This Aviation Student Has Been Exploring All Her Life

Sonja Karner already has a diverse resume, and hopes to become one of a very rare breed.

Ellen Voie

Friday, December 24, 2021 at 08:23 AM ET

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Sonja Karner after her first helicopter flight. [Courtesy: Sonja Karner]

Key Takeaways:

Sonja Karner developed a passion for flight as a child, inspired by astronauts, and earned her private pilot certification at age 17 with a Ray Aviation Scholarship.
While studying at the University of North Dakota, she switched from fixed-wing to rotorcraft training, finding it more challenging and rewarding, with aspirations to fly for emergency medical services or rescue operations.
As one of the few women in rotorcraft aviation, Karner is excelling in her training, balancing multiple responsibilities, and plans to become a certified flight instructor before pursuing her career as a helicopter pilot.

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As a child, Sonja Karner looked up at the sky and wondered what it would be like to fly.

“I knew I wanted to learn how to fly and hoped it would turn into a career for me, but at [the very] least [I thought it could be] a hobby,” Karner says. She admits to enjoying science and math and likes to challenge herself. When she was 12, she attended a presentation about the STS-71 Mission by Charlie Precourt at the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Museum during Space Week.