Beverly Bass
Beverley Bass
first-ever female Captain of American Airlines
Beverley was the third woman hired as a pilot at American Airlines and the first to make captain, at age 34.
In 1986 she led the first
all-female crew in the history of commercial jet aviation on a flight from Washington D.C. to Dallas.
Q & A
Becoming a commercial pilot was unconventional for women in the 1970s. What inspired you to
pursue that path?
I was raised to believe I could do anything I wanted. I wasn’t even aware there was such a thing called gender discrimination.
I wanted to fly the biggest jets and those belonged to the airlines, so that was my goal from the very beginning. When I was hired in 1976, I joined a very small group of 14 other women who were flying for the airlines in the United States.
What advice would you give to girls interested in pursuing a career in aviation?
The world is their oyster with endless opportunities, as all doors are now open for them.
There are many scholarships available and mentors who are ready to help at a moment’s notice.
What has been
your greatest reward?
A reward that meant a great deal to me was being the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award at my Alma Mater, Texas Christian University in 2018.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention how rewarding Come From Away, the Broadway play which I inspired, has been in my life. There's no question that it has changed my life immensely in a very positive way.
"It is my greatest hope that the women before today's girls have paved a nice path for future generations of lady aviators."
more about me...
the scariest thing i've ever done was...
when I went flying with my daughter’s boyfriend in his Pitts Special (a tiny aerobatic airplane) and we did upside loops and barrel rolls. It’s an open cockpit so I was hanging on for dear life!
my autobiography picture book, Me and the Sky, is coming out...
in 2019. The reason it's a picture book is because I am very committed to helping young people pursue a life in aviation and maybe this little book will spark that interest along the way.
from travelling the world, i've learned...
that it is our own country that needs more tolerance. It is my hope that Come From Away
changes our world one show at a time. It is a perfect example of kindness, humanity, and love in what were the darkest days in our country.