"I've Been Hearing 'Girls Can't Fly' Almost My Entire Career"

by ANN Correspondent Aleta Vinas

Julie Clark avoided Barbie dolls as a young girl... and built model airplanes instead. Her father, a commercial pilot, passed his flying gene to his daughter. He would also bring Julie along on flights to quiet her pleading. The elder Clark would place his daughter in the baggage compartment, then open the baggage bin from the inside and sneak her into the cockpit.

She spent her college book money on flying lessons then after college worked two and three jobs to obtain more lessons for higher ratings. Clark would take on just about any flying job to build her time. She was hired on at Golden West Airlines, then moved on to what is now Northwest Airlines. In 2003 Clark retired from her Captain position at Northwest with 29,000 accident free hours.

Clark wished there was an organization like Women in Aviation back 35 years ago when she was trying to get into the airlines. "I've been hearing 'girls can't fly' almost my entire career." Clark lamented. "Hair became an issue, whether there was a door on the men's room was an issue." Females in aviation have come a long way since then, thanks to women like Clark and organizations like WAI.

The scholarships WAI offers are a key ingredient in reaching people and perhaps enticing people who may have passed aviation by for lack of funds. "I think a lot of young people will see aviation as attainable." Clark said. Clark feels our high tech world with computers and video games will be a lure for kids to look toward aviation science careers since the technology is familiar.

In 2002, Clark was honored by Women in Aviation and inducted into the Pioneer Hall of Fame. "I was very honored to be considered a pioneer." Clark knows she's in good company with the other honorees. Clark has a long list of other awards including the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship and the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award

The networking at Women in Aviation conferences has helped even Clark. Clark's former sponsor and she were parting ways after 20 years and Clark heard a rep from Chevron Global Aviation speak. "It planted the seed" Clark said "and I started in on Chevron." Clark feels Chevron has Integrity and values and matches what she has been flying for these near 40 years. Chevron's vision is to be the global energy company whose vision is all about people performance and partnership. Clark intends to live up to that.

Clark has attended many WAI conferences and despite her busy schedule at the conferences, Clark makes time to visit with friends. "It's really a camaraderie of people." Visiting the booths and checking out the silent auction are some of her favorite things. Clark donated a ride with her in her T-34 to the silent auction. She also enjoys the Awards Banquet watching the young people being recognized.

Clark's flying time is not just airlines. She has been flying aerobatics for 31 "seasons". The aerobatic portion of her career was not planned. "Becoming an airshow pilot was really not in the cards for me." admits Clark. In 1977 Clark purchased a Beechcraft T-34 from a government surplus auction and painstakingly restored it herself over a four year span.

One of the Captains Clark worked for wanted to start a Pitts Special Aerobatics school... and Clark went through the training. "I got really hung up on the competition," Clark remarked. Her first solo airshow was a rodeo wedding and Clark said "it snowballed from there."

Newly retired from the airlines she is now dedicated to airshow flying. She wonders how she was able to combine both careers at the same time. "I didn't have a life for 25 years, I look back and think 'how'd I do that?'" wondered Clark. "I'm pretty happy now with one job.

"If I can inspire even one kid, one time, one airshow, I feel like I've really accomplished something."

FMI: www.americanaerobatics.com