Cheryl Stearns, second from left, receives the NAA's Distinguished Stateswoman of Aviation Award [Courtesy: National Aeronautic Association]
Key Takeaways:
Cheryl Stearns developed a lifelong passion for skydiving from a young age, leading her to become a highly decorated competitor and a barrier-breaker in the sport.
She achieved unparalleled success, securing two world championships, 33 national titles, 30 world records, and becoming the first woman to join the U.S. Army's elite Golden Knights parachute team.
Beyond skydiving, Stearns maintained a remarkable multi-faceted career, serving 29 years in the military, earning advanced degrees, and working as an airline pilot for 33 years.
Recognized for her extensive contributions, Stearns recently received the Distinguished Stateswoman of Aviation Award and continues to mentor and inspire others in aviation.
For skydiving ace Cheryl Stearns, jumping out of an airplane began as a dream when she was eight, growing up in Scottsdale, Arizona. In the dream, she was stepping out of a window and feeling the sensation of falling—or was she?
“The dream felt so real, but I wondered if falling really felt the same way,” she said recently, more than 22,000 jumps later.
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Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4
