Shirley M. Phillips — How Not to Fly an Airplane: Lessons from 40 Years in Aviation

Shirley M. Phillips — How Not to Fly an Airplane: Lessons from 40 Years in Aviation

Author: Liz Booker - Pilot, Writer, Aviation Diversity Advocate August 10, 2025 Duration: 55:44
Send us Fan Mail Shirley M. Phillips is a pioneering female pilot and author whose new aviation memoir, How Not to Fly an Airplane, captures four decades of pilot life stories and lessons from the cockpit. From her start as a teenage student pilot in New Hampshire to becoming the first pregnant airline pilot at her company, Shirley’s career in aviation is filled with grit, humor, and resilience. In this pilot interview, Shirley shares what it’s really like to be a flight instructor, including...

Hosted by pilot and writer Liz Booker, Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story-Women in Aviation explores the rich intersection of flight and narrative. Each episode features conversations with authors who have placed women aviators at the heart of their work, spanning fiction and nonfiction, from forgotten historical figures to contemporary pioneers. You’ll hear about the specific challenges and triumphs these stories uncover, moving beyond simple biography to understand the deeper cultural and personal forces at play. This podcast is driven by a dual mission: to celebrate these compelling books and to dissect the craft behind them. In dedicated Writers' Room segments, Liz and her guests delve into the practical aspects of storytelling, offering insights on research, writing, and the publishing process for anyone interested in adding their own voice to this genre. It’s more than an interview series; it’s a resource and a community, championing diversity in the skies and on the page. Tune in for a unique blend of literary analysis and aviation passion, all grounded in Liz Booker’s perspective as an advocate for broader representation in both fields.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation
Podcast Episodes
Leadership & Development: Author Martha LaGuardia Kotite talks about her books So Others May Live, about U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers and Changing the Rules of Engagement, which features several aviatrix heroines including Tammy Duckworth, Pam Melroy, [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:33
Send us Fan Mail In this interview with author and retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain Martha LaGuardia-Kotite, we talk about her career, which culminated in being recalled to active duty as the Commandant’s Press Secretary…
Aviatrix Classics - Introducing my co-hosts, Dr. Jacque Boyd, general aviation pilot and aerospace educator, and Captain Jenny Beatty, professional airline pilot and aviation diversity advocate, both self-proclaimed aviation history and book nerds. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:37
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the new ‘Literary Aviatrix Classics’ series, where I discuss books written by and about our aviatrix pioneers with my venerable co-hosts, Dr. Jacque Boyd and Captain Jenny Beatty. In this inte…
Prolific mystery writer Edith Maxwell, writing as Maddie Day, talks about her writing career and incorporating historical details about a young Amelia Earhart into her new novel A Case for the Ladies: A Dot and Amelia Mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:30
Send us Fan Mail In this fun interview with mystery writer Edith Maxwell, publishing under the pen name 'Maddie Day', we talk about her historical mystery, A Case for the Ladies: A Dot and Amelia Mystery, which launched…