The decade from 2010 to 2019 for General Aviation was one of tremendous technological progress, from computer watches to autonomous flight control. Manufacturers also launched some amazing new planes, including a jet from Cirrus, the incredible globetrotting Gulfstream G650, a remarkable diesel twin, the DA-62, from Diamond, among others. At the same time we in GA continued to fight against onerous regulation, often but not always successfully, while working to keep the activity we love open, accessible and fun, challenges that won’t end with a new decade but that will certainly be met by a population of passionate aviators focusing on what really matters, the joy and freedom of flight.
Women Aviators
As the need for more and more airline pilots grew throughout the decade, opportunities for women aviators, both as commercial pilots and as CFIs, opened like never before. And groups dedicated to supporting those women grew and prospered, as well. The largest, Women in Aviation International in 2018 alone awarded nearly a million dollars in scholarships to help pave the pathway to the cockpit for even more women. While the decade saw the passing of such historic figures as aerobatics champion Betty Skelton and Jerrie Mock, the first woman to fly around the world solo, we also saw women like Tammie Jo Shults, the hero of Southwest 1308, emerge on the scene to show the world that not only can women fly; they can lead while doing it and while serving as an inspiration to others.