"What I think would be really neat is to have Donna be the captain and him be her first officer," says Suzy. "Back then women weren't really pilots, and pretty much the military was the only way of becoming one, but I wasn't tall enough for the military," says Suzy, who is 5 feet 1 inch. Captain Suzy Garrett, SkyWest, SkyWest Family, SkyWest People, SkyWest Pilots, Women in Aviation. It’s neat having your kid experience what you’ve gotten to experience. Her husband Doug flies at American Airlines after a decade with SkyWest, their son Mark is currently building his flight hours and their daughter Donna began SkyWest flight training this month. SkyWest Airlines' fleet consists of a whopping 353 aircraft, c… Valencia College. I could volunteer for field trips, parties at school and be that mom, while also having this wonderful career!”. "And maybe I'm sitting in the back as a passenger. Suzy was one of the first dozen female pilots hired at Skywest and has been flying there for over 30 years. Her husband Doug flies at American Airlines after a decade with SkyWest, their son Mark is currently building his flight hours and their daughter Donna began SkyWest flight training this month. “We absolutely love our jobs. She joined SkyWest in April 2019. In the meantime, they're reminiscing about how great the experience really was. Inspired by her parents' passion and the freedom they enjoyed to explore the world, she decided to pursue her own career in flying. Captain Suzy Garrett and her first-officer daughter, Donna, are the first mother-daughter pair in history to pilot a commercial Skywest Airlines flight together. Captain Garrett agrees that aviation has opened many doors throughout her 30-year career. Donna understands that her mother is in many ways a pioneer. The pair had hoped to repeat the experience in 2020, but their plans were halted by the Covid pandemic. “[Back then] I wouldn’t draw attention to myself at the airport,” she said. “Believe it or not, I used to hide. Suzy was one of the first dozen female pilots hired at Skywest and has been flying there for over 30 years. SkyBlog is the official blog of SkyWest Airlines. That flight took place over a year ago, but in recent weeks, Donna and Suzy's story has unexpectedly gone viral, with photos of the duo, smiling proudly in the cockpit, spreading across social media. "And it was just indescribable how much fun it was getting to fly alongside her, and how proud it made me to sit next to her. What better career is out there where you can make this kind of money and not have to have high stress by taking your work home with you? Meet other people who are doing the same thing. Seeing the world shifting is cool. And now she has the joy of knowing her daughter Donna has joined the SkyWest family. (1.55 meters). "We worked very well together," says Donna. ... SkyWest Airlines. Suzy was one of the first dozen female pilots hired at Skywest and has been flying there for over 30 years. Reaching 30 years of SkyWest service May 1, Captain Garrett is one of SkyWest’s longest-tenured pilots and was the eleventh female pilot hired at SkyWest. Credit: Courtesy Donna Garrett / Donna Garrett While the image of the two sharing a flight deck captured a happy moment in aviation, it also symbolized a milestone on the tough journey faced by many women pilots -- one of the reasons the pair think their story resonated across the world. Donna started to flying in college, after her pilot dad taught her the ropes. It’s cool seeing more and more women getting into the industry.”. I think it’s going to be a great career for her. Together, these individuals connect millions of passengers each month to 258 destinations across North America. As Donna got older, she began to take notice. To think she may have helped inspire young women to enter the industry is also gratifying, she says. The duo were delighted to share the cockpit back in September 2019. There are so many opportunities to be successful in this industry. Skywest Airline's Denver flight is one of our popular reservations at Alternative airlines. The doors are open: You can be anything!”, Donna continued, “Don’t ever disqualify yourself or think that there is anything limiting you just because you are a woman. SkyWest cannot accept kayaks, windsurf equipment, hang gliders, or extra-large or giant pet kennels. "It's indescribable, I'm really, really proud of her, she does a fantastic job.". "I just absolutely fell in love with it," she says. "Having younger girls see women up there in the cockpit doing this, it's those kinds of moments that will inspire women to pursue something that maybe they'd never thought was a possibility for them," says Donna. (Courtesy of Donna Garrett) “It was the boring job that my parents did when they went to work,” Donna… Suzy says she didn't face any discrimination in the cockpit, and she felt she had "the same amount of opportunities" as her male counterparts. To mothers everywhere, SkyWest wishes you a happy Mother’s Day! SkyWest Airlines is a leading regional airline serving millions of North America travelers monthly. reddit: the front page of the internet 2020-11-01 “I decided to fly because of my parents’ passion and love for flying. "But it is really neat to look over and see her sitting beside me, and the pride and the joy that I see, and having [Donna] doing this and with me at the job," she says. Later, she worked as a flight instructor for a few years before getting her first job at SkyWest. "I'll be honest, I didn't realize how much of a pioneer in this field my mom was until pretty recently," says Donna. The duo recently made history as the first mother-daughter pair to pilot a commercial SkyWest Airlines flight together. “None of our kids were thinking about becoming pilots, but when you start looking at other careers that are out there, sitting in an office, and then see how happy we are — it opened their eyes.”, Now, as Donna completes SkyWest’s CRJ pilot training, she and Captain Garrett are SkyWest’s first mother-daughter pilot pair. Donna Garrett When Donna Garrett was growing up in the greater Los Angeles area, it didn't seem strange that her mom worked as an airline … Donna and Suzy Garrett both work as pilots for SkyWest Airlines. Donna and Suzy Garrett both work as pilots for SkyWest Airlines. Suzy and Donna hope they'll both be back in the cockpit together before long. Finding friends and peers who are going through the same thing you’re going through is extremely helpful. ", There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. The duo have a few thoughts on why their story has gained a new lease of life in 2020. It didn’t matter whether it was Germany, China, Costa Rica or Africa: You’re making memories of a lifetime. Both women see representation as an important step in encouraging more women to train to become pilots. In the meantime, they hope the pandemic won't put off young aviators striving to achieve their goals. "I've never had the opportunity to fly with a captain that's that experienced," says Donna. "That's been really nice, and to know that it's actually inspired my daughter was the icing on the cake.". Organizations including Fly for the Culture and Sisters of the Skies are. Thirty years ago, aviation in America was dominated by White men and today, the landscape is little changed. Suzy Garrett began working for SkyWest in 1989. SkyWest Airlines is a North American airline which is headquartered in Utah, United States. Suzy Garrett kapitány és első tiszt lánya, Donna, az első anya-lánya páros a történelemben, akik együtt vezették a Skywest Airlines egyik kereskedelmi járatát. It’s a cool moment for my mom and me and for women in aviation in general.”. You don’t see that too much in other occupations,” Captain Garrett explained. I really love it. She's become used to seeing a look of surprise flash across passengers' faces when they realize she's the one who just landed the aircraft. Garrett has 4 jobs listed on their profile. The climate has changed; the reaction from the passengers has changed. “For women, the work schedule flexibility is a plus; the ability to have a family. The disclosure was made by The Female Influencer on LinkedIn, which … Donna Garrett grew up in the greater Los Angeles area. Suzy Garrett and her daughter Donna flew as co-pilots for SkyWest Airlines. SkyWest CRJ Captain Suzy Garrett has much to celebrate this Mother’s Day. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all, According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, The trailblazing British Airways pilot who came out as transgender, What it's like to be a cruise ship captain. Donna and Suzy Garrett both work as pilots for SkyWest Airlines. Over the course of her SkyWest career, she's flown Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprops, the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia and now the Bombardier CRJ200, CRJ700 and CRJ900 NextGen. "And then having her as my mom, we have such a great foundation of communication as it is, just working from there with our dynamic.". The duo have a few thoughts on why their story has gained a new lease of life in 2020. Both women hope the industry will recover, and airlines will start hiring again soon. "I was really surprised -- as surprised as now it's gone viral -- but even that day, I haven't had my picture taken that much since my wedding! “I was exposed to the world, which was a big inspiration. “I love it! Captain Suzy Garrett and her first-officer daughter, Donna, are the first mother-daughter pair in history to pilot a commercial Skywest Airlines flight together. SkyWest is a leading air service provider offering global access to millions of people each month in partnership with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. It was great when the kids were growing up. Fast forward to September 2019 and Donna was operating an airplane alongside Suzy as SkyWest's first mother-daughter pilot team. 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