Sue Ballew

Friday's Fabulous Flyer

 

 Sue Ballew

Last week I met Sue at the Palo Alto Awards Banquet and what a dynamic woman she is! Such a fun night was had by all. And I'm thankful I had the opportunity to meet her (and her students) and the rest of the 99 group. And today you have the great opportunity to meet this dynamic flight instructor!

From Sue: 

"I graduated with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and immediately set out to pursue my passion for plants by starting an Interior Plantscaping company, Garden Habitats Inc. I received my Landscape Contracting License in 1982.

After owning and operating a successful, “award winning” Interior Plantscaping company for more than 20 years, providing the interior plants for some of the largest and most prestigious companies in Southern California, and working with some of the most creative and talented people in the business, I was looking for a new and exciting challenge.

 

I had always wanted to fly, but that image had been of “flying like superman”. Then one day while searching for this new challenge, I realized that maybe I could fulfill that dream, but in an airplane. So I was off to the airport, found the perfect instructor, and 5 months later in 1996, got my private pilots certificate. I joined the 99s – The International Organization of Women Pilots, and a whole new world opened up. I was flying everywhere, meeting new people, flying in air races, and having a blast.

 

Next came my instrument rating. Then in 1997 I decided it was time to sell my company and move on to new adventures. I was bitten by the “flying bug” and I proceeded to get several more ratings, including my instructor rating, taught flying for a year, got a Citation Jet Type Rating, then got hired by the airlines and moved to sunny Puerto Rico to fly to 25 destinations in the Caribbean. I was truly living my dream.

 

Then 911 happened and everything changed. I stayed at the airlines another two years, flew throughout Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba, and then resigned.

Realizing the industry changed after 911 and wasn't what I had hoped for, I left, only to discover that what I truly loved about aviation was flying small aircraft and the enthusiastic pilots and future pilots that can be found at local airports."

Sue also organizes monthly flyouts for one of the clubs which coincides with the Santa Clara Valley 99s flyouts. And anyone that wants to come is welcome! Check out the event at: Sky Trekker Flyouts. Sue says she usually has at least two students in her plane, so one flys out and the other back.

 

 Fly With a Friend!


"I try to introduce as many of my students to each other so they will have another student pilot to talk to while going through the learning process. Many of them continue to be friends and often fly together which keeps them in the air. "

I nabbed Sue's bio from her website as a time saving strategy, because the few minutes I carved out today I spent reading about all her awards, adventures, and viewing all the people she has helped reach their dreams on that website! Sue Ballew is an amazing woman.

Make sure you click HERE to read more.

If you have any questions about instructing or want to learn to fly, Sue is your woman!

Sue Ballew
“Live the Dream, Learn to Fly”
Gold Seal Flight Instructor
CFI of the Year 2012 - West Valley Flying Club
Professional Woman Pilot of the Year 2012 -
Southwest Section Ninety-Nines, Inc.
NAFI - Master Flight Instructor
Skytrekker Aviation
www.skytrekker.net 

415.845.1058

Career Flight Instructors!

Success and The Love of Flying

Last week I attended the Palo Alto 99 awards banquet, and as Sue Ballew drove me back to my hotel, she told me about how busy she was as a flight instructor. 40-50 hours of flying a week for the previous two years. And when you're an independent contractor you can charge what you want. I'm thinking this is a great living for those who love to fly. I asked Sue if I could share the details of her career. Below is what she sent me: 

 West Valley Flying Club

"West Valley Flying Club has been in existence since 1972, over 40 years. It was the largest flying club in the US until recently. Way back in the beginning the members/CFIs decided to have the CFIs become independent contractors. The rest of the “Peninsula” has pretty much confirmed to that format.

 

What makes this work is that all of the operations are flying clubs. The members pay a monthly fee, usually between about $40 and $50. (WVFC has 850 members). This gives them access to all of the airplanes that are online. The majority of the airplanes are on leaseback from individual members. If the member needs training then they hire the CFI as an independent contractor. We teach with our own methods, are free to work as much or as little as we want, set our own schedules, and teach in whatever aircraft we choose. There is a small amount of oversight, and especially if there is a safety issue. West Valley Flying Club and most clubs monitor safety very closely.

So the clubs make money from the membership dues and aircraft rental – not out of the pocket of the CFI. We keep the entire fee. I, and I assume everyone else, charge from the beginning of the lesson until the end – unlike in the old days of charging for flight time only. (Sheesh – that was giving up our valuable time for nothing). My typical lessons are three hours each.

One of the big differences between our clubs and schools is that most of us generate our own leads. In this respect I have been very busy for close to 5 years, particularly because of my website, Skytrekker Aviation but also because I am active in the industry and now have a reputation. If someone just wants to have leads handed to them then they probably want to work at a school. But now that the economy has picked up, (we are in the heart of Silicon Valley also), lots of leads just come to the clubs. But the other thing is, the clubs have all of the CFIs out there generating business for them. So there is tons of online presence and networking.

There are four major clubs at Palo Alto airport with about 80 – 100 airplanes online. I teach at Advanced Flyers, San Carlos (which has three major clubs with maybe 50 airplanes online) and West Valley Flying Club.  Advantage Aviation  is also a large club in the area.

There are about 36 instructors at West Valley, with some teaching at other clubs. In total I would say there are probably about 80 active instructors on the Peninsula. (With a big caveat --- These are just my estimates)

There has been a big push by AOPA for flying clubs recently. Everyone thinks this is a way to reduce costs. I don’t know. I do know that this is a way to have really good instructors – career instructors, that can make a living and that stay. Many of the instructors in the Bay Area have been doing this for 10 – 20 – 30 years.

The instructor fees range from about $60 up to $90- $100 per/hour."

Enjoy the Journey! 

XOX Karlene

Money For Flying!

Karen Johnson Solo Scholarship

The Ninety-Nines and EAA will award a $3,000 Karen Johnson Solo Scholarship to provide a young woman (age 16-20 at any time during 2015 calendar year) with financial support for flight training through her first solo and beyond. The application should include the name, address, email, cell phone, birthdate of the applicant along with a 500 word essay describing why the candidate wants to learn to fly, how she will apply her training, and her goals for the future. 

 

 

Applications must be submitted by email 

by July 7, 2015 to:

KJSoloScholarship@ninety-nines.org. 

 

The scholarship will be awarded during the WomenVenture activities at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. The winner will be expected to provide a 400-1000 word essay to the scholarship committee at KJSoloScholarship@ninety-nines.org after her solo, sharing her training experiences and goals she has met. 

 

 

The scholarship is funded by the Ninety-Nines Inc. with support from the Ventura County Chapter of the Ninety-Nines and the 2014 Lightspeed Aviation Foundation Pilots Choice Award. The scholarship funds must be used by Sept 1, 2016. The scholarship honors the memory of Karen Johnson, a beloved member and chapter chair of the Ventura County Ninety-Nines, who perished in 2013 while flying frost control in Delano, California.

Susan Liebeler, International & Ventura County 99s Fundraising Chair
310-457-2926; 310-729-3350 (cell); Lexpert@Lexpertresearch.com

Be The Captain Of Your Life

This young lady is the captain of hers: 
 

I will take all that I have learned from your book and from the conversations we had and apply it to my life. I have gained and absorbed so much and will continue rereading over and over again to always remember that the possibilities are endless and dreams do come true. 

 

"There are many things that I have learned number one being to believe in myself when everyone else don't and that includes family, friends, and everyone else in general. And fear is inevitable and I can't ever get away from it. I am still at a point of finding my true passion and my niche in life. What I wanted to do in the past was not what I envision doing now. I am just confused. 

 I just need not to be afraid to get out and try new and different things and who knows where I'll land. 

I know I will eventually encounter hardships, obstacles, and rejections of all kind. Every successful person has a history to tell. And even if my experiences slams in the face and brutally hurts my emotions, I must get up in the face of adversity and keep moving forward, keep doing and taking action because years down the road I'll regret never having tried and never accomplishing what I have always wanted to accomplish in my life because I did that to myself which is let the enemy--fear--conquer my life. I must admit that I was someone who used to live up to other's expectations and never caring about mine, but I realized now that it's not worth it and that I can't please everyone on this planet. I must look within myself and embrace my uniqueness and individuality. I think we all should."

Enjoy the Journey!

And remember... life is what you make of it!  

XO Karlene  

In Memory Of...

 Those who gave their lives ...

 

 For the rest of us to live...

Happy Memorial Day!

Captain Dixie

Fridays Fabulous Flyer

Who Was Captain Dixie?  

This story came to me from a reader. A bit of editing prevailed to keep the name of the airline out of the picture for self preservation. But I loved the story. And this was the essence of the good ole days of airline flying when those boys had a whole lot of fun doing a job they loved. Play the video above and listen to the music as you continue to read.

"When I was a kid in Knoxville in the 60's, one of my favorite Christmas gifts was a VHF portable radio.. we had "all kinds" of traffic in those days, around 13-15 airliners a day, including the first French Caravelles in the US by United Airlines. Piedmont was a big player, but another Air Line of the South was the big player, too. Capital Airlines also flew to DC of course and Southern Airlines was our choice for two engine Martin 404 transportation.

So I listened to all these guys coming in and out of Knoxville; one that worked for the big Air Line of the South... when the DC-7's first flew there was called "Captain Dixie" by ATC. Why? He played Dixie on a harmonica during his initial transmission to Departure or Approach. It don't get no better does it... Air Line Captain Dixie coming in from Atlanta on long final..."

 

 Enjoy the Journey!
XO Karlene

Taking Over the Plane!

Is this possible?
 

We have all heard snippets of the individual who claims he took control of aircraft systems. Did he? Or did he not?  A friend sent me addition news from his part of the world...

"More news, on the recently mid air hack of a United Airlines flight, as reported an individual "Chris Roberts " was, escorted off the flight, into airport police hands/ f.b.i after his list of tweets, causing the pilots to divert.

Appearing ,on our news channels today, reports that appeared in the Canadian press late Friday, of the said incident, where security advisor " Chris Roberts " , hacked into the on board oxygen system via his p.d.a., the Canadian press were told more of his activities from an f.b.I. report.

The, report, into "Chris Roberts" actions on the flight, were far more serious than originally stated, in the f.b.I. investigation, "Chris Roberts," said that, the oxygen system was not the only a.c system he had hacked into, that he, also got into others and on one separate flight, the "engine management system" taking over control of one engine and putting it into " climb mode".

In, the same report, " Chris Roberts" and of the investigation into, actions aboard the United flight, he said it was not the only, airline or aircraft model , he had hacked, he told f.b.I. investigators he had successfully hacked the following between 15 to 20 times.

Boeing 737/ 757 and Airbus 320

The report, also tells of how he would, squeeze wiggle the "seat electronic box" under his seat, and connect to the said aircraft's in - flight entertainment system, he would then connect a cable to this and his p.d.a.. Via this means, Roberts , was able to hack into other operating systems using default / passwords, Roberts said also, that when he had gained entry to a said system, that he overwrote the original pass code.

In , one incident, "Roberts" told investigators, how he gained entry to the planes " thrust management computer", which allowed him to take control any input, and that through this, "Roberts" ordered one engine into " climb mode" and send a.c. sideways as it flew, and he also gained access to monitor inputs by the flight crew in cockpit.

The, f.b.i. report, goes on to say, that an agent was sent to, Philadelphia, to meet the United flight in question from Chicago, and on inspection of seats 2a/2b, that, both seats " electronic box " had been partially damaged tampered with.
To date, Roberts, has not been charged by authorities."

What do you think? 

We need to assure our pilots know how to fly their planes in the event something breaks... or if they have to take back control! Brussels is a step in the process. 

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene 

Airplanes and Automation

“Amateurs practice until they get it right.  

Professionals practice until it can’t go wrong.”

From Sound of Music 

Why do experts make errors 

when they should be the best? 

This is the challenge I'm looking into with my PhD.

How we train pilots to fly automated aircraft requires a simple shift in training practices. Not only will we get a better product to reduce potential accidents, but airlines will save millions too. More to come on that. And... next month I am headed to Brussels to speak on this topic. 

Join me in Brussels at the:

Safety and Automation Safety Forum
2-3 June 2015

Become a registered guest and join the discussions on how to improve safety!

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene 

Memorial Day

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Memorial Day isn't just a three day weekend to start off summer or a great excuse to go camping or have a BBQ with friends and family.  Memorial Day is a day to show your patriotism, fly your flag and most importantly to remember our military heroes.  Remember those heroes who died defending the freedom we enjoy in the United States of America!

Here are a few things to share with your students before you send them off Friday afternoon for their three day weekend:

1. Ask them to attend the Memorial Day parade or ceremony in town with their family on Monday morning. 

2. Explain to your students that Memorial Day began on May 30, 1868 after the Civil War.

3. Tell them about the National Moment of Remembrance which asks that at 3 p.m. for all Americans to voluntarily observe a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing for a moment of silence.

4. Explain if they see people wearing a red poppy that it represents to honor and remember all those who died serving their country in time of war.  Poppies are sold to raise money for servicemen in need. 

5. Memorial Day is a day to be thankful for the freedoms (maybe read the "Bill of Rights" out loud to explain some of our basic constitutional freedoms) we enjoy each and every day. It is a day especially set aside to be sure we, as Americans, do not take our freedom for granted.

A tribute to the men and women who fearlessly defend the freedoms we all enjoy! 

Visit our store to see our Memorial Day products!

Memorial Day Interactive Notebook

Memorial Day Activities

Armed Forces 6-Flag Set 4 in. x 6 in.

Tissue Paper Poppy Craft Kit - 24 Unit(s)

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Time to Change History!

“Time after time, history demonstrates that when people don't want to believe something, they have enormous skills of ignoring it altogether.” 

Jim Butcher, Dead Beat - 

I'm not ignoring anything, as I put full effort into improving the Aviation Industry for future pilots, and working to keep it safe for passengers. My plan with my One Wish For Aviation is in full motion. But... Your support can help.

If you've read Flight For Control, Flight For Safety, or Flight To Success Be the Captain of your Life, please leave Amazon comments. They are so much appreciated and will help the mission!

And drop by tomorrow to see what I am doing next month. This was something I hoped I might be invited to after I finished the PhD... not before. Life is an adventure! But you have to go for it to make it happen.

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene

How to Encourage Your Students to Read Over the Summer

How to Encourage Your Students to Read Over the Summer

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Encouraging your students to read this summer may not be an easy task to do, since there are plenty of other enjoyable summer activities. However, you and your students worked very hard all school year to increase reading achievement.  So, rather than just pushing the books aside, the best way to make summer reading a successful reality is to plan for it!

So how are you going to encourage your students to read?

1. Set Reading Goals

Your students will become more prone to go beyond and above if they set reading goals this summer. There are various activities or programs that promote summer reading and provide incentives to both the students and your school.

Scholastic Summer Reading Program

(There are other online programs as well. Google will show you.)

2. Think Outside the Box

Reading is reading.  Whether it is a sports blog online, comic book series, celebrity magazine, how to play video games, newspapers, circulars from stores, etc.   Reading and learning don't always come from a traditional hard bound book.  

3. Help Your Students Access Reading Materials

Provide your students with a tour (in reality or online) of your local library.  Examine all of the free resources from books, newspapers, magazines, videos, activities and summer reading programs.  All readers, including students with special needs, will enjoy the large selection of audio or audio visual books.  Students are busy with summer activities, sports and vacations.  This means a lot of time in a vehicle.  Audio books will make the trip (no matter long or short) more fun for everyone in the vehicle!  Download free books for Kindle.  Did you know your students can read Kindle books for free from any computer or mobile device?!  Click HERE. Just download their book reader software for free.

4. Create a Summer Reader Community

The best part of summer is spending time with friends! Help students connect summer reading with their friends! Talk with students about book studies and encourage them to play together AND do book talks together.  This helps all students, even the more introverted students, stay social all summer long.  Older students may create a reading calendar and organize their own book clubs.  For the younger students, the teacher can send home contact information (with permission, of course) regarding students in their proximity to assemble smaller scale reading groups.

5. Get the Parents and Families Involved

Send home a suggested summer reading list to help guide the parents. Please make sure all of the books on the list are available for free at the local library.  Students could generate their own summer reading lists by browsing their local libraries online.  Show students how to examine the inside pages of books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or YouTube.  The best way for families to encourage summer reading is to model reading.  (However, a trip to the local ice cream shop can be a fun whole family reward!)

(Here is a Common Core reading list.  Note: These may not all be available in the local library.  Use this list as a guide. Please don't print it for parents.)

Please share your own suggestions on how to encourage summer reading in the comments below.

We have several book units in our store.  If your students pick any of the books we have available, feel free to send the book activities home with your students.

To be used with any book:

Instead of a Book Report - Fun Foldable!

Reading Response Journal

Multi-Disciplinary Book Units:

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Activities

Because of Winn-Dixie Reading Comprehension Questions

Alexander and the Horrible Day Activities

Wrinkle in Time Reading Comprehension Questions

For lots more printable book units, click HERE.

OR

Bundle and SAVE $$$

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Two Guys and a Plane

Friday's Fabulous Flyers!

Adrian and Jonathan

Adrian and Jonathan flew the trip of a lifetime... a complete circuit of the continental United States under visual flight rules (VFR) in a 1975 Cessna 172 starting in San Jose California!

 

Planning to fly VFR around the US... might have needed some help from Mother Nature...

Learn how the trip came about in Episode 1 from their video blog series, and then follow their journey in subsequent episodes. The videos capture all the things people love about flying, as well as the challenges, triumphs, and sheer beauty of this country...

  
From New York to...

  
Roswell to...

 

 Victorville and beyond....

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene

Flying Companion Seminar!

GREATER SEATTLE CHAPTER OF THE 99s

Presents a
ONE-DAY
FLYING COMPANION SEMINAR
FOR NON-PILOTS 




· LEARN WHY & HOW THE AIRPLANE FLIES

· HOW TO READ AN AVIATION CHART

· WHO TO TALK TO ON THE RADIO

· HOW TO NAVIGATE TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

· WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY

· SAFETY TIPS, AND MUCH MORE

 

If you fly as a passenger with a friend or spouse, 

you owe it to yourself!


 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Historic Flight Foundation

Paine Field, Everett, WA

 

For more information, contact:

Andrea Chay at:  andrea40@juno.com

www.seattle99s.org

Enjoy the Journey~

XO Karlene