Flying Tigress: A Memoir

by Norah O'Neill

More than a witty memoir by the first woman pilot at a macho cargo airline and her adventures flying around the world, this is the excruciatingly honest yet compelling account of one woman's ascent to 747 pilot, the price exacted for the privilege, her devastating fall from grace, and gutsy journey back into the cockpit. Flying Tigress is human drama played out against the breathtaking backdrop of the skies.

Genres: Nonfiction, Aviation

327 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2005

Reviews

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Hella Comat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous autobiography of the first woman to pilot a cargo 747.

[MrsEnginerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased, because like Norah, I was one of the first or only woman to occupy a space in a lot of the endeavors as an engineer and STEM professional. I've had to become "one of the guys" without realizing I didn't want or have to, especially when other women had paved the way for me to be there. No one likes being the first, but if it wasn't for their bravery, resilience and resourcefulness, the rest of us wouldn't have been able to follow. A true Queen of the Skies - an amazing and inspiring role model for all the women, young and old, who dream of flying among the clouds.

Captain O'Neill's recount of her experiences as one of the first female pilots in commercial aviation and her quest to have it all - a career, kids, a picket fence, and a loving relationship - is full of wonderful storytelling. She describes the long hours, the sacrifices, the beautiful friendships and destinations while also exposing the hardships of finding her way in a male dominated workplace and society. She unwillingly broke stereotypes and her own spirit searching for her place in the world; she penned her story from a place of deep self-reflection and wisdom that only comes from allowing yourself to learn, failing quickly and often for the sake of having a life worth living. You don't need to know about aviation and its lingo to understand the book and follow along. Acronyms are spelled and explained at the back of the book, including references to the pictures that line the chapters.

I found her story to be not only believable but relevant in this "Me Too" and "Time's Up" era. We've still have a ways to go to claim equality and equity in the workplace for all who dare to pursue careers in traditional heterosexual/male dominated spaces. It's a story about inadvertently finding your passion, at his core, and of fighting for it when everyone else wants you to fade into the background for the sake of maintaining the status quo. I'm deeply saddened that I didn't get a chance to meet her and ask her a few questions while she was still alive.

Enjoy!

[Beth Chapple · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for any aspiring female airline pilot, but engrossing for any pilot!

[Jessica Klimesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the kind of book I would ordinarily pick up, I read this memoir as research for an editing project I'm working on (of a similar nature). I enjoyed it and found the writing engaging and the narrator/author likable and relate-able. It didn't leave me with an awe-inspiring feeling of wonder or amazement, but it did offer me some different perspectives on the subject matter (in this case, airlines, flight, and a pilot's life); and I always appreciate that in a book.

[Erika Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

One woman's spunky account of breaking down barriers, both personal and professional, as she took to the skies as a pilot.