Patty Wagstaff reflects on her aviation career

LAKELAND,Fla. - Girl power was on full display at Sun N' Fun last week.

Patty Wagstaff is a regular performer at one of the country's largest aerospace expos and air shows.  

Flying in her Extra 300 airplane, Wagstaff wows crowds with snap rolls, tumbles, and even an inverted ribbon cutting with her props. Her over 30 years of precision flying landed her U.S. aerobatics championships.

Growing up, Wagstaff always knew she wanted to be a pilot. "I’m one of those airport kids." Her father was an airline pilot, and Wagstaff considered following in his footsteps. However, her dreams weren’t well-received by others.

"They said you couldn’t be because girls couldn’t be [pilots]."

It was a trip to an air show that Wagstaff decided that she would not only be a pilot, but she would also become an aerobatic pilot. Lessons followed, and Wagstaff quickly became one of the nation’s top air show pilots and a role model for women aviators. 

Patty Wagstaff performing at Sun N' Fun

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"I think it's a challenge to myself that people watch me and what I do. It forces me to be a better person."

Wagstaff says during the early parts of her career, she never saw a version of herself in marketing materials from flight schools and aviation employers. She's relieved that the industry's culture is much more progressive now, but there's still a need for women and minorities in the aviation community.

One non-profit, Women in Aviation International, is doing just that. Wagstaff is a lifelong member and was featured on the organization's first magazine cover. WAI has over 18,000 members worldwide and provides resources to women pursuing all kinds of aviation-related careers.

Spokesperson Kelly Murphy says it’s all about representing some of the most overlooked people in the aviation industry. "You hear that saying, ‘see her, be her.’ But we really live that as our mission daily."

Having a positive attitude and a sense of humor is what got Wagstaff through her career. She’s been attending Sun N’ Fun since the 1980s. She says air shows like these give everyone, not just aviation families, a unique opportunity to experience aviation up close.

Patty wagstaff featured on Aviation for Women 

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"They can discover what careers are out there and just what airplanes are all about. You can get up close to airplanes here. You can smell them, see them, touch them..."

When Wagstaff isn’t attending airshows across the country, she leads Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety School in St. Augustine. With her acrobatic skills, she shows students how to get out of trouble in their aircraft, skills that go beyond the training received in other flight schools. 

"Muscle memory is so important. We can teach you a lot in one day, but you need to come back next year and do it again."

Her advice to those looking into a career in aviation is simple. "Anybody can fly. The challenge is finding the right community to be in. You really can’t do this stuff in a vacuum."

For more information on Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety can be found by clicking here.  To join Women in Aviation International, click here.