LadiesLoveTaildraggers

Nancy Warren is based at KBAK, Columbus Municipal Airport, Columbus, Indiana.

Nancy Warren, DC-3

Many years ago I was checked out in a Citabria, 7-ECA (part-owner), also flew right seat in DC-3s and Beech 18s, currently fly a Cessna Cardinal 177.

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Nancy Warren & friend, Rusty Richards with Rusty's Cessna 195

I was a member of the 99s for 25 years, currently member of the United Flying Octogenarians (UFO), serve on its Board of Directors and as Area Director for the State of Indiana. I also write a monthly column (WOMEN IN THE SKIES) for www.aircraftowneronline.com.

Nancy Warren

Good news! This beautiful C195 will be at our Lady Taildraggers flyin and Nancy & Rusty will be in it!  Be sure and check out the upcoming February issue of www.aircraftowneronline.com. Nancy was so excited about our organization she suggested writing an article about LLT to her editor. It’ll be on-line soon!  Judy

Aileen Watkins is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, (KDWH) Houston, Texas.

Aileen Watkins

I am definitely a taildragger girl and made my living early in my flying career as a taildragger pilot. When it was difficult to find a full-time flying job, my experience in conventional gear aircraft allowed me to fill a need at a couple of local flight schools where this skill was needed but hard to come by. As my client base grew, so did my opportunities.

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Having started my flying career flying aerobatics with my first competition at 83 hours total time, my passion for doing something out of the ordinary and that required stick-and-rudder skills allowed me to “make my bones” in the flying world. My enthusiasm for the sport, and for aviation, carried me through my financial shortcomings to keep me in the air.

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I don’t have a favorite taildragger, as I love them all, but the DC3, Pitts, Decathlon and Cub have very special places in my heart, and in my hands. They truly represent the romance of flying, and the kinship of the “ladies” that carry my heart though the sky.

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My first two instructors were ladies and mentors who were both very accomplished taildragger pilots. I thank them for instilling in me the qualities of safety, professionalism, and the want and need of striving for excellence in flying, and in delivering quality flight instruction. They truly believe in the “safety” attitude, and having fun doing what we love.

Here is a photo of my daughter Katalin's First Flight at age 5 weeks. It was also my hubby, Bob, and my 17th Wedding Anniversary. 1947 Cessna 195, taken on May 4, 2008

Some of the taildraggers I have flown: Cub, Pitts, Citabria, Decathlon, Taylorcraft, Extra, Sukhoi, Luscombe, Stearman, Bird, Great Lakes, Skybolt, Waco, Cessna 120/140/170/180/185/195, Maule, Husky, and the DC3.

Aileen Watkins

Lynda Lee LaBerge is based at (GA75) Meadowlark Airport, Concord, Georgia.

Lynda LaBerge & her Pawnee

Learned to fly in a Piper Cub and Piper Pacer. Owned a Globe Swift with a 210 Continental.

Flew King Air and Diamond Jets for charter company with my husband. Now operate a glider flight school with my husband and do all of the towing in our 260hp Piper Pawnee.

DC-3 & Globe Swift

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Close up!

You may want to check out the November 2010 issue of AOPA Pilot Magazine and read the article “Above the Spill”.  Lady taildragger pilot Sheila Mabbitt is mentioned on page 70, and pictured on page 68.  The article is about GA flying the Gulf oil spill.

Dispersing chemicals over the spill

DC-3 captain Sheila Mabbitt worked full-time in the gulf coast helping with the clean up efforts.

You can still see the entire post and Sheila’s other amazing pictures on the following link.

Link to August 2010 post:

Gulf Oil Spill

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Lorraine Morris is based at Poplar Grove Airport (C77), Poplar Grove, Illinois.

I started flying in 1980 and started flying taildraggers in 1987 when I met my husband.  He had a 1950 Cessna 140A that he had learned to fly in, so he taught me to fly again (in the 140A) after not flying for 5 years before I met him.

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We have kept the 140A and I think I will go before it goes as it has been in the family since 1968, but other taildraggers have come and gone, including a bunch of Cessna 140s, a 150 taildragger conversion, a Spartan Executive (Ken’s Mistress), a Commonwealth Skyranger, and a Culver Cadet.

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All of these we bought as some form of basket case and fixed up or restored to flying condition.

We are working on another Cessna 150 tailwheel conversion right now as that is the plane I had a lot of fun with.  The early 150s with the straight tail and straight back are the best when converted using Cessna 140 gear.

I fly the B-777 for United right now, and started an interior business about 15 years ago.  I sew and install complete interiors for people, preferably in old airplanes.  My husband Ken is an A&P and IA so between the two of us we do lots of complete restorations for ourselves and others.

We got our DC-3 type ratings, and that also allows us to deliver all kinds of planes all over the US.  I have to say it is always a team effort!

Thanks for the great website!

Lorraine Morris

Sheila Mabbitt has been working in the gulf coast area full-time with the clean up efforts pertaining to the oil spill. She will most likely be demobilized  later this week, however, before heading home she sent us these amazing pictures to post on Ladies Love Taildraggers.  These are incredible pictures - thanks Sheila for forwarding these and the information about your experience.

DC3T Spray Sortie

I was contacted by a company on Tuesday, June 30 and offered a position down here to fly DC-3s and a turbine DC-3 doing aerial spraying as well as some spotting and recon work in a twin (turbo) commander. They needed my answer within 24 hours and required that I be in position by Saturday, July 2 if I accepted their offer due to the urgency of the matter.

After much thought and consideration and many prayers, I called them Wednesday morning June 30, and accepted their offer and informed my current (now previous) employer that I would be leaving effective the next day. I spent the next day organizing things at home getting ready for this new endeavor and packing my car with bare necessities and headed for Louisiana on Friday, July 2.

It took me 9 hours to drive down with only 2 fuel/facility stops and I arrived at the airport at 16:00 fully intending on my first day on the job being Saturday, July 3, but ended up being wheels up (on a flight mission) just 20 minutes after my arrival.

We have been on duty 7 days a week and when not flying spray missions are doing training sessions, training flights, or computer training for incident command systems & emergency response, etc.

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It’s no secret these are the same planes used in the BP commercial that’s been playing over the last month or so across the nation.

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If we get released before the weekend, I may try to get up there still for at least part of the weekend to meet you and the rest of these amazing women, so perhaps I will see you then.  Have a great time either way, and thanks again for all your efforts.

Blue Skies,

Sheila Mabbitt

Here’s an update from Kelly Jeffries who is based at NH69, Windsock Village Airport  in West Ossipee, NH.  Thanks, Kelly, for sending in this incredible pic!  What a blast for both you gals and your husband – and how cool to see your very own RV right there beside you!

“Here’s a picture that was taken in 2006 at Sun-n-Fun.  My husband is flying my RV but I’m flying co-pilot in the DC3, the Captain was Sheila Mabbitt.”

For more information about Flagship Detroit log on to: Flagship Detroit

Flagship Detroit Foundation, P.O. Box 96137, Southlake, TX 76092

Here’s the link to Sheila’s pilot profile also; Sheila Mabbitt

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From Kelly; “I live in the best airpark in NH and fly a beautiful RV-8 that my husband built.  I fly big airplanes for work (767 American Airlines) but my love is my RV.  My tailwheel experience includes a few hours in a Stearman and various hours in Super Cubs”.

“This picture is me and my dear friend, Lisa.  Lisa was one of my flight attendants who unfortunately, lost the battle with cancer over two years ago.  Though not a pilot, she loved flying and it was very special to be able to take her places.”

“I have Fifinella on my airplane as a tribute to the WASP.  Many ask me about Fifi and it’s great to be able to tell people about the WASP and their contribution to our country”.

Sheila Mabbitt is based in Nashville, TN at KBNA, Nashville International Airport.

I grew up in S. Carolina and took to the skies at age 20 though as a flight attendant for a major airline. I quickly nurtured a desire to learn to fly, but suppressed that dream for several years until finances and timing came together at a juncture that would certainly prove to change my life. Shortly after obtaining all my ratings, I began my adventures logging time as a pipeline patrol pilot, and soon thereafter had the good fortune of meeting a gentleman who needed a co-pilot for his cargo company. I immediately embarked on a journey that has taken me through aviation history.

I began flying DC-3s for him in 2003 and quickly fell in love, not just with the Gooney Bird, but with all WWII era airplanes, particularly those consisting of the tailwheel/radial engine combo and have had the opportunity to fly T-6s, Wacos, Stearmans, & Beech 18s, to name a few. I was typed in the DC-3 in 2004 and have logged more than 1,000 hrs in type. I have flown them all over the country experiencing the earth’s beauty from the open cockpit window 500′ AGL. My most rewarding trips thus far have been various humanitarian missions. I now fly a King Air 200 out of Nashville, but stay involved in the DC-3 community whenever possible.

Flying DC-3s has opened so many doors for me and allowed me to meet many other great aviators and aviatrixes, some of whom I’ve had the honor of being featured with in Sparky Barnes Sargent’s book entitled, “A Hunger for the Sky” seen here: http://home.windstream.net/av8terz/book.html .