Tabitha Bacot - Anaheim, California

Cassandra Barnes - Marietta, Georgia

Jenny Beatty - Reno, Nevada
I was hooked on flying from my first flight lesson in Santa Fe, New Mexico in June of 1981. Like my grandmother and mother before me, I promptly joined The 99s. The next few years were dedicated to attaining the commercial pilot and flight and ground instructor certificates and finishing college. My professional pilot career began with flight instruction and aerial photography, progressing to flying freight and charter in a variety of single- and multi-engine piston airplanes (with a few lessons in balloons and helicopters on the side). In 1990 I set my sights on an airline pilot career, initiating a long journey that took me to four airlines and ten cities in eight states, including stints as SAAB 340 First Officer, Beech 1900 Captain and Check Airman, MD-80/90 Captain, and a flight operations management position for a national jet airline. Glider and seaplane ratings and the Dispatcher certificate were acquired along the way. With the invaluable assistance of the 1995 Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship, I also achieved a type rating on the Boeing 747. Today my home is Reno, Nevada, where I live with my partner Andy Robinson and our two dogs, and from which I commute to San Francisco to fly the McDonnell Douglas Super 80 for American Airlines. It's been an interesting ride, with holding, diversions, turbulence, as well as fair skies and tailwinds. I'm lucky to have had The 99s accompanying me for the entire trip.

Patricia Beavers - Tazewell, Virginia

Daleen Berry - Kingwood, West Virginia

Mara Booth-Miller - Galveston, Texas

Jessie Brightman - Boston, Massachusetts
Flying had always been a passion for Jessie. She started taking flight lessons at a young age, earning her Commercial Pilot and Flight Instructor Certificates when she was 18 years old. When she was 21 years old she joined the Air Force Reserves. After being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, she went to Undergraduate Pilot Training. Jessie received the AETC Commander's Trophy as the top student in her pilot training class. After pilot training she was trained to fly the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. In 1998, she was hired by American Airlines at age 23. Jessie currently is a Boeing 757 / 767 International First Officer (co-pilot) at AA's Boston pilot base.

Victoria Briscoe - River Rock, Ohio

Deborah Bulkeley - Jackson, Mississippi

Beth Buschmann - Naperville, Illinois
I began flying my freshman year at Purdue University. I was attending school there undecided and my dad encouraged me to take a demo flight for fun. My dad was a pilot and although I liked the lifestyle and the schedule, I did not think of flying as a career I could possibly have. I fell in love with flying right away and immediately changed my major to Aviation Technology. I am now going into my senior year at Purdue and I have worked my way through my private, commercial, instrument, CFI, and most recently CFII. I am currently flight instructing at Culver Academy in Indiana and will be returning to school in a month. I will be flight instructing at Purdue while I finish up my last year. With the help of my mentor, Michelle Turner (another chapter member), I hope to continue my flying in the Air Force Reserves next year. I decided to join the 99s after attending the Women in Aviation Conference in Memphis this spring. I like knowing that there are so many other women pilots so close at hand if I have any questions throughout my journey!

Casey Calkins - Ann Arbor, Michigan
From the time I was a kid, I wanted a career in aviation. Upon graduation from high school, I set my sights on finding a way into the industry. The path that I took wasn't easy. After a brief stint as a travel agent, I began by taking flying lessons. During that process I landed a job as a reservation agent with a commercial airline. Concurrently, I began taking on flying assignments which included: flying air freight, corporate air, and eventually when the opportunity presented itself, training as a commercial aviation pilot. The hour were hard, the study intense and there were personal sacrifices that were necessary to support my career choice, difficult hours, time away from home and the delay of starting a family. Ultimately I received training and certification to start as an engineer (pilot) on a Boeing 727 with Republic Airlines (which later merged with Northwest Airlines.) Soon after, I became a First Officer in a DC9, a position that I still hold today. I am a DC9 Captain for Northwest Airlines out of the Detroit Metro Airport hub. I am a mother of two, a wife and my family is my other career choice. Bon Voyage.....

Carole Cary-Hopson - Montclair, New Jersey

Andrea Solsona Chaput - St. Cloud, Minneapolis

Kate Creveling - Woodbridge, Virginia

Mara Culp - Ordino, Andorra, France
MARA KRISBERGS CULP was born in Riga, Latvia. Her formative years were spent inin Sweden and Argentina before immigrating to the United States in 1957. Mara started her flying lessons in a Meyers 200 in Hawthorne, California at age 20. She rapidly progressed through Commercial, Multi-Engine, Airline Transport Pilot, Instrument Flight Instructor and Ground Instructor Ratings. She was active in the Orange County Chapter of the Ninety-Nines and air race organization. In 1965 while studying computer programming at Orange Coast College Mara also taught Instrument Ground School. One of her students, the president of a Newport Beach electronics firm, Elpac, decided that instrument flying was "for the pros". Mara was employed to fly the company executives and clients in a Cessna 182 mostly to military airfields with some "recreational" visits to Mexico. Having a paid professional pilot the company was now utilizing the airplane up to 80 hours per month. Within a few months a Cessna 310 was purchased. For the next ten years Mara's corporate flying career was diversified and adventurous; it included flying for John Wayne during the filming of the movie Cowboys in New Mexico; a Newport Beach Volkswagen dealer where the flights were to numerous auto races throughout the USA. Mara also flew racehorse owners, veterinarians and jockeys to Ruidoso, New Mexico and other race/training sites. By 1971 Mara was type rated in a Lear Jet 24/25. During the next four years she made eight Atlantic crossings in a red Lear with home bases in Europe and California while flying for Volkswagen/Porsche magnate John von Newman. Passengers included people famous in the entertainment business. The 1970s were not easy times for women in professional aviation. Mara chose to stay in corporate flying but even there the competition was fierce, especially with the Vietnam veterans returning to the USA. Mara chose to return to college for a career change to Dental Hygiene. She looks back at her flying days with a sense of satisfaction as she has had two successful careers and is now retired at a "young age" in Europe and California. Hats off to my female colleagues who persevered and are now retiring from flying careers!

Jessica Daisy-Bautista - Kinnelon, New Jersey
I fly as a First Officer in the Boeing 727 for United Airlines. I am based in New York and fly out of JFK and LGA. From there we fly all over the country and into some parts of Canada.

Brook Davidson - Kingwood, Texas

Devon Dunning - Long Beach, New York

Joanne L. Egan - Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan
I received my first ride when I was 8 and think that I was hooked from the moment we lifted off. I finally got serious about flying when I started dating my husband who is a general aviation pilot. I'm Treasurer of the Dearborn Flying Club, based at Plymouth Mettetal Airport in Canton, Michigan. The club was established in June of 1944 with 10 members, 4 of them were women pilots. The club owns a 1965 Cessna 172. I'm a Applications and Architectural Technology Specialist at Unisys Corporation.

Amy Entwistle - Wayland, Massachusetts

Jenni Fogle - PSC 817, Box 33, FPO AE 09622. I'm furloughed from American Airlines and currently flying Lear 35 aircraft out of Naples, Italy. I fly for Flight International, transporting VIP's and flying special missions for the Navy.

Debra Gardner - South Florida, Florida

Lisa Golden - San Diego, California

Alexa Gosney - Marblehead, Massachusetts
I moved to Massachusetts during the winter of 1996 when I was sent to Boston as a flight attendant for US Airways. While working as a flight attendant I became interested in flying. In September of 1997 I took an introductory flight lesson at the Beverly Flight Center in Beverly, Massachusetts. After that I fell in love with it and continued to take lessons while flying as a flight attendant. After completing my flight instructor rating I left US Airways and began teaching full-time at the Beverly Flight Center. I received my CFII in August 2000 and then the MEI followed in 2001. My hopes are to be hired by a commuter this fall (2001) and then on to a major! I am currently still in the Boston area (Marblehead) and live with my fiance who is also a pilot!

Sue Grenier - Harrison Township, Michigan
I am a principal (captain) of Seneca Middle School in Clinton Township, MI. From Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. I "fly" non-stop with 997 passengers! I have a fantastic assistant principal (my first officer) and a "crew" of about 60 teachers. My entire career has been in the Chippewa Valley Public Schools. I began in 1974 as a middle school teacher and taught for thirteen years, then became a middle school assistant principal in 1987, followed by ten years as an elementary school principal. In 1993, I got my private pilot certificate and it was a life changing experience for me. Since that time, I have sought opportunities to show teachers how to integrate aviation activites in their classroom. I enjoy giving teacher workshops and presentations on this. The most memorable was a two-day summer workshop I co-presented to teachers in Reno, NV. We gave them activities and background on using aviation in their classes in preparation for a field trip to the Reno Air Races. I did this in conjunction with some promotional work I've done with the Miss America Air Racing Team. Even more enjoyable is my work with kids on aviation. I recruited a couple teachers to help me sponsor an after school club for several years - The Future Flyers Club - for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. They are enthusiastic about learning the four forces of flight, parts of an airplane, flying paper airplanes, building model rockets and going on field trips to airports. We are planing a four day "Future Flyers Camp" for summertime. I fly Piper aircraft out of Berz Macomb airport in Macomb Township, MI. Aviation has also been the catalyst which allowed me to begin to write professionally. I've been fortunate to have articles published in Fight Training, Women in Aviation, EAA Sport Aviation for Kids, and Private Pilot. I always wanted to write but never had a topic which inspired me. Flying has opened that door for me as well.

Kelly Hamilton - Alexandria, Virginia

Sandy Hazlett - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Dana Hoffman - Decatur, Georgia
I come to aviation from a completely different background. I started flying in 1997 for stress relief from my job which was a corporate career in telecommunications. After deciding to change careers, I moved from Chicago to Atlanta in February of 2000, completed all of my ratings, and am now a CFII and MEI instructing at a Part 141 school in Atlanta. Due to the recent changes in the aviation industry, I am exploring any and all options of how to enhance my flying portfolio and make it more diverse. My next goal is probably to fly 135 or 121 operations.

Pam Hollis - Atlanta, Georgia

Cathy Jacob - Louisville, Kentucky

Vanessa Jago - Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Melanie Jarvi - Anaheim Hills, California

Gail Redden Jones - Wadsworth, Illinois
I am a First Officer for American Airlines, flying both Boeing 757's and 767's, and based in Chicago, Illinois. My Husband, Steve, is also with AA in the same position as myself. We met during initial training for American in 1989, but didn't start dating for six years, then married in 1996. I have a Son, John, who was born June 18, 1999. My first job within the aviation community was as a Flight Attendant for Best Airlines. I answered an ad for ticket agents, to learn computers. While with Best, I had the opportunity to talk to the pilots and found out how to become a pilot through the civilian ranks. After only 3 months, I was furloughed from Best with two days notice, and after a few months, hired at Piedmont as a Flight Attendant. After six months, I saved up enough money to start taking flying lessons. I was immediately hooked! I received my Private at Norfolk Southern Airport, a tiny grass strip outside of Norfolk, Va, which is no longer there, my Commercial and Instrument at Piedmont Aviation, and CFI at Mid Eastern Airways in Chesapeake, where I started Flight Instructing. After a few months there, I started flying right seat in a Cessna 421 for free. It was while doing this job, I was spotted by the Chief Pilot for Sovran Bank, who offered me a part time job flying a Cessna Citation S/II. So I was a flight attendant, Instructor, copilot on a Cessna 421 and copilot on the Citation. I was pretty busy for awhile there! Then I was offered a full time position for Sovran, so I quit all my other jobs, except instructing, as I had been given the position of Assistant Chief Flight Instructor. It was mostly a weekend position doing stage checks. After four years with Sovran, I received my type rating on the Citation and built up @ 500 PIC. I then started applying to the Airlines and was offered the position with American in the Summer of 1989. Feel free to email me if you have any questions-

Alyssa Joyce - Anchorage, Alaska

Lorraine Judd - Huddleston, Virginia
I guess I'm just your typical old grandmother type. Between Ray and I, we have 6 children and 5 grandchildren. About 18 years ago, I forced my husband, Ray to learn to fly. I gave him a gift certificate for flight lessons. When we retired to Virginia, we bought a half of an airplane (the half that swallows money). If was then, that I decided it was MY turn. The day after I passed my check ride in a Cessna 150, I got checked out in our 1966 Mooney M20C. Well---that was so much fun, I decided to go for my instrument rating. I now have about 500 hours, and my husband Ray has about 1,200. We use our half of the plane for pleasure flying and visiting friends and relatives. To date we have flown 660 Young Eagles. Ray does the flying, I do the hard part. We have received four awards from the State of Virginia for flying the most Young Eagles in each year. Flying is a big part of our lives and we will do it until we can't pass a physical anymore.

Elizabeth White Kayser - Catawba, Virginia

Robin Kidder - Burlington, Kentucky

Kyoko Kimura - West Babylon, New York
KYOKO is a flight attendant for American Airlines with aspirations of working in the cockpit. She is currently on an educational leave of absence from AA in flight training at American Flyers. She passed her instrument checkride in April 2001 and is working toward her Commercial Pilot Certificate.

Kim Lester - Lynn, Massachusetts

Dorice Lindsey - Venice, Florida

Angela Magney - La Conner, Washington

Susana Marin
SUSANA is originally from Spain, and moved here six years ago to begin flight training. She's currently at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, working on her masters degree. Susana also works for the university as an A&P, AND - just two weeks ago she earned her CFI. She's hoping to stay in the states to build her flight time and find a great flying job.

Glenda Martlew - Grand Blanc, Michigan

Antoinette Mattei - Boulder City, Nevada

Jill McCollough - St. Charles, Illinois
Like most of us...I became interested in flying as a young girl. Actually my parents best friend was an United pilot, and I thought he was the best! He made sure to include me when he would fly his Piper...I thought that was awesome! Flying for an airline was my dream! I attended Augustana College in Rock Island, IL...and began working on my pilot ratings while finishing my BS in Business Administration. After college I continued to flight train...and eventually began instructing. My first real job came when I was hired by GP Express Airlines, flying Beech 99's and Beech 1900's. After a year of many hours and low pay...I was hired by Executive Jet Aviation, flying Citations and Hawkers. I flew the line and was a checkairmen for Executive Jet for three years. It was a wonderful job...and a great way to see various places and cities around the world. I took a brief job with TWA...as a 727 Flight Engineer and FE line checkairmen. TWA was a great place and I enjoyed flying the panel! Unfortunately I left after only one and a half years due to the long commute to see my husband who was overseas working for Executive Jet. I joined Executive Jet again...otherwise known as NetJets Europe...as a standards pilot, and eventually became the Chief Pilot. I enjoyed working with so many different pilots from all over Europe! As well as working with the Portuguese DGAC...it was always challenging!! Upon our return to the United States in 1999, I was hired by American Airlines...where I spent my first 9 months as 727 Flight Engineer...and I am now flying right seat on the MD80 out of Chicago. I am loving that dream airline job!

Erin McCoy - Paw Paw, Michigan
Erin began her flying career at the Florida Institute of Technology where she earned all certificates and ratings, from Private Pilot to Multiengine Instructor, including the AGI, IGI, and a Dispatcher's Certificate. After college in the early '90s, she instructed quite a bit, earning the Gold Seal depicted on her Flight Instructor Certificate. After that she flew for Kitty Hawk Charters as a Turbine Beech 18 (Volpar Conversion) Training/Line Captain; MU-2 Captain; and a Learjet First Officer. Erin is now a DC-9 First Officer for Midwest Express Airlines based in Milwaukee. She is also licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan.

Donna Miller - Golden, Colorado
DONNA learned to fly in South Korea while working as a civilian in the Air Force. Her travels took her to Germany and Denver while she worked for Jeppesen, and also while in Denver she worked at the United Airlines training center. After leaving the ground job at UAL to pursue her flying career, Donna flew freight in Mexico and then spent two years at a commuter airline. She just emailed me from her ground school at American Airlines. As she says "I'm still pinching myself!" Donna will be on the 737-800.

Colleen Mitchard - Vero Beach, Florida
COLLEEN is a Jetstream 41 Captain at Atlantic Coast Airlines base in Washington Dulles. She and her fiance live in Vero Beach FL for the winter and Oquossoc Maine during the summer.

Wendi Nilson - Columbus, Ohio

Janet Patton - Kennesaw, Georgia
I decided to be a pilot at 12 years old. I often get asked if I have a family member in aviation - No. But, I had airplanes from Selfridge ANGB flying over my house, and an uncle in the Air Force who died before I was born. By the time an Air Florida 737 crashed in the Potomac River, I decided being a pilot was something to do as a job. Having never been in an airplane, I went for an air ride at 14, and fell in love with flying. I've been in love ever since. I took the "all civilian" route, getting my licenses at small airports. I was a flight instructor, flew charter in small jets, flew cargo in large recip airplanes, and then flew for Spirit Airlines as their first women pilot. I upgraded to DC9 Captain, and after a year of that, got offered a job at American Airlines. I have been flying the Boeing 737-800 for over two years. I am based in Miami and fly throughout the Caribbean, going as far south as Venezuela, and to Central America and Mexico. Although I hold an international bid status, occasionally I fly to domestic cities within the eastern U.S. I also own a 1947 Stinson Voyager which is getting repairs and an annual to make it airworthy again.

Wendy Paver - Farmington Hills, Michigan
Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by airplanes. After pestering my parents to take me on a vacation - anywhere as long as it involved an airplane trip- they finally gave in. My mom took me for my first commercial flight on United Airlines from Detroit to Chicago O'Hare. What a thrill that was! My folks encouraged me to pursue my dream of becoming an airline pilot. I attended LeTourneau University in Longview TX and graduated with a degree in Aviation Technology. I spent the next several years flight instructing, and trying to get precious multi-engine time - which was hard to come by in the early 90's. I got some help along the way too. I was honored to receive the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship in 1993 to complete the ATP. What a boost! That certificate (and the recommendation from a 99 friend) helped me get my foot in the door of a freight operator. I flew a Convair 640 for Zantop out of Willow Run Airport. After that, I flew a Lear 25 and 35 for a charter operator. By the way... there's a husband and three kids in between all that! Which is why I decided to pursue a career in corporate aviation. Ford Motor Company offered a great position to me, which allows me to be home quite a bit with my family. I fly a Fokker 70 (about 15' shorter fuselage than the F-100) and a Gulfstream V. On average, I fly three days a week. The schedule varies greatly, but I know about a week ahead of time what's in store for me. Even though I started off dreaming of becoming an airline pilot, I've got the job best suited for me and my pursuit of being the perfect mom to my kids :)

Heather Pearson - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Well, I am a senior in Finance at Louisiana State University. I'm from Dallas, TX. I currently have a Private Pilot's License with an instrument and multi-engine rating (which I just received on June 2). My plans are to join the Air Force Reserves in the summer of 2001. I had a so-called interview with Barksdale Air Force Base about a month ago to possibly get a B-52 pilot slot. That means I would be the first female in the Air Force Reserves to fly B-52s!! Now I just need to do really well on my AFOQT test. I'm extremely excited and I would love to have any advice from any current females in the Air Force Reserves.!!??

Tanya Reber - Henderson, Nevada
TANYA and her husband (also a pilot) claim one of their homes as a crew house in Long Island, NY, while also traveling to her parent's retirement home in Las Vegas on their off days. And as she puts it, "the rest of our life is in storage in St. George UT!" She's had several occupations in aviation including work as an FBO service agent in Honolulu, a ramp agent for Alaska Airlines, and a Flight Attendant for MarkAir. Tanya has always wanted to fly, and she's currently a captain on a Jetstream 3100. She claims aviation is in her blood - her dad's a pilot for Northwest, and her brothers both work for Alaska Airlines. One is a pilot, and one is in management.

Mayrie Richards - Belleville, Michigan

Sandra Rutledge - London, Ontario, Canada

Pat Schroeder - Highland Village, Texas

Carolyn Setti - Remington, Virginia
CAROLYN is a Flight Attendant with American Airlines, and is also building flight time as an instructor. She also owns a C182 and a 310. Carolyn is planning on taking a leave of absence from American in order to pursue a full time position flying.

Teresa Sloan - Ellensburg, Washington
TERESA is an assistant professor at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA which is an hour and a half from Seattle. Teresa originally started out subbing as a grade school teacher, and wrote me a funny story about her job interview for her current position. She writes, "During my interview, when asked how being a kindergarten teacher could help me as a flight prof, I replied that there had been plenty of occasions during my CFI career when that kind of training had come in handy! I still have scratch marks in my arm from one terrified student."

Donna Smith - Chicago, Illinois

Carol Timmons

Mimi Tompkins - Honolulu, Hawaii
MIMI is a Captain for Aloha Airlines based in Honolulu. She has worked for Aloha for the past 18 years and currently fly the 737-200 interisland. She commutes divides her time between her home in Honolulu and Olympia WA, where her husband (a captain with Alaska Airlines) and his daughter live. She is very active in ALPA as the international Critical Incident Response Program Chairperson and also serves as her airline's Human Performance Chairperson which includes Aeromedical, CIRP, Pilot Assistance and Professional Standards.

Michelle Turner - Chicago, Illinois
I started flying in high school at the urging of my father. He is a pilot for American Airlines on the 767. I completed my private and instrument ratings prior to leaving for college at the University of Colorado-Boulder. I then continued flying during the summers and holiday breaks and received my Commercial rating before college graduation. After college, I worked for a year in management for a company called Transport International Pool. I started working on getting into the Air Force Reserves during this time period and I also completed my multi-engine rating. I quit my job at Transport International Pool and moved home to work on my CFI and I left for Officer Training School the day after I received my rating. Most of my flying time has come from the military. I fly C-130's in Milwaukee for the Air Force Reserves. I was fortunate enough to also receive an Amelia Earhart scholarship in 1998 for a 737 type rating. While working on this type rating in October of 1998, I received a phone call from American Airlines for an interview. This was also the same day my father had major surgery and so what a wonderful surprise it was for both of us. I now currently work for American and I fly the 767 in Chicago. I started out as a Flight Engineer in Miami and then transferred to Chicago on the F-100. I flew the F-100 for a year and a half. I now fly the 767. This is really special for me, because I had the opportunity to fly with my Dad in February and March. We flew two trips together and I will fly his retirement flight with him. I love my job and would not trade it for the world. My other interests include: hiking, biking, running, swimming, horseback riding, reading and tennis.

Sabrina Valine - Kent, Washington
I recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a B.S. in Management of Technical Operations with an Airline/Airport Management emphasis. I am an instrument rated private pilot, but I am hoping to take my commercial checkride in mid- to late- December 2001. I am concurrently working on the CFI material, so hopefully I will be able to take the CFI checkride in mid- to late-January. That's the plan for now!

Marielle Veilleux-Schoener - Whitehorse, YT, Canada

Annmarie Vincent - Fallon, Nevada

Tiffany Wadman

Teresa Walton - Angier, North Carolina

Evie Washington - Washington, DC

Eileen Watkins - Humble, Texas

Margaret Watt - Hollister, California

Samantha Willingham - Winthrop, Massachusetts
Samantha is currently working towards her Commercial Pilot Certificate. During the week she is a full time college student and on the weekends she flys with American Airlines as a flight attendant.

Kelly Wilson - Northway, Durban North, 4065, South Africa

Tricia Wrone - Clarkston, Michigan

Nozomi Yamauchi - Narita, Chiba, Japan
NOZOMI lives in Narita, Chiba Japan and is a student pilot. She works at Federal Express as a secretary at the Aircraft Line Maintenance Department. Since it's very expensive to learn how to fly in her country, she's had the opportunity to jumpseat on the company airplane to Anchorage where she does her flight training. It's a 6-7 hour flight to ANC, and then she spends the weekend there getting instruction. Nozomi has soloed, and would like to complete her training this year.

Mara Booth-Miller - Galveston, TX
I am a Lieutenant in the Coast Guard stationed in Galveston, TX. I am the Homeland Security Officer here at Group Galveston. However, the majority of my military career has been in aviation. I started my military career as an Air Transportation Specialist in the Air Force. I spent nearly 6 years enlisted in the Air Force trying to get accepted to flight school. Finally, I was too old to be accepted. So, I joined the Coast Guard, whose age restrictions for flight training are higher. I took a cut of two pay grades from E-5 to E-3 in order to attend Coast Guard boot camp. During my time as an enlisted member of the Coast Guard I was an aviation electrician on the HH-65 Dolphin helo. I was finally accepted to Officer Candidate School in Jan of 1998. I was commissioned in May of the same year. However, flight school did not work out for me. My passion for flying is alive and well, however. I hold my private pilot license and this fall I plan on going away to an accelerated school to get my instrument rating. I plan on working as a CFI during my off-duty time. When I retire from the Coast Guard my goal is to fly in the corporate field. Until then, I fly with my hubby, who will earn his CFI in May.