Overview

Aviatrix is the captivating story of one of the first women pilots to break into the all-male airline flight cockpit. Hired in 1976 at Hughes Airwest, Mary Bush made a herculean effort to overcome the resistance and harassment she faced in such a position, but it was to no avail. Mary was introduced to flying at an early age. She started flying as a teenager, studying and training long hours until she painstakingly obtained her ratings one by one. Financial hardships hit the family hard, though, and Mary--desperate for both flying experience and money--headed down to the infamous Corrosion Corner in South Florida to be a ""freight dog"" for fly-by-night operators. However, she was frequently denied work because of her gender. She kept praying, working, and struggling, though, with the hope of one day becoming an airline pilot, a job in which she would have both steady work and steady pay. Then, after her brother is lost at sea in one of the family airplanes, Mary is more determined than ever to become a pilot at an airline, just as her brother had planned to be. So, when she is offered the position at Hughes Airwest, Mary is thrilled. Going out west to fly jets was everything she had dreamed of and worked for. The discrimination and lewd remarks she had often faced in Florida, though, had not even come close to preparing her for the relentless harassment she would encounter as the first woman pilot at an airline. A close-up and enthralling account of Mary's struggles as an aviation pioneer, this book will astound, appall, and inspire you.

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A pioneering pilot's story of breaking gender barriers, fighting discrimination, and making peace with her experience. In this debut memoir, Shipko takes readers through her career in aviation, from washing planes at her father's fixed-based operation at a South Florida airport to becoming the first female pilot hired by Hughes Airwest, in 1976. Although she stopped flying in 1981, Shipko's deep knowledge of aviation and the personalities of each plane she flew are evident in her detailed descriptions of flights taken decades ago. Her early years as a pilot were spent doing freelance flying out of Miami's Corrosion Corner-""history, danger, and romance all wrapped up in one""-ferrying cargo and passengers throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. The tedium of loading and unloading tons of Bahamian fruits and vegetables was balanced by the opportunity for a swim on other island runs, delivering emergency supplies to Belize in the wake of a hurricane, and a night spent in a Colombian jail. During those Florida years, Shipko faced some antagonists and resistance to a woman in the cockpit, but that harassment was minor compared with the attacks at Hughes Airwest. Shipko writes with evident pride of her professional growth yet also describes in vivid detail the verbal, emotional, and physical harassment she faced from male pilots who resented her presence. The book places these experiences in historical context, long before companies were held liable for sexual harassment. When the stress of resisting and attempting to ignore the abuse caused serious health problems, Shipko took medical leave from Hughes Airwest and eventually retired from flying. Tracing her evolution in the decades since, she compellingly explores the roles her Catholic faith and family played in developing her understanding of the challenges she faced. A unique, engaging memoir balancing personal story with broader social themes, Kirkus review. Sometimes compared to Beryl Markham's memoir West with the Night by readers.

Author Information

Aviation Pioneer and author Mary Bush Shipko was one of the first women airline pilots in the country. She began her flying career in 1964 in South Florida. She was hired in May of 1976 as the first woman Airline pilot for Hughes Air West, owned by the colorful aviator and movie producer Howard Hughes. Mary received her airline transport rating and DC- 3 type rating in November of 1974. She also holds a Curtis C-46 type rating. Other aircraft she flew includes the constellation 1049H, Douglas DC-6 and DC-7CF. At the airlines she flew the Fairchild F-27 and Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727. She has written three books her popular memoir, AVIATRIX, her children's book, DARING MARY AVIATION PIONEER, and her newest book for ages 12 and up, THE FIRSTS; WOMEN PILOTS AND HOW THEY CHANGED THE AIRLINES, a STEM book. She is a member of Chesapeake Bay writers. She plays second violin in CCO a community orchestra in Gloucester, Virginia. She is a member of America's boating club and the education officer of her local club. Today she speaks around the country, inspiring young women to become airline pilots.

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