Female Pilot Interview - Sarah R.
As mentioned in last week's blog, females comprise only about seven percent of the total number of pilots in the U.S. Although this number is an increase from the past, we'd like to see it continue to grow! We reached out to our female student pilots and asked them a series of questions about their interest in aviation. We hope to help connect students in the aviation community and show other women that they can do it, too!
When did you know you wanted to become a pilot? When I worked as a park ranger at crane beach and sandy point, there was someone who would constantly see a small plane flying and doing loops. I decided I wanted to do that, and then a few years later made the call to start!
What is your favorite part of flying? I love looking down at the landscape during the different seasons and seeing the changes. Steep turns are fun, and the world looks beautiful from above. It helps to have a good instructor who I get along with.
What obstacles have you faced in your flight training? I'm still relatively new, scheduling is a challenge because I'm generally a very busy person.
Who or what is your biggest inspiration? The world is my inspiration, is that a weird thing to write? I wanted to be a biologist as long as I could remember. Natural landscapes, animals, plants, insects are my inspiration.
What is your favorite memory of flying? When I was young, I got to go into the cockpit of a plane while we were flying to California and the pilot gave me wings. Pre-911 you could do that.
What advice would you give to other women interested in aviation? What are you waiting for? Go for it!
What are your future plans and goals in aviation? I'd love to get my private license, then train on amphibious aircraft and land on water and eventually fly an acrobatic plane. I'd love to volunteer to fly sea turtles from the NEAQ turtle hospital to Florida or other overflow facilities.
Besides aviation, what are some other interests and hobbies? I extensively photograph landscapes...I keep honeybees, this is actually my 4th year as a beekeeper, I collect butterfly eggs and raise/release. I also scuba dive, and intern with a wildlife tracking organization that deploys camera traps looking for bear and bobcat. I started climbing mountains in NH two years ago as well, hoping to get a few checked off this summer.
What's something most people don't know about you? I have 4 cats and if nobody was around to keep me in check I'd probably get a lot more.
