Why did I wait three years to read this book? I have no idea. I flew through it in two days once I finally picked it up. Tammi Jo Shults was not a famous pilot, but many people may recognize her in connection with SWA Flight number 1380. She was the captain of the plane that basically flew apart during flight causing her to need to do an emergency landing in Philadelphia with one engine and a busted cabin window.

This book is her story of how she got to that place that day, of her struggle to become a pilot and join the military, of the obstacles she faced because she was a woman, of the personal attacks she faced when people decided not to like her because of her gender. She overcame and became a strong woman because of it. Her faith and the support of her family enabled her to keep going day after day after day.

"Our habits, the things we do so routinely that we don't even think through them much, are an extraordinary expression of choice....Our habits arise out of what we believe and what we choose." One of her habits is to begin every day with a cup of tea and time with God. This is when she gives her day over to God and prays over it.

On a day when she expected to find chaos in the cabin after an emergency landing she saw heroes instead. People helping people and working to save a life, people treating each other as family. She too, made it a point to speak to every person on that flight and offer reassurance to them. Her thought through all of this was that these people did not become kind and caring that day, this was in their nature, they had developed this care and compassion through earlier choices they had made. That is a challenge to me.

"...Heroes do not require a title or equipment. A true hero is someone who takes the time to see and makes the effort to act on behalf of someone else. In a word, they care."

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this type of story.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this memoir! Tammie Jo Shults did a fantastic job sharing her story and all of the challenges she has overcome. You can tell her relationship with Jesus is the real deal. I think every woman should read this!

This is Captain Tammie Jo Shults memoir, detailing her childhood and lifelong dreams of flying, and the challenges to them as a woman, before entering the Navy as one of the first female pilots in the military. She became famous when later, as a Southwest pilot, one of the engines failed, tragically killing a passenger on board. She and her crew managed to save the flight (a window blew) with their teamwork and faith. The book begins quite slowly, and while not tagged as an inspirational Christian book, there are frequent references to her religion (especially when faced with obvious examples and descriptions of sexist actions against her). I enjoyed reading her history (herstory) as someone who blazed a path because she was called to fly, and her dedication to doing the right thing.

A copy of this book was provided via ARC by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow! What an inspirational book and person! I love biographies about strong women, and this one doesn’t disappoint! I am in awe of the author’s grit, determination, and faith. I am also thrilled to see a Young Readers edition, so I’ll be purchasing this book for our school library. It’ll tie in nicely with our growth mindset/Warriors theme. I highly recommend this captivating book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this biography with me.

Earlier in the fall, I received a daily devotional e-mail written by the author. Her story of overcoming challenges while being a female pilot was inspiring. I knew I wanted to read this story. I learned so much about the military and flying. I do agree that this book does talk quite a bit about the author's faith. But she would credit that is the single most important factor that helped her to overcome being discriminated against because she was a female pilot. She would also credit it for the reason that she was able to land the plane when she had major malfunctions back in 2018. This is Tammie Jo's story, but it is also a tribute to those who impacted her life. This is far from a narcissistic memoir. While she does tell about her part in landing the plane, she also tells about her crew's actions. She credits many of her flight instructors and fellow pilots. This is not about what a wonderful inspiration she is - instead she points everyone to God's part in her life.
Thanks to #netgalley for allowing me to do this review! The opinions are my own!

I will be highly recommending this one to my friends!

Tammie Jo has had an extensive career in flying - both in the Navy and later in the commercial world with Southwest Airlines. She recently landed the disabled Southwest plane which was in the news in 2018. Tammie Jo's life started with her childhood in the SW part of the country and follows her through college and her eventual career in the Navy as one of the very few female pilots. Her perseverance and resilience is impressive as she faced many battles and hurdles as a female in a male-dominated arena. I was frustrated for her, but inspired by her steady approach at the challenges and her ability to hold her head high and take the higher road.

"The real mark of heroes is not the feats they achieve but their capacity for hope, resiliency and caring for others." - Penny Pennington.

"We have not practised this in the simulator". If this is the reading, then the situation aint good right.

pig enjoying chewing gum
throwing pitchforks into hay

Wow talking a plane to an interview to be turned into rental money for a hired flying lesson. there's the chops.

fam (familiarization) and form (formation) flights

roll with the punches and return a few like Tom Murry, ex Calvin Kein CEO in his oil rig days.

After reading this book, I have a greater appreciation for First woman any role.

Like the instructions to the captain that 'speed is your discretion' or 'altitude is your discretion' reminded me of the wise quip of "Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional".

"Good habits become a personal gold mine and should be guarded as such" - Tammie Jo Shults

Great read on breaking the barriers.