A Mission That Made History
The FAA’s first all-women crew conducted flight inspections at LAX airport.
By Allison Krumsiek, FAA
The incredible women who make up the FAA’s Flight Program Operations made their own contribution to Women’s History Month when our first all-women crew conducted flight inspections this month. As the number of women in aviation rises, the FAA continues to recruit more female pilots and mission specialists, which will make this “first” a common occurrence.
On March 13, pilot-in-command Troy Devine, second-in-command Wendi Gima and mission specialist Elideth (Eli) Hernandez launched N84, one of the FAA’s King Air aircraft used for flight inspection missions. They took off from Sacramento, California, to inspect instrument landing systems at Los Angeles International Airport.
The airport is part of the Focus 40, a designation for the busiest airports with the most complex airspace. Flight inspection missions ensure the integrity of instrument approaches and procedures, which guide aircraft safely to their destinations every day and are crucial to maintaining the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system (NAS).
Focus 40 flight inspections are challenging, requiring unique maneuvers in busy airspace. But all flight checks require careful planning and execution. In preparation for missions, crews coordinate their flight plans with multiple organizations across the FAA’s air traffic organization. The communication and coordination is constant throughout the mission — crews make adjustments based on weather, unforeseen impediments to inspections, and even aircraft issues. There’s never a dull moment on a mission, even ones that don’t make history.
Women breaking barriers
While the mission in Los Angeles was a history-making flight for the FAA, for the talented crew it was just another day of working together to make the NAS safe. Acting Chief Pilot Lorry Faber, who has accomplished many firsts in her own career, said the crew were “always focused first and foremost on their mission to support the NAS” and weren’t necessarily focused on making history. “But you have to admit,” she went on, “it is pretty cool to be a part of!”
This isn’t the first time Devine has made history. While serving in the U.S. Air Force, then-Col. Devine was the first female U-2 pilot with the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron. She was also the first female U-2 squadron commander when she commanded the 99th.
“I fly with incredibly talented folks every time I fly a flight check mission. And today we happen to all be women.” — Troy Devine
Like her previous historical missions, Devine is “looking forward to the day when the composition of the crew is only noteworthy from an operational standpoint.”
Wendi Gima joined Flight Program Operations last September from a very different type of flight operation. In her previous job, Gima transported fire jumpers in the West for the National Forest Service. Gima was in and out of high-stress situations where communication is life and death. Communicating among the crew and using all available resources to ensure safety of flight and mission accuracy are key to being a crewmember in Flight Program Operations.
Tucked into the King Air cabin beside more than 250 pounds of electronic equipment, mission specialist Eli Hernandez ran critical safety checks by recording and analyzing the key navigational aid measurements that keep the U.S. airspace the safest in the world. Hernandez, originally from Colombia, was excited to make history.
“This is a huge step in the right direction for women in aviation,” she said. “My hope is to inspire more women, specifically Hispanic women, to get involved in aviation.” Hernandez has held many roles in Flight Program Operations, and many doors have opened to her. “I am truly living the American dream working for Flight Program Operations and by taking part in the first all-female crew,” she said.
In addition to the flight crew, the Flight Program Operations Sacramento office includes another truly exceptional mission specialist, Amy Mills, and an outstanding scheduler, Hiawatha Wheat. Wheat came to Sacramento by way of working with the airlines, then dispatch.
Although she has always loved aviation, being the one to fly the plane wasn’t in the cards. “I believe there are so many young ladies who are aspiring to become a pilot out there, and some may just love aviation but without piloting — like me,” she said. “I am proud to be the scheduler for the first all-female crew.”
With so many talented women in one office, it was just a matter of time before an historic all-female crew came together. “I am blown away daily by the professionalism and skill of the people I work with,” Devine said.
First but not last
In order to make this “first ever” a “whatever,” Flight Program Operations is constantly looking for more women to join its ranks. We’re always looking to the future of aviation and the goals of diversity and inclusion.
That’s why we’re heading out to more events across the country this year and hosting our events at eight Flight Program Operations stations. We also are working with entities such as trade associations, industry groups and other avenues to spread the word about the infinite possibilities in aerospace.
One goal this year is to spread the word about the incredible career opportunities at the FAA.
“I hope that anyone looking for a challenging and rewarding career in aviation would consider the flight check mission,” Devine said.
We hope that having more female crew members in Flight Program Operations and other offices in the FAA will help women looking at or coming up in the aviation world to see their opportunities to take to the sky.
