The Girl That Can Fly

A good friend of mine, Dave, has always talked about his kids. He regularly brings up the interesting things they’re doing and have accomplished. He describes them all as having their own personalities, fun, smart and very driven. A few months ago, I had a conversation with him, and asked what his family was up to. Although I was impressed with all of his kids, I was stunned to learn that his 15 year old daughter, Nora Lockhart, has been learning to fly a plane for the past two years. I was immediately dialed into the conversation and needed to learn more because flying a plane before driving a car was absolutely fascinating for me. Dave’s face lit up as he explained Nora’s amazing story.

Charter and Go values our community, and we are happy to be able to share Nora’s story with you all. 

Joe at Charter and Go:
Nora, please tell us a little about yourself and how you started taking flying lessons. 

Nora
I guess something in me has always been drawn to aviation. My mom tells me that when I was younger I would always point out the planes in the sky, and for career day in first grade I dressed as a fighter pilot! 

Then in 5th grade, I chose to be Amelia Earhart for a “historical figures” project and was completely inspired by her. I didn’t realize just how large of a role she played in the aviation community until I did more research. My 10-year-old self was intrigued at the work she did and the life she lived. Amelia Earhart will always be one of my favorite historical figures and I hope that she will continue to inspire future generations of aviators. 

That same year I was able to control a plane for the first time. We had some friends that owned a Mooney and my parents told me that we were just going to look at it. In reality they knew the whole time that we were going up in the plane – but they wanted to surprise me and my sister! I specifically remember the pilot showing me his preflight inspection checklist. While we were up in the air he showed me the lines of the airspace of DFW on his digital map and explained to me what airspace actually was. Even though I didn’t understand it then, all I saw was a bunch of circles! Of course, I didn’t know anything about the instruments or controls but it all still fascinated me. He let me control the plane for a small portion of the time that we were up.

That day, I decided I wanted to be a pilot. 

One of my favorite things to do in the fall and spring is go to air shows. I love being able to see all the planes on display and their amazing aerobatics – especially the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds! Another one of my favorite things about the air shows is being around people that share my same interests. In 2018 I had the opportunity to attend the National Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where I met the legendary Buzz Aldrin, Sean Tucker, and other leaders in the aviation industry. 

Nora Lockhart with legendary Buzz Aldrin

About two years ago, I began my journey toward becoming a pilot by taking private lessons.  I recently took the FAA knowledge test…and passed! Now I’m looking forward to being able to solo after I turn 16 this September, and my goal is to get my license soon after I turn 17. I’m currently a part of the Denton Civil Air Patrol squadron which also provides flight opportunities. As I look towards college, I plan to apply to the Air Force or Naval Academy. Alternatively, I would study aviation at a civilian university and then become a private pilot.

When I think back to that six-year-old girl who dreamed of airplanes, I can’t believe that 10 years later I’m actually pursuing my dream of becoming a pilot.

Joe at Charter and Go:
Was there any aspect of learning to fly that was difficult? 

Nora
Although flying in the air is a lot of fun, there is also a lot of ground school that you have to complete.  I spent dozens of hours working through the ground school coursework, and then even more time working through practice tests.  A tip I would share with other future pilots is to memorize as much information as you can from practice tests, and always go over your incorrect answers. My instructor insisted that I consistently get scores in the 90’s before scheduling a real test… but that seemed impossible at first!   When I started taking practice tests, I wasn’t doing very well.  But then I began to memorize the information and I was able to get consistent 90’s quickly after that.

Joe at Charter and Go:
Do you have any exciting stories you would like to share about your time flying a plane?

Nora
My instructor is also an aerobatic pilot.  On our first lesson, we did some basic maneuvers in the plane, a Decathlon.  After we landed, she asked how much I weigh… I answered, and she then said, “Would you like to see what it feels like to be 5-times that weight?”

So we put on parachutes – she showed me how to open it and how to bail out if necessary!  We then went back up in the Decathlon and first did some steep turns to get used to the feeling of the centripetal force.  I didn’t feel sick at all, so we climbed a little higher and she showed me how to do aileron rolls and loops.  It was so exciting!  When we landed, my Mom was eager to see if I was sick.  I was definitely not and can’t wait to do it again!

Joe at Charter and Go:
You mention applying to the Air Force or Naval Academy. What are you wanting to do for those branches of the military?

Nora
I have always wanted to be in the military.  The structure appeals to me, and I have a large family history of military service.  But when I first saw the Blue Angels and other military jets perform, I was fascinated!  However, I know that becoming a fighter pilot is very difficult, so I would be just as happy to fly anything else!

As the far as the Academies – I know they are very difficult to get into, but I’m going to do my best in High School to try to make it happen.

Joe at Charter and Go:
Do you want to fly planes for a career?

Nora
Becoming a pilot is my preferred career path, but I am also interested in the sciences, especially in relation to physics or biology.  I’ve always been interested in anatomy and I’m looking forward to the engineering aspect of my physics class this year.  I’d also like to learn more about job opportunities with NASA or the Space Force.  No matter what I do for a job as an adult, I think I will always be flying airplanes, even if it’s just for fun!

Joe at Charter and Go:
Nora, thank you so much for sharing your story. There is no doubt that you have an amazing future ahead of you, and Charter and Go is going to enjoy checking in from time to time for updates. Good luck on getting your license when you turn 17, and we are grateful for your desire to serve our country in the future.  

Joe Jennings – Chief Design and UX Director