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Flying the not so friendly skies

By General Aviation News Staff · January 2, 2019 ·

A San Diego pilot based her debut novel, FLYGIRL, on her experiences integrating into an all-male corporate flight department.

The book will be available in Jan 3, 2019, from Acorn Publishing.

“Before San Diego author and attorney Robin “R.D.” Kardon came up with the idea for FLYGIRL, her debut novel about a female pilot breaking the blue ceiling, she lived it,” an official for the publisher noted.

Kardon became one of the first female pilots to integrate an all-male corporate flight department. Her novel, which takes on issues of sexual assault, hostile work environment, and professional betrayal, is drawn from what she experienced and witnessed in the 1990s.

“The novel is inspired by actual events rather than based on them,” explains Kardon. “My goal was to realistically recreate the discriminatory environment, harassment and challenges I faced as a female pilot. It is only through an examination of our past that we can help shape a better future both on the ground and in the air.”

Kardon said she decided to write a novel rather than a memoir so she could create a fuller portrait of a female pilot in this era by incorporating the experiences of other women.

Kardon was a commercial pilot for 12 years and says she always enjoys talking about aviation in general, and how to succeed in the male-dominated field.

“I encourage women and men to explore careers in flying whether it’s as a pilot or other crew member, dispatcher or controller,” she said. “From the 1990s to today, it’s been a bumpy ride, but every year women get more of the recognition they deserve.”

The book is available wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

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Comments

  1. T Ibach jr says

    January 7, 2019 at 12:10 am

    Sexually assaulted? Really? Doesn’t sound like a happy career to me, would like to hear the other side to her story

    • Terra Firma says

      January 9, 2019 at 1:38 pm

      The article says the book discusses sexual assault. It doesn’t say she said she was sexually assaulted.

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