There was a time in her CFI career when FLYING contributor Martha Lunken says she became burned out. [Courtesy: Martha Lunken]
Key Takeaways:
The author recounts her extensive flight instructing career, starting with a memorable and embarrassing first lesson, before facing a pivotal decision between an airline pilot career and marrying into high society.
Her marriage brought challenges, including difficulty fitting into a new social stratum and the eventual breakdown of the relationship, while her flight school also struggled.
She found her professional calling at the FAA, transitioning from a disliked air carrier inspector role to a fulfilling position as a general aviation safety program manager, where she passionately promoted aviation safety and community engagement despite administrative obstacles.
My first hour of dual given as a 21-year-old CFI was memorable and a little embarrassing.
The student was flying a Cincinnati Aircraft Cessna 172. When he added full throttle, and we started down the runway at Lunken Airport (KLUK), the tach read 2,300 rpm. I told him to close the throttle—abort the takeoff—and explained to the tower we needed to return to the hangar.
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Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.
