Northwest Aerospace News June | July Issue No. 15 | Page 62

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ERIKA ARMSTRONG —
A Chick in the Cockpit
By Erika Armstrong
It seems that everyone who is a pilot knew at a young age what they wanted to
be, but I became a pilot by accident!
While growing up in Minnesota, the only woman pilot I knew of was Amelia
Earhart. While I admired her courage, I also didn’t want to end up disappearing
in the Pacific Ocean, so I never even considered the possibility of becoming a
pilot until a financial issue pressed me into the industry.
During college, I had two part-time jobs and still couldn’t pay for my tuition
and living expenses so I was looking for a third job I could fit into my schedule.
Since aviation is 24/7/365, I found a job with unusual hours as a customer
service representative at the front desk of an FBO at the Flying Cloud Airport in
Minnesota.
I started learning about the aviation industry and loved everything about it — the
sounds, the smell, the language, and the comradery. I finally took a discovery
flight at the flight school next door and I was then forever hooked.
62 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS