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/619020
12 Aviation forWomen J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 I was very fortunate and grateful to have been awarded a $5,000 scholarship from American Airlines for maintenance training in 2013. Without this scholarship and WAI, I am confdent that I wouldn't be where I am today. I became interested in aviation at a young age after tak- ing my frst fight in a small aircraft. I knew at that point that I wanted to be a pilot, and a W H E R E A R E T H E Y N O W ? S O N I A T H I E B E A U passion for aviation has remained with me ever since. I started ground school and fying lessons around age 14, but was un- able to finish due to financial issues. I graduated from high school a year early and then life happened. I got married at age 21 and the same year started an auto body business with my husband. Living in small town Iowa didn't allow for much opportunity in aviation, so I pushed my passion to the side to make a life and a successful business. At 25 we divorced, and it was then that I decided it was time to follow my dreams. Since I had spent several years work- ing on cars—which I enjoyed—I decid- ed to pursue aircraft maintenance. I moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to start A&P; school, but before classes began I received a full ride scholarship to Spar- tan College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for avi- onics. So, off to Tulsa I went. Along the way I met my current husband, and he decided to move to Tulsa with me. We got married in June 2012, and a few months later I became pregnant with our frst child. In November 2012, I graduated with honors from Spartan. The following month, I started airframe training at Tulsa Tech at night, while working full time at Lufthansa Technik as a pneumatics technician during the day. This continued through- out my eight-and-a-half-month pregnancy. I took my generals exam two days before my son was born and returned to school a week after, with my newborn son, so I didn't miss too much class time. In January 2013, I was flown to Chicago by American Airlines as one of the fnalists chosen for the company's maintenance scholarship through WAI. I was extremely excited when I found out they had chosen me as the recipient. American Airlines few me out to the International Women in Aviation Conference that March to be presented with the award. I was so pleased to be able to network with some great people there including American's Vice President of Base Maintenance Bill Collins. When searching for my dream job in spring 2013, I noticed an avionics position open at US Airways in Phoenix. I applied, but not having my A&P; certifcate yet prevented me from receiving the position. In September 2013, I proudly graduat- ed and received my airframe certifcate. A few months later, I was able to get signed off for my power plant certifcate through Lufthansa and received my full A&P; certifcate in December 2013. I reapplied to US Airways after get- ting my airframe certificate. Upon re- submitting my application I contacted Bill Collins, knowing that US Airways and American Airlines were starting a merger. In the meantime, I was of- fered an avionics position with a main- tenance, repair, and overhaul facility in Jacksonville, Florida. We planned to NET WORKING — THE GRE ATER REWARD I took my generals exam two days before my son was born and returned to school a week after, with my newborn son, so I didn't miss too much class time. JOHN RIEDEL