One - of a Hundred and One

Our very own Alice, has just become a member of a very special club for women pilots ( fixed wing and helicopter ) rating.  A feat that is not easily achieved. 

Friday she became one of only 100 or so women pilots in America who are licensed to fly both helicopters and airplanes.

Alice was already an FAA licensed helicopter pilot since 2008. Yesterday she also became a fixed wing pilot, FAA licensed to fly airplanes.

As the attached photo of Alice illustrates, there are about 900 civilian women helicopter pilots in the U.S. But only roughly 100 of them can also fly a plane. Alice is now one of that elite crowd of dual rated fly girls.

One reason why this is so rare is that flying rotorcraft is at crucial times intuitively the opposite of flying fixed wing aircraft. At essential moments during flight the key inputs are opposite, which is especially urgent during landings and emergency procedures. It makes the transition from one to the other treacherous, and it explains why few pilots even try.

Friday, she passed her FAA airplane flight exam.  Way to go, Alice.