Friends Doing Fun Things

Back in August I blogged about having lunch at the Lancaster airport (south of Dallas) and running into a friend who is an FAA examiner (i.e., she gives flying tests). The day I took my flight instructor flying test (in spring 2000), I had a female examiner from the FAA; Enid Kaspar - - who is good friends with Carol Walker and who was having lunch with her that day - - gave me Carol's name, told me to look her up, and that she would be someone worth knowing throughout my flying career; that has definitely been a truism!

I was forwarded the following article about Carol, written on an online aviation news web site, by another female friend who quit flying 20 years ago (!) and who was in the business when women in aviation was a whole different story than it is today (her picture is below). Anyways. Here is the article (by the way, the location of the airplane manufacturer is the same airport where AnnElise and I flew and which got blogged about a couple weeks ago).

"DPE Flies Out Of Mid-Way Airport Near DFW

"American Legend Aircraft Company announced this week the planemaker has partnered with a local FAA Designated Pilot Examiner and Certified Flight Instructor to provide tailwheel instruction specific to the operation of the Legend Cub. Carol Walker operates a flying school in Midlothian, TX, a short 100-mile trip southwest of Legend's headquarters in Sulphur Springs. She specializes in tailwheel instruction and Sport Pilot training.

"Walker is an FAA designee of the Dallas Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). As a full time flight instructor, Walker provides tailwheel instruction and private pilot check rides. She performed the majority of her private and commercial training in tailwheel aircraft. Walker has flown over 4,000 hours in over 40 different types of tailwheel aircraft. She presently operates a 150-horsepower Citabria, based on Mid-Way Regional Airport (JWY) serving Waxahachie and Midlothian, as well as the greater Dallas area.

"Those qualification make Walker amply qualified to instruct in the tailwheel-equipped Legend Cub, according to American Legend. Operating tailwheel aircraft like the Piper-inspired Legend Cub (a.k.a. taildragger or conventional gear aircraft) requires a tailwheel endorsement as specified by Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) section 651.31(i).

"As many pilots know, a tailwheel endorsement is both a specialization and a privilege... and gives the holder a certain amount of "bragging rights" among their nosewheel-only flying brethren. Tailwheel instruction means the pilot must learn to coordinate rudder and aileron inputs with greater finesse -- especially on takeoff and landing -- to control headwind, tailwind and crosswinds.

"Students are often rapt by the differences in flying a tailwheel aircraft," Walker said. "They tell me this is what real flying feels like. Operating a nosewheel aircraft is simply driving the airplane."

"American Legend Aircraft Company manufacturers the Legend Cub, Legend FloatCub, Legend Combat, and Legend Cub Special -- all FAA-certified aircraft for sport, recreation and training. According to the most recent sales figures available, the Legend Cub is the most popular American-manufactured light-sport aircraft."

I am fortunate to know, and be friends with, many fabulous women pilots and learn from them :=)