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take a ride in a plane. I came away mesmerized and resolute that this is what I wanted to do.” She continued, “I was never discouraged to try new things and pursue my dreams. When I told my dad I wanted to fly, he said, ‘do it,’ although he knew very little about airplanes. And when I soloed, he was there cheering me on.” Nineteen years ago, I took my two daughters to their first Oshkosh. In an article I wrote for Twin & Turbine then, I wrote: “As we walked among those amazing flying machines, I couldn’t help but sneak peeks to see if the seeds of interest were beginning to germinate. Only time will tell if that interest will blossom into passion.” Today, both daughters love aviation, but the oldest we discovered, had a love that did blossom into a passion for flight. As I write this in early September, this daughter (and granddaughter), with an aeronautical engineering degree from the Naval Academy and a private pilot certificate in her pocket, just learned that the Navy has selected her to fly jets, meaning the T-45 now and perhaps the F/18 Super Hornet after that. She confessed to me recently that it didn’t all click for her until she got to Corpus Christi and began flying the Navy’s T-6B. After weeks of studying, briefing and dual instruction, it was time for a series of solo flights. “Once I got in the air, it all changed. It’s so motivating to know that I know every aspect of the airplane and to be in complete command of it. This, to me, is flying.” I recently received the 2019 edition of Aviation for Girls, an annual magazine produced by Women in Aviation International and distributed on WAI’s Girls in Aviation Day. The goal of the magazine is to provide the girls with information that will inspire them to explore aviation further, both as a career and as a lifestyle. I was struck by the wonder and excitement captured in the young girl’s face featured on the cover. Perhaps the spark of passion has been ignited – I hope so! Regardless of what brought you to the left seat, we all owe it to the future of general aviation to open as many doors as possible for the next generation. This is a world of distractions and social media obsession, but it’s also a time of great opportunity. All it takes is someone to pull up the hangar door and show them the way. Dianne White is the executive director of MMOPA and editor of MMOPA Magazine. For a total of 14 years, she was editor of Twin & Turbine and has worked in the business aviation industry for nearly 30 years. She also serves on the board of directors for Angel Flight Central. An active multi-engine, instrument-rated pilot, Dianne lives in the Kansas City area and can be reached at editor@diannewhite.com. Send Solutions October 2019 / TWIN & TURBINE • 5