When you combine boundless enthusiasm and a passion for flying, you get my late Grandma Pat who was a pioneer in aviation for women. Pictured above in 1976 (left) with her best friend and racing partner, Marilyn Copeland, my Grandma Pat was known as Wichita’s first lady of aviation. She helped pave the way for female aviators around the globe – she served as President of the Ninety-Nines and was instrumental in helping to establish their headquarters. Pat was a corporate pilot for several years, served as an aviation safety counselor to the FAA, and was the driving force behind Wichita Aeronautical Historical Association. “She was a role model for [young pilots],” Loretta Gragg, the late director of the Ninety-Nines said. “I think Pat was an inspiration to everyone who came in contact with her.” Pat, like so many women before her, also had to overcome gender bias in the […]