The Role of Women in Aviation: Past, Present, and Future

History of Women in Aviation: Top 10 Trailblazers We are not rank-ordering these women pilots as the best in any category, because how can we? Each female pilot listed below is famous in her own right. Some have held influential roles as aviators, and that influence is all around us. Read on to meet some inspiring ladies… 1. First Female to Fly Solo Across the Atlantic: Amelia Earhart When people hear the phrase “women in aviation,” they inevitably think of Amelia Earhart, the famed aviatrix who on May 20-21, 1932 was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. However, Earhart is most remembered for disappearing on a 1937 flight across the Pacific Ocean when she was just … Read more

Oct 18

How to Become a Commercial Pilot in 2025: The 7-Step Guide

So, what are the 7 steps? How do you become a commercial pilot? This 7-step guide is for you. Perhaps you’ve thought about this as a hobby, but becoming a commercial pilot is actually a great career choice. What exactly defines a commercial pilot? Simply put, a commercial pilot is someone who has been approved by the FAA to charge for pilot services. Check Your Pilot Training Eligibility! What types of commercial pilots are there? While most people immediately think of commercial airline pilots flying passengers, the most common example of a commercial pilot, there are other possible careers in this field. There are even some that are a bit unusual. For instance, cargo pilots, such as those flying for … Read more

Apr 27

VFR Pilot Rating vs IFR Pilot Rating

What is the difference between VFR and IFR pilot ratings? The short answer is: VFR pilots can only fly in good visibility. IFR pilots can fly when visibility is poor. What do the terms “VFR” and “IFR” mean? The acronyms VFR and IFR stand for different types of FAA pilot certifications. VFR stands for “Visual Flight Rules.” This means that a VFR-rated pilot must follow specific guidelines when flying using visual references. A pilot holding a Private Pilot License (PPL) must fly in VFR conditions. IFR stands for “Instrument Flight Rules” and allows a pilot who is Instrument Rated (IR) to operate an aircraft by relying almost solely on instruments. Once a pilot holds a PPL, the next step is to … Read more

Mar 29

My Personal Top Workplace: An Epic Career

Epic Flight Academy is widely recognized for developing the highest quality and standards to serve students, staff, and the community. Some of these recognitions include Top Workplace Awards from the Orlando Sentinel and the Daytona News-Journal. I concur. Epic Flight Academy has been a top workplace for me. In 2017 when I was seeking employment at a flight school, Epic Flight Academy stood out among all other schools. My tour of the campus, inspection of the airplanes, and conversations with students and staff confirmed Epic Flight Academy was the quality of flight school I was seeking. My employment at Epic led to many friendships and respect for my colleagues. As I retired from Epic and reflected on my time there, … Read more

Mar 20

Captain Judy’s Corner: One Flight Student’s Recipe for Success in Dealing with an FAA Medical Deferral

In this article, Captain Judy Rice spotlights Epic flight student Bryce Dawson‘s recipe for success in navigating challenges with his FAA medical deferral. Captain Judy interviewed Bryce for this inspirational article about one student’s journey to become a pilot. Combine the following ingredients and adjust for best results: Background December 23,1997, Paul Dawson, risk insurance agent, and Paula Dawson, public school teacher, welcomed their firstborn and named him Bryce. Brother Connor came along 23 months later. The Dawsons raised their children with their same high standards for work ethic, determination, and professionalism. The children knew only these standards. Bryce shared, “My parents were always patience and supportive. Looking back, I now realize that we matured at a younger age.” When the brothers were … Read more

Jan 9

Types of Pilot Licenses: From Part-Time Hobby to Lifetime Career and Everything In Between

You want to become a pilot, but did you know the FAA issues different types of pilot licenses? These vary by classifications, ratings, and various regulations. Depending on your pilot license and ratings, you will be licensed to fly different types of aircraft. Above all, you can even fly for commercial airlines as a paid professional certified pilot. Whether you’re an international student or American student, you just have to decide which pilot license meets your needs. Therefore, you need to think about your pilot goals. What is a pilot license? In simple terms, a pilot’s license, or pilot certificate, allows a person to be able to fly an aircraft. This is similar to a driver’s license allowing you to … Read more

Nov 22

Aviation Scholarships: The Gift of Knowledge

On Saturday, November 6, 2021, Epic celebrated its 6th annual Aviation Scholarship Awards by giving the gift of knowledge to four high school students. Each year, Epic awards scholarships to deserving high school students. The fishing tournament is a fun event for industry partners that generates funds for future scholarships. The scholarship awards ceremony is combined with a career fair. Epic partners included Cessna/Textron Aviation, Air Wisconsin, United Airlines, Piper Aircraft, SkyWest, Southern Airways Express, Piedmont Airlines, Republic Airways, FEAM Maintenance & Engineering, and New Smyrna Beach Outfitters.The career fair was well attended with students gathering information and asking many questions about career opportunities. As the day progressed, hungry appetites were met with wide assortment of food vendors with something for … Read more

Aug 29

Summer Internship

A Sneak Peek of My Summer Internship at Epic Flight Academy By Cilia Salam Finding an Internship During the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to do a summer internship with Epic Flight Academy. I had been trying to earn some work experience in the new normal of COVID-19 before I graduate with my master’s degree in the fall semester. At the beginning of the spring semester, I started applying and looking for internship opportunities. Like any other ambitious and enthusiastic ERAU aviation student, I was looking forward to an internship at a major airline. With uncertainty caused by COVID-19, the airlines had little to no availability for an intern. I ended up looking at local flight schools upon … Read more

Jul 20

What is an Airfoil? A Beginner’s Guide

The definition of an airfoil (or aerofoil in the UK) is a structure with curved surfaces, such as an airplane wing, fins, and horizontal stabilizer, designed to provide the best ratio of lift to drag during flight. The meaning of airfoil is the same for all aircraft. Let’s consider the stubby, short wings of my Grumman compared to the long, flowing wings of the Epic Flight Academy’s Cessna 172SP. You may wonder how my little bird would have enough wing to leave Earth’s gravity. You can compare this to an egret flapping frantically to rise a few feet from the sand. Its tiny wings are capable of supporting what appears to be an oversized body. However, a hawk’s strong wings … Read more

May 30

Cross Country Flight Planning

(Photo above: Epic Flight Academy student (pictured) with her instructor on a cross country flight) Captain Judy’s Corner: The Art & Science of Not Getting Lost Cross country flight planning is something every pilot must know. Even though it was 30 years ago, I vividly recall soloing in the Cessna 150. Exhilarating, yet terrifying, describes this memorable day. There was nothing in life that prepared me for the intensity. My flight instructor assured I was ready. I knew I was ready, but I was anxious all the same. Leaving the airport environment on a solo cross country was as exciting and distressing. I prepared, studied the routes, check points, and unfamiliar destination airport environment. Nonetheless, I consistently got lost. Preparing … Read more