A rare bird

By Tillie Vuksich Contributing writer Growing up, Maddie Frisell looked for adventure. She has been what some refer to as a "thrill seekerGÇ¥ since her childhood days in Eatonville. As a kid, it meant jumping off the high-dive at Clear Lake Resort, or riding bareback on a horse most adults would be leery of, or dirt-biking on wooded trails. Today, she takes to the sky for a bird's-eye view of the place she calls home, the Pacific Northwest. She hopes to be a commercial pilot in about 10 years, the latest step in a flight path that has already seen her become a rarity GÇô a female pilot. According to data released in 2013 by the Federal Aviation Administration, women make up only 6.6 percent of the industry in the U.S. Maddie got the itch to travel after a good friend, who works for an airline, invited her on several trips that included New York City, Mexico and Hawaii. With a strong desire to travel now in her blood, Maddie was ready for more. That's when she met a client who was a pilot who interested her interested in aviation. "He gave me a different outlook on what a career could be,GÇ¥ says Maddie. "I don't remember his name, but I remember his passion.GÇ¥ Soon after their meeting, she took an introductory flight lesson at Pierce County Airport-Thun Field in the South Hill-Graham area. It was an hour-long flight over her childhood home in Eatonville and over the Port of Tacoma. "We flew over the home that I grew up in, and the instructor told me to grab the yoke (equivalent to a steering wheel in a car) and turn right,GÇ¥ says Maddie. "I was flying! Me, of all people, never really thinking I would have this opportunity.GÇ¥ From that moment in the sky, she was hooked. Even though she was working full-time at AT&T and going to college part-time to earn her associate's degree, she made time to start flight school at Glacier Jet Center at Olympia Regional Airport. "I started flying Aug. 19, 2014,GÇ¥ Maddie says. "And I earned my private pilot license on Sept. 21, 2015.GÇ¥ It was a year of book-learning and hands-on flight training with her instructor, Kevin Kopeck, who Maddie says was "inspirational and devoted to teaching.GÇ¥ Her flights took about two hours at a time, and she mainly flew south where there was less populated airspace for practicing maneuvers and building up her flying time. Currently, she flies a Cessna 152, "some of the safest planes around, as well as the most common general aviation trainer aircraft,GÇ¥ says Maddie. During one of her solo flights, while practicing the power on and off stalls, she had a moment that tested her training. While doing a power-off stall, she recovered too soon and half spun the plane, sending all her flight-planning equipment flying around inside the cockpit. But she kept her cool and remembered quickly what she was taught about bringing the plane back to level with the horizon. "I saw the ground in a different way, but I remembered what my instructor said about spins by relaxing the yoke and to step on the rudder opposite the spin,GÇ¥ recalls Maddie. "I almost exceeded maneuvering speed, but was able to decrease the power, which made it possible to level out without causing structural damage. I was alive! I did it! I knew then that I was going to be a good pilot.GÇ¥ Maddie's first passenger as a licensed pilot in command was her father, Rod, and her second passenger was her mother, Carol. It gave her parents great pride to see their daughter living out her passion for flying and reaching every goal she had set. "It was my dream that when I accomplished my flight training and got my license, I would take my dad flying over the only home I know, where I was raised and taught to be strong, creative and independent,GÇ¥ Maddie says.GÇ¥It was amazing to show my teacher (dad) what I have achieved. He was so proud and bragged about his "little girl.'GÇ¥ She was able to show her landing and takeoff skills to her mother when their trip took them to Ocean Shores on a sunny day with the Pacific Ocean in full view from the cockpit. "I'm now working on my instrument and commercial license that I hope will not take more than a year,GÇ¥ Maddie says. The biggest challenges for Maddie are finding the time with her busy schedule and, of course, financing her training. "Becoming a pilot or just doing it for fun can cost up to $13,000 out of pocket, and that's why many don't consider becoming a pilot,GÇ¥ Maddie says. "I had to pace myself. My parents taught me how to invest in myself and taught me the skills to save money to be financially able to afford things. I'm not rich, but I found a passion, and no amount of money should keep anyone from doing what makes their heart flutter and be happy.GÇ¥ The joy of flying and seeing the world from a different perspective is what motivates Maddie to fulfill her dream of being a pilot and having a career that she truly loves. She has been fortunate to make friends and mentors in the aviation field that have given her insight and guidance. One of her biggest influences is a retired captain for Hawaiian Airlines, Carolyn Savage. "She has become my mentor,GÇ¥ Maddie says. "Carolyn is a true trailblazer. She has a lot of guidance for me and is a true inspiration, showing women can work hard and achieve anything they set their minds to.GÇ¥ When asked where she sees herself in 5, 10, and 15 years, Maddie said,GÇ¥This is a tough question due to the fact that life happens when it happens. I found my passion for flying later in my 20s. It's good to have goals and I want to say take it day by day. It seems to work well for me. However, my future goals include a bachelor's degree before five years hit as well as all my (pilot) ratings, and before 10 years I will be flying in a corporate setting, preferably Lear jets.GÇ¥ Her dedication to her flight training has already paid off. She was the first to ever receive a 92 percent score on the written portion of the pilot's test at her flight school. "To soar above the clouds is exhilarating, "she says. "The Pacific Northwest is beautiful, and nothing beats flying over our geography, looking at Mount Rainier, Mount Saint Helens and Mount Hood and seeing the ocean all in the same panoramic moment. Flying is freeing, and being able to be in the silence of life and focus on keeping this big chunk of metal in the air is life-altering. It has given me a different perspective on life. "

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