Today I had the chance to interview a young pilot that I most definitely look up to, my little sister! Becca is a junior at Purdue University studying aviation! How cool right?! She has loved planes and flying for a very long time! She tells us just about everything about her flying career so far, let’s dive in!

First Up

Q: What is the most difficult part of being a woman in aviation?

A: I would say that the most difficult part of being a woman in aviation is just the lack of women in my classes, field, etc. In high school, I was used to a pretty even ratio between men and women. So when I walked into my first aviation class at Purdue, I was shocked to see about 5 or so women in my class of 60 students. Being in a male-dominated major has taken a lot of getting used to. But it is prepping me for the future since only about 4% of pilots are women.

Q: What is the best thing about being a woman in aviation?

A: The best thing is that every woman I have met in aviation has been so supportive and encouraging. We are aware of how many women there actually are in aviation. So we know the importance of sticking together and lifting each other up.

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From the Start

Q: What made you want to become a pilot?

A: Honestly, I have no idea. My parents say I have wanted to be a pilot forever. I even have a page saved from Preschool saying pilot as my future occupation. Ever since I can remember, I have searched the sky for planes every time I hear the roar of an engine above. Driving by the airport at home, I always (and still do to this day) asked my parents to slow down and stop by to see what airplanes were there that day. I have always had a passion for planes. I’ve never considered another career path, especially when I began flying lessons at 16.

Q: Tell us about your first experience you had with flying?

A: Growing up, my family never flew commercially. We loved doing road trips, so even though I said I wanted to be a pilot, I had no experience in the air until my 8^th birthday. I remember waking up that Sunday morning and getting ready for church. Instead of going straight there, we stopped at Tri-State Aero to hop in a Cessna 172 and take my first flight!

It was a beautiful morning to go up with my dad, sister, and instructor. Mom stayed on the ground to document every moment. During the flight, the instructor took us out over downtown Evansville and around my house. He taught me about the controls and showing me what it feels like to fly. When we finally had to land, I will never forget taxiing back to the ramp and thinking “this is definitely what I want to do with my life” while smiling ear to ear.

Inside Look

Q: What is it like getting your pilots license?

A: Getting your pilots license can kind of feel like drinking from a fire hose at times. For those who are passionate about aviation, it is an extremely enjoyable yet challenging experience. Your first few flights are learning the basics like how to takeoff, hold straight and level flight, turns, climbs/descents, landing, etc.

In that time, you’re also having lessons on the ground to teach you about aerodynamics, systems of the airplane, airspace, what you can and can’t do with a Private Pilots License and other things along those lines. As you’re improving your knowledge and skills, your instructor eventually signs you off to fly solo and that by far is one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences in flying. Taking off all alone with no instructor to fall back on is one of the most exhilarating experiences and helps you to become confident in yourself and do something you might not have thought you could.

Well Worth the Work

Learning to fly takes time so once you’ve got a minimum of 40 hours of flight time and take your written exam, oral exam, and flight exam and pass, that feeling is like nothing else. All those hours spent practicing maneuvers, studying charts and reciting memory items are all worth it. Then, looking back at all the people that helped you along the way, make you realize how many people you really do have in your corner- for example, my roommate, Erin Will, helped me memorize memory items and to this day, if I ask her what to do in the event of an engine failure she can still tell me the whole checklist. I’ll never forget my journey to getting my private pilots license.

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What’s Next

Q: What do you plan to do after graduation?

A: Well that’s still up in the air for me (hehe no pun intended). Before I can go to the airlines, I have to get 1000 flight hours and that’s almost impossible to get in my 4 years at Purdue, so after graduation, I’ll be flight instructing and doing other flying jobs to build hours and probably eventually end up at an airline.

Q: What is your dream aviation job?

A: I know I’ll either end up being a pilot for an airline or go corporate but until I have experience in the industry, I don’t exactly know what I want to do. This summer, I am getting to experience the corporate side and that will definitely help in my decision, but right now as long as I’m flying, I’m happy.

Favorites & More

Q: What is your favorite plane to fly?

A: So far, my favorite plane to have flown is a Piper Seminole. At Purdue, that’s the plane I used to get my multi-engine rating and although I only got about 10 hours in it, it was a really fun plane to fly and learn in.

Q: How many different planes have you flown?

A: In my almost 6 years of flying, I have flown a few different planes. The first one was a Cessna 172 which is an extremely common training plane. It’s great for people just starting out all the way through experienced pilots wanting to get back the basics. When I got to Purdue, I started flying the Cirrus SR20s to finish out my Private Pilots License as well as my Instrument rating and absolutely loved those planes. Next, I went to the Piper Arrow to get my Commercial License. Followed by the Piper Seminole for my Multi-Engine Rating. I have recently finished the simulator course for Purdue’s Phenom 100 and will have a chance to fly a Phenom 300 at home this summer, so I am looking forward to transitioning to flying jets now.

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Why Purdue

Q: Why did you pick the aviation program at Purdue?

A: Since both of my parents went to Purdue, I have been visiting the campus since I was 6 months old. I have always felt at home here. When deciding on a college, there was no conversation on where else I would want to go. Especially since Purdue’s aviation program is ranked #1 in the U.S. I had been dreaming of Purdue long before it was time to apply, and because of that I was over the moon to get the opportunity to attend.

Q: Do you have any favorite podcasts/blogs/youtube channels?

A: Most of the time when I don’t understand a concept or need it explained better, I look to a few sources online. I look at videos from MZeroA and Bold Method as well as many others for direction. There are a lot of Youtube channels dedicated to explaining various aviation material and can be extremely helpful to pilots.

Q: What has been your favorite memory at Purdue so far?

A: I honestly can’t pick one memory to call my favorite. I have experienced so much in my three years at Purdue and through the good and the bad, I have loved it all. Each year has brought new blessings and challenges and helped me to grow in more ways than I can count.

I have met my friends for life. I learned how to have roommates (actually lived with the same roommate the entire time- love my forever roomie Erin!). Joined clubs and stepped into leadership roles out of my comfort zone. I have figured out how to balance classes, work, studying and being okay with taking the night off. I had the opportunity to travel the country for the university, help plan and participate in events at the airport and SO much more. Purdue has always been the place for me and to think that I only have one year left is heartbreaking. But because of these few college years, I will be ready for whatever the future brings.

I am a little biased, but I am amazed by this woman! She is so passionate about what she does and she does it so well! I am so glad I got to share a little bit of her with you today! Hopefully, you enjoyed learning about her and what it is like being/becoming a pilot!

I would love to hear some of your thoughts below in the comments!