The Most Famous Women in Aviation History and Their Brilliant Contributions

Although the Wright brothers are widely known for their contributions to the development of the first working aircraft designs, and other famous aviators like Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes have made their mark on the world of early flight, there are also many daring women who were equally important and skilled.

One of the most famous female aviators in history is Bessica Faith Raiche – known primarily as Bessie Raiche. She is credited for being the first American woman to ever embark on a successful solo flight aboard an airplane. Bessie Coleman is another notable name, having been the first woman of Native American descent to obtain her international pilot’s license as early as 1921.

There are many other famous women who have had significant achievements in aviation history. Internationally, Raymonde de Laroche was the first woman in the world to obtain a valid pilot’s license.  Influenced and assisted by airplane engineer and aviator, Charles Voisin, de Laroche had her first documented solo flight in 1909.

Amelia Earhart is probably the most famous woman in aviation history, being known for her outstanding flying skills, her daring solo flight across the Atlantic and her mysterious disappearance in 1937.

Despite their contributions at the dawn of the history of flight and their continuing record breaking achievements in the 1950s, women were largely kept away from the main arenas in aviation – especially when it came to commercial flying – until the 1970s, when women were again allowed into the US Airforce as pilots, and pilots like Louise Sacchi and Turi Widerøe became well-known on the international scene.

Do these famous explorers and innovators inspire you to add some adventure to your life? If so, consider pursuing a private pilot license in Colorado. Who knows where your next adventure will be?

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What Are the Best Travel Destinations in and Near the Colorado Area?

If you’re searching for the best places to visit in or around the state of Colorado, there are numerous areas perfect for outdoor activities that you’ll likely enjoy. Untouched locations, where nature still reigns supreme, and humankind has yet to even explore most areas, can be among the most notable attractions you can find here. Also, Colorado is a place where you can visit numerous natural parks, and see rare plants and endangered animal species that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet.

Steamboat Springs is one of the hidden gems that Coloradoans are truly proud of. This small town features outstanding ski resorts, and is also a genuine ranching center. Here you can embark on daring challenges skiing downhill in the winter, but you can also enjoy other recreational activities that are designed for all seasons – including hiking or relaxing at some of the soothing natural hot springs in the area.

The mountain town of Breckenridge used to be a mining colony. After facing near complete destruction, it was rebuilt and repurposed, now housing some of Colorado’s most well-known genuine alpine getaways. Aside from skiing and hiking, you can also enjoy the newly restored river area, and explore the greenery during the summer.

Finally, the Garden of the Gods is probably one of the most exciting places you can visit. This park, located in Colorado Springs, is an area of strange and beautiful natural rock formations that were visited and inhabited by prehistoric people as early as 1300 BC.

These are but a few of the beautiful places to visit in Colorado. Drive time can vary to each location, and traffic delays in Colorado seem to increase every year. Have you ever considered adventures you could have by independently flying to these, and more, places in Colorado and the United States? If you have, consider checking out excellent pilot schools in Colorado to see what it would take to gain the freedom and adventure of flying to these and many other gorgeous places.

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A Look at the Most Popular Private Jets to Rent

Even though most private jets cost millions to buy, you can usually get away with paying a lot less by simply renting them. Compared to the hefty purchase cost, a charter will usually cost “only” a few thousand dollars, and it can give you the experience of a lifetime.

The Cessna Citation variants are some of the top picks when it comes to renting a jet that is secure, reliable and surprisingly roomy. With enough space to house up to 8 people and costing only $6,000 for a standard flight from LA to Las Vegas, the Citation XLS and XLS+ are two of the top planes you can think of renting.

The 4-seat Phenom 100 may not be as spacious as some other planes, but it definitely makes up for it in terms of comfort and luxury. This aircraft has a stunning, BMW-inspired interior, and it also features a private bathroom and sizable luggage space.

Finally, you’ll find the Bombardier Challenger 850 is one of the most popular airplanes for larger groups. Although it can support long flights of more than 6 hours, it is most popular for shorter trips supporting groups of up to 14 passengers. Its impressively comfortable interior and lower cost is one of its strongest advantages over other large private planes.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in the independence and freedom flying allows, consider learning to fly at an elite Denver flight school. Once you have mastered the program, imagine the fun and adventure you will have flying family and friends to incredible memory making destinations.

Article Source over here: A Look at the Most Popular Private Jets to Rent

The Most Interesting Places You Can Visit With Your Own Plane

So you just got your new private jet, and after mastering your flying basics and going on a few solo flights, you want to see the world. Granted, a few flights might be less than what would prepare you for a long journey across oceans and mountains, but with a seasoned pilot at your side to guide you through the challenging parts, you should be good to go.

Why not start your journeys with a genuine African safari. One of the most stunning places you can go to is Victoria Falls in Africa, at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This is the largest waterfall in the world, and an amazing sight to behold from above.

The desert landscapes of Jordan hide one of the most majestic religious sites in the world – the large and imposing temple of Al-Khazneh in the city of Petra. This is a huge structure carved out of a sandstone rock face, and it’s also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

Finally, you can visit the delectable land of Tasmania located just south of Australia and featuring a large and beautiful coastline that is best viewed from the comfort of your private plane. After landing in Tasmania, you can visit the famous tessellated pavement, see the Tasmanian devils in their natural habitat, and take the well-known bike tour at Coles Bay.

All of the above ideas sound amazing! However, if you are looking to stay closer to Colorado, with travel within the United States, consider checking out a private jet charter in Denver at Independence Aviation. Start planning your adventure today!

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The Great American Eclipse

Astronomers are calling it The Great American Eclipse. On August 21, 2017, an eclipse will start and end in Denver at 10:23:17am and 1:14:40pm respectively, with the mid-point being at 11:47:03am and covering 92% of the sun. This will be the first eclipse to span the entire continental United States in 99 years, starting on the Oregon coast, sweeping through the nation at a rapid 3000 miles per hour, and leaving the South Carolina coast an hour and a half later.

Hotels along the path of totality began receiving requests for reservations as long as 15 years ago from people anticipating this event. Roads are forecasted to be jam packed and slow on the day of the eclipse, so if you’re a pilot, you’ll probably be flying there instead. Aviation enthusiasts will be flocking to airports across the path of totality to watch from the wide open views they will most likely offer, with many of the airports hosting fly-ins, camping and/or even festivals.

Things you may need to know:

1. Never look directly at the sun without special glasses. If you are in the path of totality, it’s ok to look at it without them when the moon has completely covered the sun.
2. If you have plans to travel for the viewing, try not to do it the day of since many roads may be immobile.
3. This event may break the internet. Billions of people will be flocking to the internet to view it on social media and other online sources.
4. If you’re taking pictures, unless you have a special lens, your pictures of the sun may not turn out as well as you hope.

This eclipse even has its own website at greatamericaneclipse.com where you can find facts on the phenomena, a history of eclipses, where the best viewing spots are, and a store for memorabilia.

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Do You Want To Get In the Saddle – Or Back In the Saddle?

Independence Aviation is a flight school that offers flight training, pilot mentoring, pilot services, aircraft management, hangar management and more in a friendly environment. You will find that experienced Cirrus Training instructors love what they do.  Below is a great story we thought we would share with you to inspire the pilot within.

Back In the Saddle

A rusty pilot regains his currency in a whole new world of aviation.

Pilot Jeff Berlin hadn’t flown a Cirrus SR22 for about a year, and before that quick round trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back he hadn’t flown one for at least two years prior.

TOMATO FLAMES? Are you kidding? I’m sitting with my friend and CFI Paul Sallach in the restaurant at the Inn at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California, nibbling on a turkey BLT while doing the ground portion of my flight review, what people used to call a biannual flight review. All is well thus far. I know my airspace and cloud clearances. I know what I need to know about sunset, sunrise and the beginning and end of civil twilight. And I’ve got all the buttons, switches and functions of the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin avionics suite dialed in. But TOMATO FLAMES? Seriously?   Keep reading….

If you have an interest in becoming a pilot, whether it is for a career or pleasure, Independence Aviation is here for you.  The instructors are some of the finest and will share their love of flying and experience with you, so you can become a licensed pilot.

Article Source right here: Do You Want To Get In the Saddle – Or Back In the Saddle?

Celebrating Women in Aviation

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Independence Aviation's celebration of Women's History Month continues with this story about the new film showcasing the accomplishments of women in the aviation industry.

As the premier pilot school in Colorado, we support the encouragement of girls and women to enter STEM careers and realize their potential. To start your training, call Independence Aviation today.

Indie Atlantic film produced in Lakeland highlights women in aviation - News - News Chief - Winter Haven, FL “In modern society, we still have that ingrained — that girls don't go into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math fields) because they don't do those things,” said Wiatt, who’s making her directorial debut with the feature-length film "Fly Like a Girl" to dispel that myth.

Women like Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut to fly into space in 1992; Patty Wagstaff, an aerobatic pilot; and Olivia Lisbon, a recent graduate of Polk State College; and so many more are examples of what women can accomplish. “We need to tell their story: What women were doing in history and what women are doing today,” Wiatt said. “We have to show girls there are people out there doing great things.”

Wiatt said she wants to show a variety of women in various fields, such as women in the military, drone pilots, helicopter pilots and more. “Some people are very interested in supporting this, and those who have higher-level achievements, like the first Thunderbird pilot. But there are also engineers who are part of major corporations, NASA, scientists, sociologists. We want to tell all aspects of this story.”

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2017 Outstanding Aviator Award

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Major Heather Penney will be awarded the 2017 annual Outstanding Aviator Award! The award will be presented by the Wings Club Foundation at their annual meeting, and International Aviation Womens Association (IAWA) during a presentation that will take place on March 29, 2017 at The Yale Club in New York City.

As soon as Congress opened combat aviation to women, Penney applied to the Air National Guard to fly F-16’s, and was the first woman in the 121^st Fighter Squadron.

Penney is being recognized for her service to our country when on September 11, 2001,  she was one of two pilots asked to take action and protect the airspace over Washington D.C that morning. Her mission was to take down the hijacked airliner United Flight 93 by any means necessary. However, because of the urgency of the situation, there hadn’t been enough time to actually arm her F-16. It was obvious she had been sent on a suicide mission.

When asked about being ready and willing to fly a kamikaze mission, she stated, “Because there are things in this world that are more important than ourselves.”

Today, Penney works for Lockheed Martin as the Director of Air Force Aviation Training Systems, specializing in capture management, government relations and strategic business development. She has worked with the F-16 and F-22, and is currently working on the F-35 project.

Since it’s commencement in 2010, the annual Outstanding Aviator Award has been presented to exemplary recipients such as the Tuskegee Airmen, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the Doolittle Raiders, Patty Wagstaff, and Bob Hoover.

Independence Aviation would like to say Congratulations!

Flying the new Cirrus SR22 G6

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This a great story about the first experience flying the new Cirrus SR22 G6. The new Perspective+ Avionics and cockpit improvements are all explained through Stephen Pope's perspective.

As a Platinum Cirrus Training Center, we look forward to learning more about this new model and getting some flights recorded.

We Fly: Cirrus SR22 G6 | Flying Magazine

My introduction to the G6 SR22 included a half-dozen flights over the span of three days in mid-December. By now the secret is out and the G6 is the talk of the Cirrus-owner community — but at that time flying the new model required stealth since it was among the most closely guarded secrets in all of general aviation.

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Mountain Flying Course

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Flying in the Mountains

If you've never flown in the mountains, you don't know what you're missing. Our instructors fly in the mountains all the time and we'd love to share the experience with you.

Visit us and we'll talk about mountain weather, density altitude, A/C loading, route selection, survival gear to carry, planning, communications, and we'll get you to as many airports as your schedule allows. Our specialty is operation in and out of high altitude airports close to skiing, hiking and fishing.

Mountain flight experience programs are tailored to your needs and wishes using your plane or one of ours. Our simulator will enhance the experience to demonstrate high density altitude operations, terrain avoidance using ODP's and planning.

IA's Mountain Traiing Options

Our mountain training course includes a ground discussion of topics specific to mountain flying safety and survival techniques. Then we go out and fly!

Typical Scenarios

• Obstacle departure procedures in the mountains
• Challenging mountain instrument approaches
• Equipment failures & emergencies
• Mountain range crossings
• Circle to land approaches

The typical flight plan can include stops in Buewna Vista (KAEJ), Leadville (KLXV, the highest airport in the continental US), Aspen (KASE), Steamboat Springs (KSTS), and Eagle (KEGE, Vail).

The fun can be accomplished in one of our fleet aircraft or your own aircraft that meets some minimum mountain requirements. The training may also qualify for a flight review, instrument proficiency check, or part of a Cirrus Transition Training.

Feel free to call the Independence Aviation office for information on all we offer at our Colorado flight school locations.

Cirrus Vision Jet Makes an Appearance at Centennial Airport!

Cirrus Aircraft has recently started delivering the new Cirrus Vision SF50 Jet to its first customers, and one of them made an appearance in the Arapahoe Aero hanger at Centennial Airport! We had the privilege of seeing this new airplane up close and personal, and experiencing the smells of the new leather interior for ourselves.

Rumor has it that this is the 2^nd SF50 off the production line, and the very 1^st to be delivered to a customer.  We can’t wait to be flying around in one of these on a regular basis!

First Posted over here: Cirrus Vision Jet Makes an Appearance at Centennial Airport!