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Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

The Ready For Takeoff podcast will help you transform your aviation passion into an aviation career. Every week we bring you instruction and interviews with top aviators in their field who reveal their flight path to an exciting career in the skies.
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Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career
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Now displaying: Page 1
Jun 4, 2018

Kathleen (Kay) Hilbrandt started taking flying lessons in 1942, and in 1943 was accepted into the Womens Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) program. She attend Army Air Corps flight training (the same course as male pilots) in 1944, flying PT-17s, BT-13s and AT-6s. Then she served as a safety pilot in Eagle Pass, Texas, for aviation cadets performing instrument flights "under the hood".

After the war, when the WASP was disbanded, she joined the Ninety Nines and returned to New Jersey to work for Bendix Aviation Corporation. Following that, she was a flight instructor, training veterans who were using their GI Bill to obtain flight training.

In 1960 she flew in the All Women Transcontinental Air Race ("Powder Puff Derby") in a Cessna 172.

In 2010 the WASP were awarred the Congressional gold Medal for their service during WWII.

In 2013 Kay received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. She continues to fly for pleasure.

1 Comments
  • almost six years ago
    Lana Kraeszig
    Great interview Kay and George
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