AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011 - 30

LICENSETOLEARN

BY ROD MACHADO

Women in Aviation 2011

very few years, I find my way to Reno, Nevada, to attend some aviation function. This year I was there for the Women in Aviation International (WAI)

their careers by transporting boxes of 7-Up in a Cessna 150 freighter. But it’s flying, right? For those seeking an aviation job, the WAI exhibit floor has to be the best-kept secret in aviation. Here you’ll find booths containing talkative representatives from nearly every major airline. Having been to more than a few aviation career fairs over the years, I’ve never seen more human resources personnel in one place at one time. It’s entirely worth joining WAI just for a pass to the exhibit floor (and conference. Snow, ice, and turbulence made travel there are many other reasons to join). In fact, a in my small airplane impractical, so the journey college professor friend of mine brought 17 of her Rod Machado is a began on Southwest Airlines. male aviation students to the convention for a little CFI and aviation I’d never flown Southwest before, mainly networking and career research. You don’t need to speaker with more be a female to be a member of WAI, so stop pluckbecause of my natural fear of open seating, which than 8,000 flight ing those eyebrows, pal. typically involves kicking, biting, and scratchhours. ing the person in front of you. That wasn’t what One thing that deeply impressed me was the I experienced on Southwest, though. In fact, the caliber of young folks I met at the convention. open seating policy actually accelerated the boarding process, While standing in line for coffee, I chatted with a petite young mainly because people reach for the first seat they see in the lady who looked like she was in her early 20s. Turned out that same way teenage girls reach for Justin Bieber’s tiny little limbs she began flight instructing at 19, then flew Lockheed Elecat his concerts. tras and DC–6s for a freight company, and now flies big jets Southwest’s crews are known for their sense of humor, for American Airlines. Now that’s impressive. Then she kindly so we laughed and carried on up to the point where a nasty asked about me and what airplanes I’d flown. Wisely, I simply Reno snowstorm and turbulence forced us to execute a missed offered that I was fully qualified on Microsoft Flight Simulator approach. That’s when the laughter stopped and the cabin and left it at that. I’m just glad she hadn’t heard anything about became anxiously silent, except for the sound of a lone baby a crying baby on a recent Southwest flight into Reno. Another thing that impressed me was the large number of whimpering and crying—and that could well have been me. Not to fear. Our crew entered a holding pattern and waited young military people in attendance. At first, I thought the for a previously launched landing probe to reevaluate the Pentagon had assumed control of the hotel, turning it into runway conditions. After that probe landed safely and taxied something like a “NORAD 6.” It turns out that many WAI memto its gate, we followed it in for an uneventful landing, which bers now elect to join the military as a means of advancing was accompanied by a massive sitting ovation for the captain’s their aviation careers. Think about it. If you qualify, you can performance (the seatbelt sign, remember?). forgo flying freight in a Cessna 150 and gain your experience For me, the festivities in Reno began the next morning, in the front seat of a mighty military aircraft. One young lady when I walked into the WAI conference room to address a I met had a passion for helicopters and search-and-rescue ballroom full of enthusiastic attendees. My main mission was operations. She’s now a helicopter commander for the Coast to inform the audience that during my 41 years in aviation, I Guard (the potential for off-duty aquatic sports here should had never known anyone who wanted a flying job in aviation not be lost on you, either). So if you’re willing to commit some and didn’t get one—that is, as long as they were tenacious in time to serving our country (a noble enterprise in my opinion), pursuit of that job. Sure, they had to meet the minimum medi- this might be a way to jump-start your aviation career. I am a big fan of aviation conventions. AOPA Summit, EAA cal and pilot qualifications, but they did get a job. This even applies to the worst pilot I’ve ever met who, despite his ques- AirVenture, Sun ’n Fun, and Women in Aviation International tionable flying skills, got a dynamite job. Literally. He was hired are some of my favorites. In my opinion, WAI is as beneficial to transport dynamite in a Beech D–18 to desert construction as any aviation job fair you’ll ever attend. There are lots of sites (apparently freight fright prevented others from claiming reasons to attend, and even more reasons if you’re thinking that job for themselves). Since he returned to the airport every about an aviation career. You’ll have a great time, meet some evening, I have to assume that sitting on a box of explosives fascinating people, and quite possibly find a job in aviation. motivated him to improve his landing skills. The 2012 International Women in Aviation Conference Let me be clear here. I’m not saying that the first job every- takes place March 8 through 10 in Dallas (www.wai.org). one gets is necessarily the job of their dreams. After all, some young pilots who dreamed about flying a Boeing 777 started Visit the author’s blog (www.rodmachado.com). 30 • MAY 2011

AOPA PILOT •

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - May 2011

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