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\nSarah used to underestimate herself. That was until she flew an aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe first time I grabbed the airplane\u2019s controls, I thought \u2018Dang! Why haven\u2019t I\u2019ve been doing this all along?\u201d Sarah said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For three years, Sarah sold insurance and held a salary position. She thought she didn\u2019t have what it took to fly planes, even though it\u2019s all she wanted to do since she was a little girl.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her father was an Air Force pilot and flew Boeing 777s for American Airlines, so the inspiration was there, but the fact that she was a woman made her apprehensive.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce I realized that I have so much control flying an aircraft, and that I could accomplish so much with that passion, it gave me confidence that I never had before,\u201d said Sarah.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the support of her parents, Sarah said that she took a \u201cscary\u201d head-first dive into her new career path. Once she reached 1,000 hours flying in Connecticut and Florida, she began looking at airlines for a job.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI chose the Envoy Cadet Program because of how transparent the whole process was,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cI felt that I could be myself, and even though I came from a non-traditional path to get there, they didn\u2019t treat me any different. I always felt like I was part of the team. Plus, I always wanted to fly for American, so this gives me the best chance to make that dream reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Real pilots who look just like me.”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
With a plan in place for her career, Sarah wanted to spend time at the WAI conference to gain wisdom from the women who have been in her shoes before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know other women pilots through work and it\u2019s nice to have that camaraderie since there are so few of us, but being here at the conference is so exciting because I’ve never seen so many of us,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cIt\u2019s so encouraging to learn about work-family balance from real pilots, and hear their stories that sound so much like mine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that in mind, Sarah is eager to share some of her advice for women and young girls who want to create their own career in aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have to take the time to be present and enjoy the moment,\u201d she said. \u201cAlso, don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions no matter how silly or small they might seem. You never know what wisdom is waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n