Chicks Who Fly

In today's episode, we talk about why becoming a ground instructor is the fastest, most affordable and most effective way to start making money in aviation and transition to a career as a professional pilot. We compare the cost and time investment needed to become legally able to be paid in aviation with the traditional route versus the ground instructor route. We discuss the benefits of building a reputation from the start, of teaching as the best way to master subject matter, flexibility and options as well as Inaia's personal experience teaching ground school to Boeing 767 and 757 pilots at a Part 121 cargo airline. If this approach resonates with you and you're interested in exploring the possibility of doing your own ground school for your own ratings and to become a ground instructor at the same time, I would love to help you get started. I'm putting together an interest list for those who want to take the first steps towards this career path. To sign up, just send me an email at chickswhoflyofficial@gmail.com.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support *To opt in for the free PDF with all the information, requirements and process to become an FAA certificated ground instructor, send me an email at: chickswhoflyofficial@gmail.com In today's episode of Chicks who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Kristen Blocher where shares her journey over the past few years since our first interview together on this podcast, highlighting her shift from flight instructing into aviation safety as well as the joys and challenges of owning and maintaining her aircraft. We discuss the various career opportunities within aviation safety, emphasizing the diversity of roles beyond traditional flying jobs, such as accident investigation and working with manufacturers. Additionally, we touch on the significance of continuous learning and personal growth within aviation, the value of hands-on experience with aircraft maintenance, and the empowerment that comes from flying.We also discuss that question that I hear all the time of “Am I too old to get started in aviation?” We share information for those considering a career change to aviation, showcasing how it's never too late to start and the vast possibilities within the field.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support *To opt in for the free PDF with all the information, requirements and process to become an FAA certificated ground instructor, send me an email at: chickswhoflyofficial@gmail.com Connect with Latinas in Aviation: https://www.latinasinaviation.org/ In this episode of 'Chicks Who Fly,' we sit down with Ana Carolina Uribe, an accomplished private pilot and aviation enthusiast who has made significant strides in empowering young Latina women. Ana shares her journey into aviation, influenced by her father’s founding of Ecuatoriana Airlines and inspired by her pilot husband and son. Starting her flying career in her 40s, she found immense support within the aviation community and organized the inspiring Women of Aviation International event, earning her the prestigious Jefferson Award for public service. Ana talks about the challenges she faced, from landing in difficult conditions to managing the costs of aviation education, and underscores the importance of planning, perseverance, and community support. Tune in for a compelling conversation filled with personal stories, professional insights, and motivational advice for aspiring pilots.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support Inaia is a full-time Ground Instructor at a part 121 cargo airline despite the fact that she’s a low-time private pilot with her Advanced Ground Instructor and Instrument Ground Instructor ratings from the FAA. In this Episode of Chicks Who Fly, Inaia shares how she got a job at at part 121 carrier, what the benefits are of getting her ground instructor ratings despite the fact that she was told getting these ratings would be a waste of time and some of the insights she has gained as she teaches ground school to pilots who are thousands of times more experienced than she is.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Memphis-based retired FedEx Captain, Patricia Kessler. Patricia was first exposed to aviation when she married a man who had always wanted to take flying lessons and she sat in the back seat during a lesson. That sparked her love for flying. Patricia soon got a job w the Dept of Defense, joined the Army Reserves and applied to a reserve squadron at McGuire Air Force base and joined a military flying club near Philadelphia where she began her pilot training. After her time in the military, Patricia flew for People Express Airlines, and when they were bought out by Continental Airlines, she moved on to Fed Ex, where she would become a Captain and stay for 25 years. This lady has flown all over the world and we get to talk old-school flying stories, challenging approaches, challenging aircraft, favorite places she’s seen in the world, cool airports, flying unusual cargo, insane airline policies that they could never get away with in this day and age, how she landed the job at FedEx and so so many great, fun, surprising and entertaining stories of flying and life. Don’t miss this interview with this awesome lady!

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this 6th episode of season 2 of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with private pilot, working on her instrument rating, Robin Hollinger. After working 5 or 6 different jobs, Robin pivoted and decided to pursue a career in aviation. The idea to start flight training was sparked by her younger brother wanting to start flight training. Robin went on to haver her discovery flight at 30 after a career counselor helped her get clear on what she wanted for herself. The counselor also helped set Robin up to pursue her flying goals. Robin started flying in Wisconsin. Eventually, she asked her employer if they would let her work remotely so she could do her flight training. Her employer said yes and Robin moved to Florida where after completing her private pilot certificate. Florida is where Robin is currently working on her instrument rating. In this episode, we get to chat about the challenges of flying in the extreme cold weather such as having to wait for the temperature to WARM UP to -10 F to be able to start the plane. Robin shares about the challenges of fine tuning maneuvers to be within ACS standards. We also talk about how Robin soloed in winter in Wisconsin. And how she gained confidence after first solo. Robin talks about how she found herself super challenged by radio communications. Shares some of the funny mistakes she’s made on radio calls. We talk about how practicing emergency checklists gave her confidence and about what her check ride was like , the challenges of instrument training, the discouraging moments she had in flight training and how she moved past them. This and more in this episode of Chicks Who Fly.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this fourth episode of season two of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Part 135 Corporate pilot flying a PC-12 in the Caribbean, who was born and raised in Rio, Brazil, Debbie Nascimento. Debbie is a first generation aviator who became a flight attendant at 20. While working in the airline, she used to go into the cockpit and ask the pilots questions about what they were doing, how to fly the airplane and how to go about getting her certificates and ratings. She decided to take out a loan so that she could do her training quickly. Debbie did her entire training part 61 in the insanely busy NYC airspace, while working full time as a flight attendant and she ended up getting ALL her certificates and ratings in an astonishing one year and three month period -private, instrument, commercial, commercial multi-engine, w seaplane, CFI, CFII, AGI, tail wheel endorsement and then went on to get her high performance, high altitude. Debbie is also one of the only 200-300 pilots in the world qualified to fly into St Barths. During her training, one of the things she struggled with, was a fear of stalls and feeling uncomfortable with steep turns but she found the instrument, her easiest and most fun rating, which is what most people call their most difficult and boring. We talk about the mental shift she made, that had her see her instrument rating from that perspective. At the time of this interview, Debbie was getting ready to go to her first assigned base in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In today’s episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Liz Booker, Retired Coast Guard Helicopter pilot, now a writer, working on two books for young adults that feature young women learning to fly. Liz runs the Aviatrix Book Club, where people get together and discuss books they read that feature women in aviation. Liz also interviews the authors of some of her chosen books and releases those interviews on her Aviatrix Book Review Podcast. Additionally, Liz runs a club called Aviatrix Writer’s Group, where authors and aspiring authors support each other in their projects. Inspired by the space program, Liz knew she wanted to be a pilot since she was 5 yrs old. Liz had her first flight lessons in a turboprop while training with the Coast Guard in Pensacola and moved on to helicopters, where she had to hover the helicopter on her 4th lesson! Military flight training also meant that she was taught spin recovery and aerobatics very early on in training. From boot camp, doing dirty jobs to learning to fly in a turboprop, then helicopters, the Coast Guard was quite a ride. Liz and I talk about the challenge that memorization posed for her while doing her flight training in the military, all while having her first child. We talk about the day she got to do a low pass over the runway at the airport at NASA’s facility in Cape Canaveral, we discuss the crazy drills she had to do in airplanes, helicopters and underwater. We discuss seasickness vs air sickness and some of her missions with the coast guard, which included landing on the back of ships, rescuing people from sinking ships, searching for lost divers and even rescuing a stranded surfer in the middle of the night.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this first episode of 2021 and of Season 2 of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Arhynn Descy, who is a French/South African composer and pianist who splits her time between London and LA. She has written music for feature films, shorts, documentaries, the stage as well as for orchestra and a variety of solo instruments. Arhynn is also a private pilot. In today’s episode, Arhynn shares how she first fell in love with aviation as an 11-year-old girl when reading a series of books. She talks about the freedom and the thrill she finds in flying and about the life-transforming moment in her life that propelled her into her flight training. We also talk about the correlation between flying and other aspects life and the ways a breakthrough in aviation can cause breakthroughs in other areas of life. We talk about her flight training while splitting her time between the US and the UK, the dynamic with her flight instructor and the profoundly transformative experience of Arhynn’s first solo flight. We talk about know and pushing our limits as pilots and so much more. You can connect with Arhynn on IG , Facebook or on her website. Theme music by Diego Jinkus. Check us out at: https://www.patreon.com/chickswhofly

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this 16th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Pilot Annie, a Private Pilot out of Collingwood, Ontario working toward her Commercial License. She volunteers for many different organizations and also writes as a columnist and feature writer for COPA and Wings Magazine. She is on the Board of Directors for The Northern Lights Aero Foundation and a proud First Canadian Chapter Ninety-Nine. In today’s conversation, we talk about the detours and scenic routes taken in her pilot training despite falling in love with aviation early on. We talk about online ground school training versus in-person ground school, the differences in training in Canada versus the US, the challenges and highlights of flight training, her love of adventure flying and bush flying, being in a relationship with another pilot and much more.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In today’s 14th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Sammi McQ. Sammi is a Private Pilot with an Instrument Rating, who started flying while she was in high school, shortly after her dad accidentally purchased an airplane. Sammi is currently working on her Commercial Certificate. In this conversation, Sammi and I discuss the challenges she faced during her instrument training, the impact of an incompatible flight instructor on her training process, the cool way she learned to always hit her wake when performing steep turns, her aviation bucket list and taking the FAA written exam in the midst of pandemic-related closures. We compare her experience at a Part 61 vs Part 141 flight school and Sammi also shares her experience volunteering at an event where little girls were being taken up for their their first flight. This was a fun conversation for me, so I hope you enjoy the interview I got to do with Sammi McQ.

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In today’s episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Natalie Kelley. commercial pilot, podcaster, business owner, mother and owner of Fly Girl LLC . Natalie and I get to talk about airshows, seaplanes, aerobatics, the impact that being clear on your priorities has on the choices you make, the importance of being true to yourself and not caring too much about other people’s opinions about what you are doing, the focus that it took for her to complete her flight training and her company’s mission to encourage and inspire women and young girls to open their hearts and minds to their potential. Natalie launched flyGIRL after she earned her pilot certificate. The experience of pushing her own boundaries, challenging herself, and succeeding as a woman in a male-dominated industry completely changed Natalie’s life. She gained confidence and a sense of independence that she had forgotten in adulthood. With her own money, Natalie launched flyGIRL and self-funded the first $5,000 flyGIRL Scholarship to finance a portion of the cost to send another woman to pilot training. Episode 12 - Chicks Who Fly - Natalie "Fly Girl" Kelley Inaia You can find Natalie at https://flygirlllc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/FlyGirlLLC/ https://twitter.com/flygirlkelley https://twitter.com/flygirlkelley https://www.pinterest.ph/theflygirlllc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/flygirlkelley/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCParwXtH60ingDTwXr1hHkQ/featured

Producing this podcast is a labor of love, but it requires significant effort. With your support, I can make it even better for you. If the Chicks Who Fly Podcast has made a difference for you and brought you joy, please consider supporting our work: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/inaia/support In this 10th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist, KTLA reporter and private pilot, Christina Pascucci. We talk about how she learned to fly in order to overcome her paralyzing fear of flying in small planes, We talk about how she learned to fly in Palm Springs and documented her flight training and her first solo for a TV show. We talk about the news story Christina got to do where she was able to grant the wish of a 99-year-old WASP who wanted to fly once more. We talk about dealing with self-doubt, the time that Christina lost comms in her aircraft during a flight, and about the power that comes with taking on challenges in the service of something bigger than just yourself, how Christina is inspired by the idea of empowering women to face their fears and challenges head on, flying to OshKosh, how aviation can serve the community and the confidence that comes with flight training and getting your pilot certificate among other things. Photos courtesy of Christina Pascucci. Connect with Christina on IG. Christina on Twitter Christina on KTLA. Theme music by Diego Jinkus.