, AL when an aviation enthusiast under the shade trees mentions women in aviation. We were discussing the old warbirds of WWII.

History buffs are familiar with "Rosie the Riveter" who labouriously engaged in the war effort while the men were fighting for our freedoms. The informant in our discussion mentioned that some of the women were trained to fly the planes they were building! I'd not ever really thought about that. I found it most interesting, being a student pilot myself. Yes, the women ferried those big brand new planes to their destination before the men got hold of them. 

Since that critical October day, I have since met ladies who were involved in aviation, some during the war. Today some ladies can outfly some of their male counterparts. I wouldn't want to compete with them (the likes of Patty Wagstaff)! They win my respect. Come to think of it; I recall a rare visit to the local airport in Jasper. AL as a teenager and meeting a woman pilot who didn't even have a driver's license to operate a road vehicle. Respectfully, women may not be as braggadocious as men with big egos. They seem to demonstrate power in silence quietly.

Take a look at the picture. In the front of the nose of the B-17G restored flying fortress, "Aluminum Overcast" is a pretty lady as attractive and as vintage looking as the bomber. Look at that hairstyle!

I had an opportunity at the controls of this plane in October of 1995 at Evergreen but was not distracted by the lady. Seriously, I was instructed to bank to the left toward the runway before the landing gear was extended for the final approach. Wonderful experience! If you have the opportunity in any of the 60 cities each year to experience the thrill of flying this aircraft, you will also be donating to a worthy cause while adding to your list of accomplishments.