ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The propeller of life has gone full circle for Olivia Silver. After learning how to fly from female instructors, she is now the instructor, guiding future female pilots toward their aviation dreams.
“Being able to have someone like you teaching you definitely builds a sense of comfort,” said Silver. “Parents tell me that they waited weeks just to get on my schedule because they wanted their daughter to train with a woman.”
Silver credits her quick progression to GALA, which stands for Girls Achieving Leadership in Aviation.
“Every year, we raise about $20,000. This past year, we raised around $25,000. That goes to support scholarships for young ladies looking to get into the aviation field (because) becoming a pilot is so, so expensive,” said Beau Zimmer, spokesperson for GALA.
“I applied for the scholarship, and I was honored to be a recipient of that scholarship. It was really empowering to see that there was an organization geared specifically for supporting women in aviation,” said Silver. “I don’t think I’ve ever flown a commercial plane with a female captain, so just to see those numbers and how small they are it makes you motivated.”
Silver's latest student is Michele Juergens, whose goal is to transition from the cabin to the cockpit.
“I’m a flight attendant with a major airline, and it’s a great career, but I’m looking to challenge myself, so the next step for me was to go to pilot school,” said Juergens.
Juergens said having a female instructor has been a breath of fresh air.
“I just have that connection with her automatically, and she is really patient with me. She has given me the boost of confidence that I desperately needed when I first started,” said Juergens.
GALA is taking its mission to new heights this summer.
“This year, for the very first time, the Boys and Girls Club is going to be able to send out some of their young girls to Tampa International Airport, out to do some flight simulators, to get an in-depth tour of the airport, it’s going to be a week-long immersion in aviation,” said Zimmer.
“Our hope is for them to get inspired and to pursue aviation careers and pursue careers that typically they would be intimidated by,” said Danjela Jimenez with the Girls and Boys Club of Riverview.
As for Silver, she says there aren’t many female voices in the aviation community, so she wants to make sure her voice is heard during Women’s History Month.
“It’s definitely really important because it’s such a male dominant industry, and unless you see someone like you, you think it’s not for you, so it’s important to see more representation out there and know everyone can pursue their passions,” said Silver
