Feb 2020 The Ladies Love Taildraggers’ Pilot Community!!
Yes, we’re a true community of lady taildragger pilots and it’s apparent in this simple post. As an organization, we come from many different aviation backgrounds – or none at all, and yet we’ve all come together to focus and highlight the incredible joy that comes from flying a taildragger.
As LadiesLoveTaildraggers, we have two successful social media platforms.
1) the www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com website and,
2) the Facebook group ‘Ladies Love Taildraggers’.
Both serve us well and increase our mission of introducing taildraggers to more women pilots. If you love flying taildraggers, you’ll discover a deeper skill level – not to mention a passion for flying taildraggers. Once there, I’m guessing you’ll never give it up! Your newly learned skills and new found confidence will lead you to your flying goals.
Keep in mind, as a member of our Facebook group, you’re not automatically a member of the organization. It’s free and easy to join but you must take a few minutes to register at Register for Ladies Love Taildraggers membership here for FREE!
And that leads me back to our fantastic community of lady taildragger pilots. Three members recently engaged by posting in our group and, in the process, celebrated what we’re all about. Many thanks to Kelly Jeffries, Hella Comat and “Fly Allyssa” for your posts.
Kelly Jeffries: This 1st story is like no other. Female and future airline pilot Kelly (not to mention lady taildragger pilot!) grows up in a family where dad is a G.A. pilot. She’s an only-child and follows in dad’s footsteps. Kelly went to the United States Naval Academy, was in the ROTC at the University of Maryland, and later flew for Piedmont Airlines.
Captain Jelly Jeffries with Mom, Babara Poetzman, right seat. 😉
Kelly’s resume continues, “Professional pilot since 1993. I have held a variety of aviation jobs including: flight instructor, charter pilot, corporate pilot, commuter pilot and finally airline pilot. Qualified on DC-9, B737/757/767 and Airbus aircraft. It is my goal to continue in the aviation field either domestically or abroad. Currently a 737 Captain at American Airlines based in Chicago.”
Ok, Ok, that’s all fantastic, TOTALLY IMPRESSIVE, but even better, Kelly doesn’t take all the credit for her accomplishments. Kelly’s father passed away in a G.A. accident years ago. Since then it’s been Kelly’s mother, Barbara Poetzman, who was her biggest supporter, believer, and champion as Kelly’s career continued to soar.
This past week, Kelly’s Facebook post read: “Today, I got to bring Mom along. (JAX, CLT, MEM. Overnight then next day back to CLT). First time with me as Captain. My welcome aboard announcement, “…and because of the lady in seat 13D, I get to be in this seat. Thanks Mom!”
It’s a good look Barbara!
Kelly reports, “We even got to put our toes in the ocean at JAX Beach.”
Hella Comat & Martha Horvitz are based thousands of miles apart. Two Ladies Love Taildraggers’ members – an eastern Canadian and a California American – managed to find each other last week in California. I LOVE this women taildraggers community we’ve all managed to create and especially enjoy the wonderful stories where members meet up!
Hella reports on Facebook, “I love Ladies Love Taildraggers! As Canadians in California for a winter vacation, LLT Martha Horvitz noticed that I was in her neighborhood. We connected and had a blast hiking and then of course flying in her beautiful SuperCub! Thank you, thank you, thank you Martha and Judy Birchler for making it happen!
Hella Comat say “Martha and I met on the LLT trip to Texas in 2018, then just reconnected this week.”
We got the OK to fly directly over Miramar Airport. What a treat!
Miramar!
The California coastline; Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve from 200 feet.
Facebook’s “Fly Allyssa”. We’re all about friendship, flying and having fun! If you visit an airport and have something good to report, we love reading your review. This recent post from Facebook member “Fly Allyssa” is welcome information. She flew into Tumwater, Washington and sent the word out – we need to stop at Taildragger Coffee if we land at this airport.
“Check out this place if y’all are around!!”
Fly Allyssa is drinking coffee at Taildragger Coffee.
“Fly Allyssa” shares a good find with her LadiesLoveTaildraggers friends.
Oh yum, love the name “Taildragger Coffee” and the pastries looks amazing!
OK, you get it. We’re a community of women who love to fly taildraggers. We meet up when possible at airshows across the U.S., but always at Oshkosh, Wisconsin and our annual LadiesLoveTaildraggers Flyin. We support each other, we encourage each other, we provide scholarships (13 in 2019!!) and do everything we can to encourage more women to fly tailwheel aircraft.
Click here to join our fun group —- It’s FREE – Join Ladies Love Taildraggers Now!
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