Thank you to everyone who helped show almost 100 local girls, in Madrid, the opportunities available in the aviation industry. Girls learned from role models and industry experts, including: pilots, aircraft mechanics, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and more!

In this video, Pat, of Sundowner Aviation, explains the four forces of flight: thrust, drag, weight/gravity, and lift. Then, he and Christine demonstrate how they work in the simulator and in the aircraft.

Safety first.

Before every flight, pilots must follow a series of checklists, including a physical walkaround of the aircraft to ensure it is airworthy, or safe to fly and meets all regulations.

​In this video, Christine is at Sundowner Aviation, demonstrating a preflight walkaround.

Have you ever wondered what all of the gadgets inside of a cockpit are? Check out this post and video we made with Sundowner Aviation to learn about the instruments, radios, navigation, and gauges.

For the past 49 years, EAA - The Spirit of Aviation - has hosted aviation enthusiasts from around the world for one week in its hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The control tower stands tall, at center field, with a banner reading, “World’s Busist Control Tower.” But just as pilots and aircraft controllers identify passenger counts as “souls on board,” it is truly the souls - the spirit - that make this event one to remember and one to which to return.

Last Friday, we hosted an aviation booth at the USA Girl Scouts Overseas - Madrid STEM fair. Below, you will find photos of our booth and details to make your own. Early exposure is so valuable for children to learn to imagine what they can do. Also, please enjoy the video - thanks to Patricia, Alicia, Chen-hsi, Deisy, Natalie, Jade, and Kandy - made by current female pilots for future female pilots.

Only 6.71% of pilots are women, according to the FAA's Aeronautical Center (31 December 2016 data). That number drops to 4.36% for Airline Transport Pilots. We want to expose girls and young women to all that is possible. So we've decided to collaborate with with a few women whose personalities and businesses we've grown quite fond of.

First up, we have Angee, from One Plane Jane. Earlier this week, we had the chance to talk about flying and family. Thanks, Angee, for sharing your story and for inspiring the aviation community, and beyond, with your products.

​Last fall, while in NYC, I was privileged to watch my best friend perform in the musical, "This One's For The Girls." Although I had studied ballet for my entire youth, as I grew up, I often became "one of the guys," and never gave too much thought to promoting opportunities for women. It was not until watching the musical that I truly realized, with my fully supportive better half (and aircraft mechanic), Angel, laughing and crying next to me, just how recently equal opportunity has become available to women. It happened in my mother's lifetime! 

Smile. Be kind. Eat pie. Often you do not know why someone is traveling. It could be for celebration or mourning, for business or for pleasure. Or for pie.

Small rural airports have some of the best homemade pies. I once flew across Ohio for blueberry pie, landing just 10 minutes before the KTSO restaurant closed. The owners insisted on brewing a fresh post of coffee and even offered to stay open and cook us dinner. Respecting their time, we thanked them profusely and took off for home, racing the thunderstorms, carrying a whole blueberry pie and two steaming cups of black coffee to celebrate my first 100 hours of flying.

The aviation community often extends so much kindness, perhaps realizing that we could, one day, be flying their mothers or children.

Two years and some hours later...

22 Lessons from My First 100+ Hours in the Cockpit

At Alpha Charlie Travel, we take you from A to C, where you can Be yourself in-between. As your travel specialists, we make certain you are a passenger only when you are in the plane. Enjoy the lessons and video, below, as you prepare to pilot your own travels. We may have control over very little, but we do have choices. The following lessons apply well beyond the forces of flight.