Register

Martha Lunken Earns Her Wings (Again)

[Courtesy: Martha Lunken]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author, Martha, successfully regained her private pilot certificate on Christmas Eve 2021, nine months after all her previous pilot certificates and ratings were revoked.
  • She strategically chose to pursue only the private pilot certificate and fly a simple Cessna 150 for her checkride to navigate potential complications with FAA observers.
  • After passing the challenging checkride, she immediately sought endorsements for complex, high-performance, and tailwheel aircraft and is now studying for an instrument rating.
  • Martha reflects on the "roller coaster" year, acknowledging her past "bad example" but expressing deep gratitude for the support received and reaffirming her profound, lifelong passion for flying.
See a mistake? Contact us.

As a child, I thought Christmas Eve was hands-down the most magical time of the year, but December 24, 2021, was over the top.

That morning I became a “real” private pilot…nine months since the revocation of all my certificates and ratings. Though I could pursue getting all of them back, at this time in life I won’t go for anything else except an instrument rating. I don’t need anything more.

Martha Lunken

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.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE