Exceptional Female Aviation Role Models – International Women’s Day
This site has frequently addressed the history and future of WOMEN IN AVIATION—for example, Lessons from Women in Aviation- past and present , The UN has designated March 8,2024 as INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. And due to a rush of other stories, that day of recognition was missed. However, since then, two tremendous examples of women, who will inspire others to join this professional field, were published. Their stories should serve to attract additional recruits for a sector that projects shortfalls in pilots, mechanics, engineers, instructors, airport SMEs, medical experts[1] and a whole host of careers in an industry with new exciting applications. Thanks to Women in Aviation, there are a plethora of female role models.
The Air Up There Podcast
Aerospace Pathways: Luke Weathers Jr. Flight Academy
https://www.youtube.com/embed/G9BaSCJiD5w?feature=oembed
From being a first-generation college student to becoming a pilot and certified flight instructor, ZAKIYA PERCY, navigated uncharted territories, propelling herself on an incredible aerospace journey.
In this episode, Zakiya shares what inspired her to become a pilot, and sheds light on the sacrifices and challenges she encountered along the way. She tells the story of how an inquiry to revive an inactive ORGANIZATION OF BLACK AVIATION PROFESSIONAL’S (OBAP) collegiate chapter quickly elevated her to the position of president. This leadership role eventually led her to OBAP’s LUKE WEATHERS JR. FLIGHT ACADEMY[2] where her journey towards becoming a pilot took flight.
Tune in to hear Zakiya candidly detail her unique experience as an aspiring woman pilot of color, reflect on her first flight, and provide advice to those who are interested in aerospace.
Share this episode with someone curious about aerospace or simply seeking encouragement for their own pathway from high school to a career – this story of resilience and commitment resonates with all.
See the FAA’s list of joint programs, like OBAP, for young people interested in getting started in aviation.
Meet Our Guest:
Zakiya Percy serves as Lead Certified Flight Instructor at the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Luke Weathers Flight Academy. She holds several leadership positions in various organizations including Women in Aviation and Sisters of the Skies. Zakiya holds a bachelor of science in aviation technology and a master of science in transportation engineering systems and technology from Texas Southern University. She is currently pursuing her doctorates degree in Computational Data Science Engineering at North Carolina A&T University.
Disclaimer: Reference in this podcast to any specific commercial product, process, service, manufacturer, company, or trademark does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. government, Department of Transportation, or Federal Aviation Administration. As an agency of the U.S. government, the FAA cannot endorse or appear to endorse any specific product or service.
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Mother, pilot, airport director: Scrima takes the helm at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport
- KATIE GARCIA katlyn.garcia@apg-sw.com
- Mar 10, 2024
Aimee Scrima, the new director of the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, officially started in her new position on Monday, March 4. Scrima replaced the retiring Greg Cullen and most recently served as operations supervisor at the Waukesha County Airport.
Anthony Wahl
JANESVILLE — AIMEE SCRIMA was studying aviation videos when her 5-year-old daughter asked her if she was learning to fly.
“Yep,” Scrima recalls saying. “I’m going to learn how to do this.”
Her daughter yelled into the other room, “Hey dad, mom wants to learn how to fly. Can you teach her?” Scrima recalls.
“We got a pretty good laugh out of it,” Scrima said. “I’m certainly raising my girls to know that girls can do anything boys can, including flying.”
On March 4, Scrima, a native of Waukesha and mother of 5, became the first-ever female airport director at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, in Janesville.
Her husband also grew up in Waukesha.
“Our roots run deep in Waukesha,” she said. “I was very sad to leave but this was an opportunity I could not turn down.”
Tourism start
After earning a bachelor’s degree in social change and development from UW-Green Bay, Scrima worked as an administrative assistant at Waukesha Pewaukee Convention and Visitor Bureau.
There, she gained experience in economic development, marketing and promotion and learned about the “Wings over Waukesha” air show. She got to know Waukesha County Airport director Kurt Stanich.
In 2015, she accepted an administrative assistant position at the Waukesha airport. She remembers thinking to herself, “I can be an assistant anywhere, might as well overlook an airfield.”
‘Unique experience’
She spent the next five years getting to know the industry and aviation community including pilots and companies who service, fuel, store and sell aircraft.
“It was a unique experience,” Scrima said.
With no on-site restaurant, the airport would host food trucks every Friday. That allowed her to get to know people “who were just getting their pilots license for fun to corporate pilots and providing a space for them to get to know each other,” she said.
Scrima became the Waukesha airport’s operations supervisor in 2019. Two years later, she fully jumped in, earning her private pilot’s license.
“Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself,” she said.
A busy mother with little time to waste in her life, she went to the Platteville Municipal Airport in the summer of 2020 and told them she wanted to fly solo as soon as possible. She trained for 16 hours before flying solo for the first time that August.
“I ditched the kids and husband so I could just focus on learning how to fly,” Scrima chuckled.
And then, instead of being in the office, she got to see people in their hangars with their planes on the field. “It was really cool to watch them land or take off,” she said.
She completed her flight training at the Watertown Municipal Airport — pausing part-way through as she gave birth to another child.
She jumped back in at Watertown in 2021, completing the rest of her required 40 hours of training.
At first, Scrima flew three to four hours a week, “just to get my practice in and feel really comfortable with flying,” she said. She would fly early in the morning before work or in the evening after work.
“I knocked out my license on my own time,” Scrima said. “I have a very, very supportive husband who wrangled the kids while I was flying around.”
At a Wisconsin Airport Management Association conference, she met then- Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport Director Greg Cullen. After learning that he was going to retire, Scrima did some research, finding that “there was quite a love for aviation in the community here,” in Janesville.
As the new director, Scrima is continuing to oversee initiatives that were already in motion, including east HANGAR DEVELOPMENT and the pending placement from Madison of a UW Hospital medical helicopter.
“There’s a great facility here in Janesville and I’m delighted to be in this position. It’s truly a privilege,” she said.
“We’ve also scoped out additional places where people could build hangars,” Scrima continued, noting the abundance of green space and potential. “There’s just really a lot of unique opportunities here and I’m excited to be at the helm.”
Scrima is currently commuting — by air — and said she and her husband are looking into the possibility of moving their family closer.
“It’s only about a 10-minute flight,” Scrima joked. “No, but really, it’s not too bad.”
[1] Dr. Susan Northrup is AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE of a woman who has reached the highest level in her profession–
[2] Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Jr. was the first African American air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) based at the Memphis International Airport (MEM). On June 25, 1945 Lt. Col. Weathers also became the first African American to receive the key to the City of Memphis declaring the day “Luke Weathers, Jr. Day.”
To honor his contributions to aviation & aerospace, the all-new Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. Flight Academy (LWFA) has been established at the Olive Branch Airport, just a short drive from his Memphis home. The new Flight Academy will offer FAR 141 and 61 Flight Training, JET Transition Training, a Maintenance and Air Traffic Control Academy, UAV Pilot Training, Military Rotor Fixed Wing Transition, Air Force Candidate Flight Training, Mentoring and more.
Through the establishment of the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. Flight Academy, OBAP is excited to provide a new facility that offers life-changing training for students from Memphis area schools and beyond who possess a desire to fly
