Kat was sound asleep. Her parents looked at her and smiled. Ten to one, she was dreaming about airplanes. She had to be, because she had a smile on her face. Ever since she had taken her first plane ride, a couple of years ago, Kat had been infatuated with airplanes. Now at ten, she declared to anyone who would listen, that she wanted to be a pilot when she grew up. When other girls her age were playing with dolls, Kat was putting together model airplanes, and then hanging them from the ceiling in her room, or putting together those little wooden glider planes, and flying them with the boys.
Kat had been excited when her parents told her that the family was going to visit her grandmother in Moss Point, Mississippi. Moss Point was a long way from St. Louis. It was going to be her very first airplane ride, and that was all that it took. She remembered the rush that she felt when the plane took off, and climbed into the sky. Her parents just thought it was just another phase she was going through. Heck, it wasn’t too long before that when she wanted to be a nurse, and before that, an English teacher, like her mom. This wasn’t a phase. Kat was really interested in planes, and one day she wanted to learn to fly.
Even in 1969, black airline pilots weren’t very common, and black female airline pilots were even more of a rarity. Kat had her mind set though. She was going to be a pilot.
When she turned 16, she started classes for her Private Pilot’s license, and when she was 17, she received her license. It was one of the happiest days of her life. She continued to log more flight hours, got her Instrument rating, and then when she turned 18, she received her Commercial Certificate.
It wasn’t easy. In a field dominated by men, a lady, especially a black lady, really stood out. She was focused though, but she had a lot of fun too. Her friends loved to go flying with her, and she loved to take them flying. They called her the Flying Princess.
In college, she majored in Aeronautical Engineering. Whew!!! She loved it though. It was graduation time. Kat’s parents came down to her graduation. They remembered how much she loved airplanes as a child. They remembered how they would look on her as she slept with a smile on her face, just knowing she was probably dreaming about airplanes. Now their little girl was graduating from college with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Yes, she was on her way.