Ep 14: Cooper the Pilot; aka Gear Girl, Aviation Promoter, Founder of Hangar 22

The Leaders of Aviation

She goes by many names; Cooper The Pilot or Gear Girl. She also wears many hats, from musician to founder of non-profit, Hangar 22. Today she shares her story of becoming a pilot. Orphaned in Korea at the age of 3, Cooper was told she would most likely never be adopted. At age 4 she found herself among a group of 10 children that would be going to the US. That would be Cooper's first ever time in an airplane. She says everything about it, down to the sparkling of the ocean below, inspired a passion for flying. She grew up being told that being a pilot was not a dream for a girl. It wasn’t until after she got married and had 2 kids that Cooper decided it was time to do something for her. Taking a discovery flight on Saturday, she began looking into flight schools Monday, and was training by Friday. Finishing in just 6 weeks, Cooper has hit the ground running. She’s passionate about getting more women into aviation. Check out her Instagram @cooperthepilot to learn about scholarships she offers. What You’ll Learn: What an accelerated pilot's license program looks like. How Cooper earned the nickname Gear Girl. What percentage of pilots are women. Why Cooper started Fly With A New Friend Friday. Favorite Quote: “The first time I flew over the ocean… it was that sense of freedom.” -Cooper The Pilot