St. Louis University Hosts Girls in Aviation Day

By Carmelo Turdo

St. Louis University's Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hosted Girls in Aviation Day October 28 at their St. Louis Downtown Airport flight operations facility. Over 100 high school students arrived for registration by 9:00 A.M. to begin a fun and informative day. The students interacted with exhibitors from a variety of aviation career fields and explored the static display aircraft parked outside on the apron. The keynote speaker was Lindsey Saunders, aircraft owner, corporate pilot and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner who continues to balance professional aviation and family life along with her husband, who is also a pilot. 

The Aero Experience coverage begins with a look at the aircraft on static display. St. Louis University provided three training fleet aircraft: the primary and instrument trainer Diamond DA-20, a new-generation Piper Archer used for commercial and cross-country training and a Piper Seminole twin-engine trainer. The students climbed aboard the aircraft and learned about the university's flight program from the instructors stationed near each one. The university's Frasca flight simulators were also available for student "flights." 

St. Louis University's Parks Air College heritage goes back to its founding in 1927 as the first federally certified flight school in the country. Celebrations are already being planned for the centennial anniversary just a few short years away.

AeroCareers was also represented with an outdoor aircraft display. Owner/builder Jerry Wade brought his blue and gold-striped, high-wing Zenith STOL to introduce the students to experimental aircraft. The CH-50 STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) model, available in kit form from Zenith Aircraft in Mexico, MO, is capable of operating from small, off-airport areas in the hands of a skilled pilot. Also on display was a full-scale reproduction of the original Spirit of St. Louis cockpit produced by Parks College for the Flight City Exhibition held at the Missouri Historical Society in 2007. AeroCareers is a nonprofit organization that provides career education and mentoring for those seeking aviation and aerospace careers. Special thanks to Bob McDaniel and Eve Cascella for supporting Girls in Aviation Day. 

The U.S. Air Force was represented with a C-21A (Learjet 35A) executive aircraft and an all-female flight crew from the 375th Air Mobility Wing based at Scott AFB, IL. Scott AFB has a fleet of 14 C-21As used in critical staff and essential cargo transportation missions for the Air Mobility Command, and these aircraft, along with some based in Europe, will soon undergo an upgrade program to keep them in service until at least 2030. One of the crew members, Major Alicia Canetta, is a St. Louis University alumna.

The St. Louis Downtown Airport Fire Department was also represented at Girls in Aviation Day. The students received a tour of the Panther Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle and tried on the protective clothing! Thanks to Firefighter Gina Wallace for hosting the vehicle display.

Local aviation and aerospace organizations provided exhibits in the hangar throughout the event. St. Louis University was joined by Ideal Aviation, GSLBAA, Wings of Hope, GoJet Airlines, Gulfstream and West Star among many others.

A panel of St. Louis University students answered questions pertaining to their experience in the Aviation Science program, including flight training and career development. 

The keynote speaker, Lindsey Saunders, is currently a corporate pilot in the Nestle Purina flight Department based at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. She flies her company executives around the world in the Gulfstream G-VII and also serves as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner. She has over 12,000 hours of flight time, previously flying air charters and rising through the ranks to become a check airman and CRM/simulator instructor at Republic Airways. After taking time off to welcome her second child, she resumed her career in corporate flying while also enjoying the family's Beech Baron. Saunders emphasized that with a personal and professional support system, an aviation career is compatible with a healthy work/life balance.

 

The Aero Experience thanks St. Louis University and all of the organizations who contributed to making this event a success!

Book Review: Learn to Love the Turbulence: "Flight Lessons" on Becoming the Pilot in Command of Your Own Journey by Amelia Rose Earhart

By Alexis Noel

In Learn to Love the Turbulence, Amelia Rose Earhart embarks on an exhilarating journey through her experiences as a pilot, using her own flying adventures as metaphors for personal growth and resilience. The book opens with a vivid recounting of Earhart’s Private Pilot check ride—a day that encapsulates the intense mix of nerves and excitement experienced by new pilots. This beginning scene sets the tone for a memoir that not only explores the challenges of aviation, but also parallels these with broader life lessons.

Earhart's description of her check ride captures the universal emotions of anticipation and triumph that many pilots feel, while making her story immediately relatable to anyone who has faced significant personal or professional milestones. Her comparison to her namesake, the legendary Amelia Mary Earhart, adds a unique dimension to her narrative. Flying out of Van Nuys Airport, where the historic Earhart bronze statue stands, Amelia Rose Earhart connects her journey to the legacy of the pioneering aviator, infusing her memoir with a palpable sense of heritage and adventure.

Learn to Love the Turbulence is rich with Earhart’s passion for flying and exploration. Her enthusiasm is infectious, drawing readers into her world and making them eager to continue the journey through her stories and insights. This personal touch not only enhances the narrative, but also serves as an inspiration for those navigating their own paths.

As you delve deeper into the book, you will find that Earhart’s experiences provide valuable life lessons. Her ability to draw parallels between the turbulence faced in aviation and the challenges encountered in life offers readers practical wisdom and encouragement. The memoir’s blend of personal anecdotes and motivational wisdom creates a dynamic read that is both engaging and enlightening.

Amelia Rose Earhart offers a great observation that truly resonated with me: “My journey became my own only when I gave up trying to fly a straight line around a curved world.” This quote reflects the transformative realization that our own paths can only truly be navigated when we stop comparing them to others and start charting our own course. Earhart’s message about owning our journey—embracing the turbulence, delays, and hard landings—struck a personal chord. As someone who has struggled with similar feelings, I found immense value in her perspective.

For pilots at any stage of their career, Earhart’s experiences and insights offer relatable wisdom. Her achievement as one of only 238 people to attempt a single-engine flight around the world, and the first to do it in a Pilatus PC-12NG, further underscores her unique perspective and expertise. Earhart’s assertion that adhering to others' paths often sets us up for failure, and that personal fulfillment comes from owning our unique journey, is a powerful reminder. This theme is not just inspirational, but also practical for anyone navigating their own challenges.

Amelia Rose Earhart also delves into the concept of knowing when to be the Pilot in Command (PIC) and when not to. She explains that being in command isn’t always necessary or appropriate in every aspect of life. This is a key perspective that many pilots, and indeed many individuals, often struggle with: Understanding when to take charge and when to step back.

Earhart’s discussion on this topic is particularly valuable because it highlights the balance between leadership and collaboration. Just as a pilot must discern when to assert command and when to delegate, individuals must recognize when to lead and when to support. This balance is crucial not only in aviation but in various life and professional situations.

Earhart also delves into the concept of “embracing solo flight,” a topic that holds personal significance for many pilots, including myself. Earhart expands this idea beyond the cockpit to address the broader implications of navigating life on one’s own. She touches on the challenges of leaving home, enduring relationship breakdowns, and facing the loss of loved ones.

Her perspective on solo flight is both profound and relatable. Earhart’s observation that “the plane doesn’t care who is flying it” serves as a powerful metaphor for life’s impartiality. Just as an aircraft continues its course regardless of who is at the controls, life moves forward despite the personal struggles we face. This analogy underscores a critical lesson: we must keep going and persevere, even when faced with adversity.

While reading Earhart’s memoir, I found many parallels between her experiences and my own. Her detailed accounts of her thought processes and challenges often had me reflecting, “I do the same thing!” This connection made her journey even more impactful and motivating. If you are a pilot or simply someone navigating personal challenges, Learn to Love the Turbulence provides a reliable guide to embracing your own path and reaching for the skies.

Get your signed copy today at ameliaroseearhart.com.

Alexis Noel is a private pilot, instrument flight student and UH-1H Huey crew chief with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation in the St. Louis area. She is also an active aviation media personality @fly_with_alexis and has been featured in AOPA Pilot, Elevate Her Aviation (UK) and other publications. Alexis serves as a mentor to future aviators, participates in many local aviation events and is a regular feature writer and video producer on The Aero Experience.