Tag Archives: Coast Guard

616 Latinas in Aviation

Latinas in aviation tell their stories, Pieter Johnson talks with Matt Bone from the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group, and Steve Vischer and Grant McHerron bring us up to date on Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways in the Australia News Desk. Launchpad Marzari reports from The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs where the centerpiece is a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker.

Three Latinas in aviation with the Airplane Geeks

Guests

The new book Latinas in Aviation: Stories of passion, power, and breaking into the aviation industry tells the stories of 22 amazing women. Our three guests are included in that book and they tell us about their aviation accomplishments.

Olga Custodio

Olga E. Custodio is a Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserves (ret), and a retired American Airlines captain. She was the first Latina to complete U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training and graduate in the top 5% of her class with a fighter qualification to fly the T-38 as an instructor pilot.

While studying at the University of Puerto Rico, she tried to participate in the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program, but she was denied the opportunity because women were not allowed at that time. But she persisted and went on to become a commissioned military officer, serving in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. After transitioning to the U.S. Air Force Reserves, Olga became the first Latina commercial airline pilot and later upgraded to Captain, flying for American Airlines. Besides the T-38, Olga flew the T-41, B-727, F-100, B-757, and B-767. Today, Olga is retired with over 11,000 flight hours.

Olga is a STEM advocate and speaks at local schools, universities, corporations, and military base groups, encouraging young women and men to reach for their dreams. Olga is a mentor with the Women in Aviation International, Aviation Explorers, and the School of Aeronautics of the Inter American University in Puerto Rico.

Latinas in AviationAna Uribe Ruiz is co-president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Women in Aviation International. She was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador with aviation in her blood. Her father formed the airline Ecuatoriana de Aviacion in the late 1950s that was the flag carrier for the country for many years. This gave her the opportunity to spend time in the cockpit and see the world with a different view.

Ana took up a finance and banking career in the U.S. and married a private pilot, but flying had to wait due to family matters. She eventually started her pilot training in California and became involved with Women of Aviation International Week. Ana is the only private pilot in the Bay Area with a Jefferson Award for Public Service, bringing women into the aviation world.

Ana can often be found talking and presenting in schools and inspiring the future generation of pilots.

Latinas in Aviation

Jacqueline Ruiz

Jacqueline S. Ruiz calls herself a visionary social entrepreneur. Born in Mexico City, she moved to the United States at age 14 where she learned English and German. She has created two successful award-winning companies, established two nonprofit organizations, published 16 books, created over 10 products, and held dozens of events around the world in just the past decade.

Jackie is a regular guest on TV and radio including CBS World News, CBS Chicago, WGN-TV, ABC7 News, WGN Radio 720, and has been featured in Forbes Magazine, INC, and others. She is one of the few Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States and Jackie believes that “taking off is optional, landing on your dreams is mandatory.”

The book Latinas in Aviation is available on Amazon. 100% of book proceeds will go to the Pilotina Scholarship for young women aged 17 to 24.

The first all-female T-38 4-ship Indy Speedway flyby.

Eat at the Airport

Airplane Geeks reporter-at-large Launchpad Marzari talks with Steve Kanatzar from The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The centerpiece of that establishment is a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker.

Launchpad at The Airplane Restaurant

Launchpad Marzari at The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.

Across the Pond

Pieter Johnson is joined by Matt Bone from the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group which raises funds for the rebuild and return to flight of the sole surviving combat veteran Hawker Typhoon MkIb, RB396.

Napier Sabre Engine for RB396

Napier Sabre Engine for RB396

Australia News Desk

Steve Vischer and Grant McHerron bring news about Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways.

Mentioned

Daedalians – Advocacy for air and space power and honor for those who flew and fly in defense of the United States.

Girls in Aviation Day, September 26, 2020.

Coast Guard Aviation in Vietnam – Combat Rescue and Recovery

“This is the story of those Coast Guard aviators who flew as part of the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Forces during the Vietnamese Conflict. The men who wrote this virtually unknown chapter of Coast Guard aviation history exemplified the highest traditions of Coast Guard Aviation and the United States Coast Guard.”

New Hampshire allows flying cars on the road—but don’t expect to see any

406 Innovations in Flight 2016

The Airplane Geeks attended the Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Airplane Geeks Innovations in Flight 2016

The Airplane Geeks: Micah, Brian, Max, Benet, David

Interviews

Commander Brian McGlaughin, USCG

Commander Brian McGlaughin

Commander Brian McGlaughin

The United States Coast Guard is celebrating 100 years of aviation in 2016, and we hear about the mission of Coast Guard, flying in Alaska, the Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard that was inducted into the National Air & Space Museum, the new C-130J, and of course, the 100th celebration activities.

Steve Lott, The Boeing Company

Steve Lott

Steve Lott

Steve is the Director of Communications for Boeing, based in Washington D.C. He talks about Boeing’s 100th year anniversary and explains that July 15, 2016 is Founders Day, when Bill Boeing had his first flight. Boeing employs a number of full time historians, and maintains a very large historical archive, including many photographs.

Steve tells us about the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall renovation at the NASM downtown on the Mall, and reminds us about the excellent The Age of Aerospace series. This documentary explores the last 100 years of aviation history and is presented by Boeing and Discovery Communications.

Captain Caitlin Diffley, USAF

Captain Caitlin Diffley

Captain Caitlin Diffley

Captain Diffley is the Regional Director for the United States Air Force Academy Admissions Office for the Northeast. She describes opportunities at the Academy and the many concentrations offered. Learn more about the application process at AcademyAdmissions.com.

Max Flight

During a brief lull in the interviews, David and Benet decide to “interview” Max and hear about his visit outside the Museum to see the aircraft and automobiles on display. Max also describes his experience at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

Steve Maloney

Steve Maloney

Steve Maloney

Steve is a contemporary artist from California who transformed a boneyard U.S. Army Huey helicopter into a mixed-media sculpture. The helicopter served as an air ambulance during the Vietnam War, and Take Me Home Huey is now touring the U.S. to honor Vietnam vets and facilitate conversation about their service.

Watch the trailer of the documentary film about the role Hueys played during conflicts as told by pilots, mechanics and helicopter crew members.

Bill Barry, NASA

NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry (seated, far left) and some airplane geeks

NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry (seated, far left) and some airplane geeks

NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry tells us about some of the other anniversaries in 2016, including the first Viking lander on Mars 40 years ago, the 10th anniversary of the first COTS (commercial off the shelf technology) contact for launch services delivering material to the Space Station, the 100th anniversary of Langley, and even the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. Bill talks about naming the Space Shuttle Enterprise rather than Constitution, the aeronautics programs at NASA, and public interest in NASA activities. Be sure to visit the NASA History webpage.

Photos

Take Me Home Huey

Take Me Home Huey

DSCF9051_600

Micah and Brian

Micah and Brian

Credit

Airplane Geeks would like to thank the National Air & Space Museum for inviting us back to the Innovations in Flight event. This is a must-attend, bring your family event held the Saturday before Father’s Day in June.

Photo credits: @ProfVanderhoof, @dronemama, @maxflight

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.

Episode 221 – Airplane Geeks vs Sandy

Sandy

The weather spawned by Hurricane Sandy took out David and Max, although Rob was comfortably situated in Orlando, Florida for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. Not wanting to leave you without an episode for the week,we gathered up what we could and produced this “mini-episode.”

David Vanderhoof and Lieutenant Jay Kircher

We have David’s interview with Lieutenant Jay Kircher from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City in New Jersey.

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City

Steve and Grant had a light news week but submitted an Australia Desk report nonetheless with a third airport for Melborne and spam from Tiger Airways (you can opt in but try opting out!).

Our European contributor Pieter Johnson has an Across the Pond segment with Tim Gresty, Managing Director at Cognitio, about airline super hubs and the threat to the European superhubs such as London Heathrow from the middle east and this is being affected by the alliances as well as joint ventures such as those being formed by Qantas, breaking decades of traditional links with airlines such as British Airways.

This short show is rounded out by voice mails from a couple of listeners.

Find more from Grant and Steve at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124. Australia Desk archives can be found at www.australiadesk.net.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

Look for a full episode next week with another great aviation guest.

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.