Aviatrix: First Woman Pilot for Hughes Airwest

by Mary Shipko

Aviatrix is the captivating story of one of the first women pilots to break into the all-male airline flight cockpit. Hired in 1976 at Hughes Airwest, Mary Bush made a herculean effort to overcome the resistance and harassment she faced in such a position, but it was to no avail.
Mary was introduced to flying at an early age. She started flying as a teenager, studying and training long hours until she painstakingly obtained her ratings one by one. Financial hardships hit the family hard, though, and Mary--desperate for both flying experience and money--headed down to the infamous Corrosion Corner in South Florida to be a "freight dog" for fly-by-night operators. However, she was frequently denied work because of her gender. She kept praying, working, and struggling, though, with the hope of one day becoming an airline pilot, a job in which she would have both steady work and steady pay.
Then, after her brother is lost at sea in one of the family airplanes, Mary is more determined than ever to become a pilot at an airline, just as her brother had planned to be. So, when she is offered the position at Hughes Airwest, Mary is thrilled. Going out west to fly jets was everything she had dreamed of and worked for. The discrimination and lewd remarks she had often faced in Florida, though, had not even come close to preparing her for the relentless harassment she would encounter as the first woman pilot at an airline.
A close-up and enthralling account of Mary's struggles as an aviation pioneer, this book will astound, appall, and inspire you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Amazon, Historical, Aviation

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2015

About the author

Aviation Pioneer and author Mary Bush Shipko was one of the first women airline pilots in the country. She began her flying career in 1964 in South Florida. She was hired in May of 1976 as the first woman Airline pilot for Hughes Air West, owned by the colorful aviator and movie producer Howard Hughes. Mary received her airline transport rating and DC- 3 type rating in November of 1974. She also holds a Curtis C-46 type rating. Other aircraft she flew includes the constellation 1049H, Douglas DC-6 and DC-7CF. At the airlines she flew the Fairchild F-27 and Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727. She has written three books her popular memoir, AVIATRIX, her children's book, DARING MARY AVIATION PIONEER , and her newest book for ages 12 and up, THE FIRSTS; WOMEN PILOTS AND HOW THEY CHANGED THE AIRLINES, a STEM book.
She is a member of Chesapeake Bay writers. She plays second violin in CCO a community orchestra in Gloucester, Virginia. She is a member of America's boating club and the education officer of her local club. Today she speaks on flying and resilience around the country, inspiring young women to become airline pilots.

Reviews

[Stephanie Wallach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I myself am also an early female airline aviator, and I've read several books by other women on their experiences breaking in to this male dominated field.

Let me begin by saying how in awe I am of Ms. Bush's background and how envious I am of the equipment she had a chance to fly while climbing through the ranks. These were the iconic birds that made history, and I'm sure not easy to master both in terms of their flight characteristics and the minimum amount of avionics and navigation equipment onboard. It took real guts to even ask to fly them and even more to fly them to some of the remote places Mary flew them.

My experiences were also difficult, but thankfully not as bad as Mary's. It sounds like she was
dealt a particularly bad hand in that environment at her airline in those years. It is clear she suffered immensely at their hands and I am sorry she had to leave the aviation world that she clearly loved so much.

A great read, well-written and heart felt.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely got to me. I don’t read a lot of nonfiction but as a young woman trying to break into the aviation industry it’s bizarre to think about that just 50 years ago things were so different. All too recently women were being harassed to the breaking point on the regular. It reminds me to be grateful of where we are today, even while pushing for better.

Mary’s story is incredibly inspiring and provided me with some advice for my own career. Her experiences paved the way for the women pilots of today and I’m grateful to her for that.

Yeah I don’t have much else to say, it seems wrong to me to comment on someone’s life experiences. I learned from this book, and have resolved to take no shit from any man who tries to drag me down.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Bush Shipko recounted her climb from being born into a flying family to pursuing her dream of flying in the big league and was for her fulfilled when she became the first woman pilot for Hughes Airwest. Her early involvement and training with her flier father started her on a long career and the tale of those early years appears to be happy and satisfying as she narrates stories of flights to islands south of Florida in the Caribbean and beyond to Latin America. But her love of flying and dogged determination to break into the male dominated world of flying for larger commercial airlines forced her into a battle she was ill prepared for, though somewhat hinted at in her experience when she flew freelance and cargo crafts. From cruel sexual innuendo to pornography, Mary confronted major sexual harassment before the term was coined or legislation adopted for the protection. The men didn't want her in the cockpit--it's called "cockpit" for a reason and they tried hard to force her out. Mary stopped flying after a leave of absence became permanent in 1981. The balance of the book becomes less about flying and decries her battle with the harassment, her philosophy of the situation, and finally how she came to terms with what happened. Little note is given her marriage and how deeply his role ran in her life and decision to quit after five years of commercial flying when she'd been flying since the age of 16. Broke the glass ceiling--yes--helped create the opportunity for other women--yes--but with all that knowledge, experience, and expertise in the end still clearly defined what it meant to fight head-to-head with estrogen in a testosterone world.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the recounting of Mary's early days as her father's mentor and learning to fly all over the Caribbean in a variety of aircraft of various vintages. She certainly earned her way into the pilot's seat when Hughes Airwest hired her in 1976 as their first female pilot. Unfortunately, her experience and skill were not enough to earn her the respect of all her male colleagues. The discrimination and harassment that she suffered was inexcusable, though at the time not technically illegal. After 5 years she bowed to the pressure and decided to stop flying. Even now, women are still very much in the minority in this male-dominated profession.

I felt empathy toward Mary because I'm just a few years younger and suffered the same discrimination and some harassment in my career. But I toughed it out, and was eventually accepted by most colleagues, though discrimination continued on in many subtle and not-so-subtle ways for decades.

However, her story lacked the immediacy and impact of a first-hand tale. It could have been enlivened with many more anecdotes and dialogue. It seemed dispassionate at times; perhaps the passage of years between then and the writing has dimmed the experience. The rest of her life is simply glossed over. Did she stop flying altogether? Did she find another career path? Would she do it all over again if given a chance? Would she do it differently? She truly was a pioneer who helped pave the way for others, but I wished for a little more emotion and passion in this memoir.

[Neil Desai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating first person account of a woman entering the male bastion of airline pilotry and her persistence, courage, excellence, and faith in the face of blatant sexism. I recommend reading it as if you were reading a friend's life story, not a literary memoir. This way you will appreciate it, rather than being distracted by the parts of her life that she elects not to expound upon even though they would make many readers curious.

[Jami Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I was annoyed by the lack of interesting stories or apparent bravery. What I failed to recognize is that it was Shipko's skill that saved her planes, and she was brave to continue going to work for a company that did not respect her. She continued as long as possible through the PTSD and social constructs of the 70's and 80's in a way that inspired lady pilots who followed her path. I was struck by the fact that sometimes the only way to enact social change isn't just to be a person who is always bold and upright and performing a job beyond admirably...but also by changing laws that give companies greater incentive to treat all employees fairly. Sometimes, social awareness isn't enough. By the end of the book, I had a better understanding of the difficulty women faced in traditionally male careers, plus there was a hopeful ending. Mary Shipko herself had to come to terms with the fact that she didn't fail, that the company failed her, but also that so many people she worked with were very impressed by her work. Even if she didn't know until decades later, she was able to find some peace.

[Chris Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring story of a brave, talented, ambitious pilot!

This is a well written, inspiring story of a talented woman who braved a "man's world" and excelled. She is truly an inspiration to young women and anyone interested in aviation.

I never used to take complaints of sexism in the workplace very seriously. I was a teacher for 34 years and never saw anything that resembled a gender bias. Pay was based on years of service, level of degree, i.e. Masters in Education, etc., and number of credits beyond degree, i.e. Bachelors +90, etc. I also witnessed advancement to administration occur equally among candidates based on education, performance, personality, interview etc. so, I thought complaints of a glass ceiling were spurious. But after reading this book I realize that it's not necessarily that even-handed in the private sector especially in the 20th C.

Mary Bush braved though the harassment and the old boys club atmosphere to become an outstanding pilot for Hughes Aircraft. She is a true inspiration and I can strongly recommend her story! Mary Bush was a genuine trailblazer.

[Tehila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely not what I expected. I thought, based on the Kindle blurb, a story of spine-tingling, hair-raising, episodes in one person’s life as a pilot. What I got was better.

Ms Shipko takes the reader from her introduction to flying through her life as a ground-breaker who opened the door for other women pilots. She shares the discrimination she faced as well as the support received. The letters at the back of the book are also worth reading.

I would definitely recommend this to any woman in a traditional male field (and vice versa), as well as to anyone interested in aviation history.

[Liz Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking glass ceilings takes a toll

Mary's experiences are so similar to mine it is amazing, even though I took refuge in more traditional employment fields. Constant denigration of my skills also put me into mental health problems which have dominated my life, though in my case, the illness was bi-polar. I too have seemed to arrive at the same conclusions as Mary about what is important in life. It feels as though my beliefs are affirmed. Thanks for the story.

[Brightdreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My late grandfather was a mechanic for Hughes Airwest, so I grew up hearing stories of flying and pilots. This book reminded me of those stories... though I never heard one like this. The author's love of flying comes through clearly - as does the devastation of the harassment she endured. Pioneers like her helped clear the way for future women pilots, though the road likely remains rough even today. A good read!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank all the women who have paved the way in jobs that were considers "for men." I don't even think I can imagine the stress women had at those times trying to not only do their job but needing to prove themselves. Although I know discrimination still exists I applaud the women who have broken down walls which opened up many more opportunities for me.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At our January library book club meeting, we were honored to have the author of this memoir as our guest. Shipko shared her experiences as a pilot during the 1970's in Florida. The harassment that she endured, was unbearable. It was a reminder of how difficult it is/was for women to break into what were perceived as male occupations.

[Bob Wagstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read if somewhat longer than it needed to be. The Appendix at the end enclosing a sycophantic list of letters of support from the author's mother, sister and apparently anyone who has ever known her was cringeworthy.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women in aviation

This book is insightful in the field of aviation and anybody who has felt discrimination in any field whether it be sexual or otherwise. It helps explain the physiological aspects of the discrimination. Very well written.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading this book on a Southwest Airlines flight tonight - with a female first officer up front! A fascinating behind the scenes look at the breakthrough for women pilots and their challenges to pave the way for those who came behind.

[DonnaJo Pallini · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that must be told and thank goodness Mary Bush was able to do just that. It is heartbreaking and encouraging. Good for you Mary Bush Shipko!

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this story of Mary (Bush) Shipko's experiences in learning to fly airplanes and eventually becoming a pilot for Hughes Airwest. I was so swept up in her confident charge forward and early successes that it was a surprise to realize that... this is not a triumphal story of a woman in a man's world. The examples of how she was mercilessly harassed, snubbed, insulted, and bullied are simply awful. While we'd all like to imagine standing up for ourselves to call out rude, vulgar co-workers who slip porn into our logbooks, it seems terribly believable that this just would not have been possible in the hierarchical, macho world of aviation. Beyond that, I couldn't help thinking about how flying itself takes so much concentration and skill that truly, how could you divert attention from that task to upbraid your abusive co-pilot? Who might be a captain?

Mary Shipko does not whine or complain. She keeps to simply relating events and actions. We as readers are left to gasp and fume on her behalf. It's heartbreaking to hear that she eventually left her beloved flying profession because the toxic environment was destroying her mental health.
Perhaps most appalling (to me) was the "letter of recommendation" that provides this glowing endorsement: "To my knowledge, she has never been a disruptive influence; either in the cockpit, at crew lay-over points, or within this Company in any way, as might easily be suspected to be a very likely possibility because of her sex." Then there's the newspaper article about her with the headline: "Air passengers find selves in gentle hands" (ugggggh!).

I thank Mary for sharing her stories. I enjoyed reading of her love of flying, some of the unusual places she went and experiences she had, and the pictures she shared. She highlights co-workers and mentors who helped her along her path. Her experience is a fascinating example of bumping up against entrenched attitudes, putting up with it as long as physically possible, and then finding other ways to lead a rewarding life. Because of Mary and others like her, hopefully female pilots today and going forward will find progressively less resistance in their careers.

Quotes I enjoyed:
* "Flying is an artistic expression of self; and, like a painter’s brush stroke, each movement a pilot makes contributes to a smooth and well-tuned flight."
* "We should create our own Heaven on Earth by treating people well, by treating them fairly, by learning, by working hard and saving our money in order to live comfortably in this society we’ve created, in order to live the life we want to live."
* "Flying was challenging and rewarding for me because it utilizes all of one’s senses and abilities. It pushes you. It challenges you."
* "No flight is the same. There is always a problem to solve, a maneuver to prepare for, something to think about. There’s always a sense of purpose."

[Patricia Gunther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

Mary Bush Shipko tells the story of how she managed her professionalism as the first female airline pilot, being a skillful pilot, loving what she does while having to deal with a world of 'skykings', male pilots who didn't want a woman in the cockpit. She has flown with many male captains, some showing disdain but many that were sympathetic and encouraging her to ignore the sexism that she had to put up with. It is a story of courage, of a woman who was a trailblazer in her proffesion that now has many, many more female airline pilots. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I attended a Literary Tea at which someone was to speak on the History of Women in Aviation. I had no idea that the speaker would also be one of the early pioneers. I was terribly interested to know more of Mary Bush Shipko's story so I read her book. I came away with nothing but admiration for this woman who built up her skills to become a pilot, but who was harassed by many of the men in her profession. Because of her and women like her, it is now less rare to find a female pilot. I hope that every woman who pilots a plane has either read this book or has heard of Mary Bush Shipko so that she can know of one of the women who made it less stressful to become a female pilot today.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not particularly well written but a worthwhile read to learn about sexual harassment that was rampant in most workplaces until the law US passed a law in 1991. Mary Bush was a skilled pilot who sadly left aviation due to a hostile work environment in the 1970's and 80's. The final chapter is an i sightful thoughtful essay on sexual harassment, wisdom gained with age, and the silence of those who saw her suffering, did not participate nor speak out. A courageous woman ahead of her time. Thank you Mary for forging ahead in difficult circumstances and breaking the pathe for others.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by one of the female pioneers in the aviation field, Mary Bush Shipko, details her experiences and love of flying from an early age. Taught by her father, she decided on a career as a pilot. Her struggles picking up work and flight time doing cargo runs from FL to various islands, etc. to her obtaining a job as a pilot with Hughes Airwest in the mid-1970's. The harassment and discrimination endured while trying to do her job pre-sexual harassment protection is hard to imagine. I did get a little bogged down in the details at times, but a good read!!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to read about some of the harassment she endured. It brought back living in a dorm, sharing a fire door with a suite of guys on the other side who would tape obscenities to our side. When we complained, we were told nothing could be done about it and since it was a fire door it could not be locked, so basically they could come and go as they pleased on our side. This was in the 1980s at an engineering school where the m:f was 5:1. It just points out how insecure these men are and how scared they are to lose their power over others!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Bush Shipko was the first woman pilot for Hughes Airwest. During her career as a commercial airline pilot, she encountered sexual harassment at a time when people didn’t want to hear about it. The stress from this on-going source of discomfort led her to quit and spend years rebuilding her life. Her courage to forge a path into a realm dominated by men and later to regain her self-respect can be an inspiration to others not to suffer in silence.

[Patti Procopi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the fascinating true story of a young girl who loved to fly planes and dreamed of a career flying. Its an eye-opening story about the incredible hurdles woman had to overcome to enter male-dominated careers. Mary suffered sexual harassment and emotional abuse from most of the male pilots she worked with. For younger women this shows how far women have come in the last 50 years and it's all thanks to pioneers like Mary Shipko.

[Tara Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so eye-opening, and I'm so thankful for Mary's strength, perseverance, and bravery. As a female in the aviation industry, I am familiar with the struggles she faced, but not nearly to the same extent that she and others faced in those early days. I loved reading about her early days of flying cargo in Florida as well. As an ATC in South Florida, I talk to cargo pilots in and out of the Bahamas all day, and it was awesome to read her first-hand experience of some of those flights.

[Phil Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book the author shares her life story as she is introduced to planes and the journey to commercial airline pilot in an era when women did not usually undertake such a role. The author shares her experiences both good and bad, her determination and some words of aspiration.

The author has definately gave us an insight into the airline industry in 20th century and has written well.

[Nina Buzby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this amazing personal journey. The writing style flows easily, and the reader gets a wonderful insight into the world of aviation. It was inspiring to see how beautifully the author emerged with wisdom and strength. Thank you, Mary, for the undertaking of putting your life on paper as a ministry to others.

[Leslie Tayloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book of the author's account of her successes and struggles as a woman pilot in a male-dominated world. Unfortunately, her career was cut way too short due to those struggles. Writing this book was probably a great way to heal herself. Thanks Mary for allowing the world to read your book!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first female pilot hired by Hughes Air West, and what she went through to get there. An early example of sexual harrassment in the work place. Great read.

[Juliebd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about her experience. I felt the book could have benefitted from a little more editing, but overall it was a good listen.