This compilation episode is for mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and women everywhere who are challenged by work, life, and everything in between. It’s for women pushing to make a difference amid pressure and self-doubt and for those who need support along the way. It’s for anyone who has felt vulnerable but still found the courage to push forward. It is for you. In this special episode, we are featuring four inspiring guests who talk about creating resilience in a high-pressure world,...

Our culture repeatedly tells us that the goal is to be the best, and to be the best you need talent or perseverance... but this message could be misleading. What if success isn't found in being the best but in becoming the best? What if becoming the best led to talent, perseverance, and hope instead of the other way around? In this short solo episode, Sylvia flips the script by discussing how becoming the best is truly where our story, growth, and success lie. She joins us to talk about...

Welcome to Episode 100 of When Women Fly! To celebrate we go back to where it all began,  Episode 1 with skydiver, life coach and writer - the amazing Melanie Curtis. True success—the kind you can sustain over time—demands a different relationship with ambition and action. Mel takes a deep dive into serving a higher purpose and how that gives meaning to life, a healthier, more sustainable model rooted in elevating the human condition.  We reflect on the last 2 years, current lives and future...

This is an episode for all women everywhere. If you are finding motherhood hard, this episode is for you. If you are finding it hard to mother yourself, this episode is for you. If you aren't sure motherhood is right for you, this episode is for you too. In this special compilation, we are featuring five rockstar guests who tell their stories of becoming moms.  Sonya Looney, professional mountain biker and entrepreneur, talks about shifting her perspective and finding out what's really...

Archetypes. Fleeing. Freedom. Flight. And the roles we play. How do we break out of the limiting versions? And why has it always been important for women to express authentic and uncut versions of themselves. Let's take a deeper look at women who fly, modern feminism, and how adventurous women are stitched into a narrative about freedom and control ranging widely through myth, religion, and iconography - this story of 'sky-going females'. In this episode, Sylvia talks to Serinity Young PhD...

Shannon Huffman Polson is continuously challenging herself to move out of her comfort zone, whether it’s by flying attack helicopters, climbing the tallest mountain in North America, or speaking in front of hundreds of people. This time, it’s by moving with her family from Washington state to a village nobody’s ever heard of in the mountains of France. And no, she does not speak French… yet, anyway. As one of the first women to fly Apache helicopters in the male-dominated U.S. Army, Shannon...

In this episode, Sylvia talks with pilot, visionary, and strategist Ivy McIver, the Director of the SR Product Line at Cirrus Aircraft. Ivy talks about parachutes in airplanes, where planes can go and how they can change your life, why training is so critical, the importance of collaboration in the design process, and bringing outrageous innovations to market. They also dig into the psychology of endurance multi-sports and how lessons learned from extreme physical challenges can be applied...

After discovering her passion at an early age, Jan was determined to put her heart, mind, and soul into riding. She knew that riding was her calling and had no doubts that she would become one of the best in the sport. Everything came into question, however, after a riding accident and subsequent stroke that left Jan unable to speak. Jan was quick to reject the doctors who told her she would never ride again, and she hasn't stopped persevering since. In this conversation, Sylvia and Jan...

What happens when you have two very big but different dreams vying for your focus? Do you choose one? Or do you risk pursuing both and stretching yourself thin? Meet Kimmy Fasani — Snowboarder. Voice for female athletes. Mother. Mountain Baker. Author. Director of Storytelling @andmother_org. And so much more. Kimmy Fasani has been a pioneer in women’s snowboarding since she became the first female snowboarder to land a double backflip in the park and the powder in 2011. In this episode,...

In this solo episode, Sylvia shares what prompted her to move her family and three kids across the ocean to Switzerland. She digs into the challenges they've faced, her house rules for change, and three strategies she's developed for a happier, healthier, and more grounded approach to change. Sylvia also responds to listener questions about her past, her current career ambitions, flying in Europe, and much more. Topics Include: - How COVID helped Sylvia reset and prioritize - Moving across...

Shaesta Waiz is an American pilot, the first female certified civilian pilot born in Afghanistan and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft (new records being set every year). This is a fascinating and unfolding story about rising from adversity and discovering what is possible. Flying is closely linked to freedom and opportunity. If you could circumnavigate the globe in an aircraft with one message, what would it be? Shaesta has a  burning desire to...

Mandy’s hope of becoming a fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force was once an impossible dream. When Mandy first became interested in flying, women were not permitted to fly in the military. But the tides turned for Mandy when the rules were finally changed to allow women to fly on the front lines. Her dream was now within reach, but the challenges had only just begun. Mandy’s story is one that is already having an impact on future generations. In this episode, you will hear Sylvia and...

When Nikki Stone injured her back in 1996, the pain was so excruciating that she couldn't stand for more than 15 minutes at a time. Bedridden by her spine injury, Nikki was advised by 10 different doctors to give up on her dreams of Olympic gold as it was unlikely she would ever ski again. Two years later at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Nikki would go on to become the first American to win a gold medal as an inverted aerial skier, solidifying her future as a US National Ski...

Join Sylvia in her first ask me anything episode of Season 3 as she responds to audience questions about her life, flying, and the metaphor of flight. In this episode, Sylvia shares what it was like growing up in the Midwest. She shares how the seed was planted early in her life to eventually live in a French-speaking country, what it was like traveling abroad with her husband and three kids, how becoming a mother changed her approach to flying, and more. Topics Include: - The early life...

Today's guest is Eliza Kerr from Yosemite, California. Eliza has been leading people on adventures in the outdoors for more than 30 years in Tibet, Nepal, Alaska, Colorado, and Yosemite. She is a leading light, climber, surfer, yogi, guide, mom, and just an awesome soul. Her story is about a connection with the outdoors in both body and mind. Eliza is also the co-founder of Balanced Rock whose mission is to inspire health and wellbeing through deepening connection to nature and spirit...

Sonya Looney is a professional mountain biker and racing cyclist who has competed in over 20 countries and has over 25 career wins including a World Championship, UCI Wins, and USA National Championships. With such an impressive resumé, you may be surprised to hear Sonya say that achievements don't lead to happiness, and that the validation she sought as a professional athlete pales in comparison to the community she's found and the relationships she's formed – particularly as a...

Today's episode features Shannon Switzer Swanson, a National Geographic Explorer, marine social ecologist, and surfer who explores the intersection of storytelling, research, art, and science. As part of Season III, we are revisiting some of our favorite episodes that grapple with big life themes, break down the components of change, and dive into strategies that are relevant and applicable to you today. In this episode, Sylvia and Shannon discuss modern-day "exploration" and the role of...

Amelia Rose’s parents wanted her to have an aspirational name — one that she could live up to. So, with her dad’s surname, she was given the name Amelia Rose Earhart. Growing up, her name often prompted questions. Is she related to the Amelia Earhart? Will she become a pilot? Finally, after a genealogy test and a newfound inspiration for flight, Amelia Rose thought she was able to answer YES to both of these questions. Years later, however, the news broke. In a “gotcha” moment of...

Today's episode features dance ethnologist, flying trapeze artist, and executive coach Dr. Edy Greenblatt. As part of Season III, we are revisiting some of our favorite episodes that grapple with big life themes, break down the components of change, and dive into strategies that are relevant and applicable to you today. Sylvia and Edy discuss what people get wrong about work-life balance and burnout. Edy shares with listeners what flying trapeze and dance can teach us about business and...

What makes one an icon, an idol, an exemplar? What defines our heroes? What does honor and greatness teach us—and why does it matter? Amy Spowart is the president and CEO of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF), where she has worked for over 20 years. Amy grew up in a rural town in Pennsylvania with dreams of traveling the world. At age 21, she took her first flight, but it was years later when she started working as the Special Projects Officer and Historian for the NAHF that she fell...

How can we break through our perceived limitations and pursue our ambitions and dreams? As part of Season III, we are revisiting some of our favorite episodes that grapple with big life themes, break down the components of change, and dive into strategies that are relevant and applicable to you today. In today's episode, we are featuring Jessica Cox. Being born without arms has not deterred Jessica Cox from being an ambitious dream chaser. In this episode, Sylvia is joined by Jessica to...

In this short companion episode, Dawn Cook joins us to go deeper on the topics of mindset, motherhood, and slowing down to speed up. Dawn shares the essentials of what she calls the aviatrix mindset, and how asking for help empowers us to be the strongest, boldest versions of ourselves. Topics Include: - The Aviatrix Mindset - Creating a plan of action for your dreams - Commitment and clarity in an uncertain world - Slowing down to speed up - Time management - Asking for help - Motherhood...

As part of Season III, we are revisiting some of our favorite episodes that grapple with big life themes, break down the components of change, and dive into strategies that are relevant and applicable to you today. Today's episode features Sarah Halas, a flight instructor and mountain guide from Truckee, California.  Sarah shares her story of finding flying amongst other pursuits that would bring her deeper into the mountains.  Challenging assumptions and defying gender roles from the...

Today we continue an exploration of the ways in which we "fly". The facts of our experiences of flight are different. But so many of the emotions we experience along our journeys are remarkably similar. Meet Linda Leary. Entrepreneur. Outdoorswoman. Angler. She learned to fly fish as a child in Maine with her father, an avid fly fisherman. But, Linda noticed she was always having to wear baggy men’s fishing clothing that didn’t make her feel comfortable or confident.  This is when her...