<description>&lt;p&gt;Leah Whitfield, President of the Aviation Planning Group, joins us this week to share her story.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Leah shares her journey from a farm in Kentucky to becoming a meteorologist and air traffic controller, with education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an internship in weather forecasting for shuttle launches.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The transition to air traffic control was driven by Leah&amp;apos;s interest in aviation, math, and problem-solving, with radar classes being particularly engaging, and an age cutoff for training set at 31.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Leah, as a young airport manager, emphasized the importance of political acumen in managing a small airport, where she gained diverse skills from handling projects to working with consultants.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The gender dynamics in aviation education and the industry were discussed, highlighting the low ratio of women in engineering at Embry-Riddle and the importance of mentorship for young female professionals.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;We explored aviation innovations, such as electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, drone delivery infrastructure, and improving passenger experiences, with the team sharing their airport preferences and pet peeves.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until next time, keep it on the centerline!&lt;/p&gt;</description>

No U-Turn

Chris, Ravi, and Basil

Episode 49 - Planning the future of aviation with Leah

MAR 16, 202473 MIN
No U-Turn

Episode 49 - Planning the future of aviation with Leah

MAR 16, 202473 MIN

Description

Leah Whitfield, President of the Aviation Planning Group, joins us this week to share her story.

  • Leah shares her journey from a farm in Kentucky to becoming a meteorologist and air traffic controller, with education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an internship in weather forecasting for shuttle launches.
  • The transition to air traffic control was driven by Leah's interest in aviation, math, and problem-solving, with radar classes being particularly engaging, and an age cutoff for training set at 31.
  • Leah, as a young airport manager, emphasized the importance of political acumen in managing a small airport, where she gained diverse skills from handling projects to working with consultants.
  • The gender dynamics in aviation education and the industry were discussed, highlighting the low ratio of women in engineering at Embry-Riddle and the importance of mentorship for young female professionals.
  • We explored aviation innovations, such as electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, drone delivery infrastructure, and improving passenger experiences, with the team sharing their airport preferences and pet peeves.

Until next time, keep it on the centerline!