I have a chat with pilot, hair stylist, salon owner and host of the Cockpits and Cocktails podcast, Allyssa VanMeter, a.k.a. Fly Allyssa.

Allyssa was bit by the aviation bug when she took a helicopter tour of Hawaii during a vacation there. Alyssa is currently using her COVID-19 quarantine time to study for her instrument rating. In our conversation, we address the challenges of flight training, the extraordinary pride she felt when she passed her check ride, the surprising perspective that aviation gives her in flight and in life, personal minimums, time management, the wonderful aviation community, finding opportunities in unexpected setbacks and the importance of priorities. Allyssa also shares some of her aviation story and anecdotes, including that one time she stayed overnight in the FBO.

conversation with Natalie Kelley. commercial pilot, podcaster, business owner, mother and owner of Fly Girl LLC . Natalie and I get to talk about airshows, seaplanes, aerobatics, the impact that being clear on your priorities has on the choices you make, the importance of being true to yourself and not caring too much about other people’s opinions about what you are doing, the focus that it took for her to complete her flight training and her company’s mission to encourage and inspire women and young girls to open their hearts and minds to their potential.

LA 99s member, Civil Air Patrol member and Private Pilot with a complex rating, Kate Scott and I get to discuss how a breakup propelled her into taking on flight training, the ups and downs of flight training, dealing with impostor syndrome, how her solo cross-country flight helped her confidence as a pilot, flying for Civil Air Patrol, juggling work and flight training, joining a flying club, the importance of talking through the maneuvers and procedures you are performing during lessons and check rides, preparing for FAA written exams, the challenges of radio communications, and standing for the diversification and expansion of the aviation community.

In this 10th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist, KTLA reporter and private pilot, Christina Pascucci. We talk about how she learned to fly in order to overcome her paralyzing fear of flying in small planes, We talk about how she learned to fly in Palm Springs and documented her flight training and her first solo for a TV show. We talk about the news story Christina got to do where she was able to grant the wish of a 99-year-old WASP who wanted to fly once more. We talk about dealing with self-doubt, the time that Christina lost comms in her aircraft during a flight, and about the power that comes with taking on challenges in the service of something bigger than just yourself, how Christina is inspired by the idea of empowering women to face their fears and challenges head on, flying to OshKosh, how aviation can serve the community and the confidence that comes with flight training and getting your pilot certificate among other things.

In today’s episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Tamara Griffith. Tamara’s certificates and ratings include being a Multi-engine ATP, a Commercial single-engine land and seaplane, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI and an A&P and she has her Inspection Authorization.

Tamara is the daughter of Mary Latimer and her husband, Lawrence who founded and run GIFT (Girls In Flight Training ) Academy and whose goal is to identify and to address the various issues that may be causing women to abandon flight training, and to assist them earning their pilot certificates. Tamara has been a freight pilot, a corporate pilot and a mechanic, chief inspector, among other things and serves as one of the head flight instructors for GIFT Academy which was presented with an AOPA Honor Roll for excellence in training 2013.

In this episode, Tamara and I get to talk about the support, community and camaraderie that is part of the GIFT Academy flight training experience, flying in different countries such as Dubai, Turkey, Italy and Mexico and the attitudes towards women pilots in each culture, flying for different charity and relief organizations, flying with her dog and how he reacted when she had an emergency, flying with her family and what it was like when having an emergency during a flight with them and how flight training can help with other jobs and life situations.

In this fun and all-over-the-place conversation, Erin, Jenna and I get to talk about the ups and downs of flight training, options and approaches one can take in flight training and on the aviation career path. We talk about aviation business, favorite aviation shows and career paths, flying for animal rescue missions, why we prefer women flight instructors, apps that can help student pilots study, fun flights with loved ones, flying competitions, the benefits of getting a job at a local airport, the confidence that comes from learning to fly an airplane and so much more!

In today’s Episode, Kristyn and I talk about what it was like to do her flight training as a teenager on a military base, survival training in the freezing cold and snow in Canada, about the challenging twists and turns that had Kristyn step away from aviation for years while she built a successful and rewarding business that allowed her to get herself and her children in a good situation where she was able to become an aircraft owner, get back in aviation, build her hours and get ready for what’s next in her aviation journey, which will soon include an aircraft ferrying service. Kristyn is all about inspiring and empowering women and girls in pursuing and achieving whatever they want in their aviation careers.

In this 6th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Los Angeles-based artist and aviatrix, Farida Amar. Farida is a commercial helicopter pilot with an IFR rating and she is working on her commercial fixed-wing add-on. In this episode we get to talk about what it’s like growing up with a pilot mom. We also discuss the pros and cons of helicopters vs airplanes, what we like to look for in a good CFI/student pilot relationship, the financial and logistical challenges Farida faces in completing her training and the benefits of buying a plane to complete flight training.

Chicks Who Fly podcast is now on Anchor so you can now listen to us on any of the many platforms that Anchor distributes our podcast on. If you are enjoying this podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and subscribing on YouTube. For those of you who would like to become a more intimate part of the process of creating this podcast, please check out our Patreon page and consider becoming a patron of Chicks Who Fly.

In this 5th episode of Chicks Who Fly, I get to have a conversation with Cheryl Pitzer. Cheryl is a Captain for FedEx and has been with the company for 24 years. Cheryl’s ratings include: ATP, Multi Engine, MD11, CE500, CE525, SA227 Commercial Single engine land, helicopter and seaplane CFII, MEI and Aircraft dispatcher.

In this episode, we get to talk about her training, how she began her career in aviation as a flight attendant for Continental Airlines. We talk about what it’s like flying for Orbis, the world’s only flying hospital. We get to talk about her unusual collection of pets that includes camels and donkeys and we also get to talk about some of the surprising cargo she has flown, which includes Whales, zoo animals and dolphins.

In this 4th episode of the Chicks Who Fly Podcast, I get to speak with Jesse Hutchison. Jesse is a student pilot based in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode we get to talk about the highs and lows of our flight training paths and the difficulties experienced when Jesse hit a snag in the process of getting her FAA 1st Class Medical Certificate. We get to share about our favorite flight training stories, aviation films, YouTube channels and podcasts and we talk about how we both manage to keep moving forward in our training when we hit some bumpy air along the way.

In this 3rd episode of the Chicks Who Fly Podcast, I get to speak with Pilar Wolfsteller. Pilar is a journalist and a private pilot. When Pilar was 16 years old, she was told by one of her teachers that she was “too dumb” to become an engineer and a pilot. Pilar dropped out of class but later in life, reconnected with her lifelong love for aviation and gave herself the gift of her private pilot certificate for her 30th birhtday. Today, Pilar has a job that combines her love for journalism and aviation. Pilar shares her journey and how she learned to fly in Germany and later, her FAA checkride in the US. Pilar is currently working on her Instrument Rating and is planning to go on to become a CFI in order to encourage and teach women of all ages that becoming a pilot is attainable for them.

If you would like to contact Pilar, you can do so at  linkedin.com/in/pilarwolfsteller

Kristi is a CFI CFII, MEI; AGI/IGI
CPL ME&SE as well as being a certified health coach and a self defense instructor. In this episode we talk about Kristi’s experience learning to fly in Japan and all the amazing experiences that come with that. We also talk about the creative things she did in order to pay for her flight training and about the ways aviation can impact someone’s life and the aviation projects and goals she would like to take on in the future.

Music by Diego Jinkus

Chicks Who Fly-Episode 1 with your host Inaia, a student pilot interviewing CFI, CFII, commercial, multi-engine pilot Alejandra Newport, who is currently based in Las Vegas. Music, footage and back-seat passenger shenanigans by Diego Jinkus.