Aviation for Women is the flagship member publication of Women in Aviation International. Articles feature women who have made aviation history, professional development ideas, and current-topic articles.
Issue link: https://afwdigital.epubxp.com/i/587388
shore, so while it was defnitely a factor it was not an immediate threat. Our more pressing concerns, once we had met the check airman and gotten the preliminaries out of the way, soon become evident. As though searching for Easter eggs, we found that our fight was sprinkled with surprises that each had to be addressed in some way before continuing. We had been shorted on fuel by about 20 percent; the full cabin, addi- tional aft jumpseat rider, and additional fuel required increased our gross weight to the point where we needed to do a non-standard takeoff profile and even made our landing weight a concern. The new weight made a different runway a necessity—the weather was only a few miles off of our departure and we would have to turn immediately after takeoff. The tug driver was trying to avoid us- ing a headset to talk with us, and we got re-routed twice in 45 minutes. Whew. After a while you just have to forget that the check airman is looming over your shoulder as you make one decision after another. Luckily I had a solid frst offcer, and we were able to resolve each issue in turn and continue the fight with profes- sionalism and effciency. While none of those issues is a serious problem by it- self, dealing with them en masse makes it ridiculously easy to miss crucial de- tails that could quickly ruin your day. Even though Murphy's Law is only a perceived phenomenon, sometimes it can be difficult to set aside the aware- ness that you are operating outside of your everyday comfort zone. Focusing on and prioritizing the tasks at hand is far more important than trying to tip- toe around a check airman—who is just there to make sure you know your job anyway. Exhausting and ironic as it may be to have issues heaped on you just when you want everything to be smooth and uneventful, successfully facing a more challenging line check lets you know that you didn't just pass your midterm. You aced it. ✈ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Devan A. Norris, WAI 13890, is an avid observer of people, and has had many wonderful opportunities to both watch and inter- act with them in her current roles: as a captain on the EMB145, and as an apprentice air show air boss. The weather was only a few miles off of our departure and we would have to turn immediately after takeoff. The tug driver was trying to avoid using a headset to talk with us, and we got re-routed twice in 45 minutes. Whew. EXPLORER is a Gender-Neutral word Young Women Are Aviation Explorers, Too Aviation Exploring is part of the Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life program. But even though Exploring is part of the Boy Scouts, girls and young women are encouraged to become Explorers. As an Explorer, you'll have hands-on experiences with airplanes, meet interesting pilots, go on fi eld trips to airports and other aviation sites, and generally just have fun "exploring" everything the aviation community has to offer while learning about the many paths to an aviation career. What's more, you'll meet other young people, just like you, who share your interest in airplanes. You'll spend time with like-minded young men and women and have fun as you learn. To fi nd an Aviation Exploring Post near you or to start a Post, visit AviationExploring.com or contact Mark Wiesenhahn at 513.735.9100, ext. 338 or mark.w@sportys.com