Plane Jane: Earning My Wings

By F. Jane Schuring

About the Book
Follow along with Captain Jane Schuring as she shares life’s challenges, her incredible stories flying in Micronesia in the 70s, and her remarkable climb into the cockpit to pilot the B-737.
Plane Jane follows F. Jane Schuring through the roll, pitch, and yaw of a life that includes her time as a flight attendant for two decades, a mother of three slinging crockpot meals, a world traveler hiking active and extinct volcanoes, and a captain for a major airline, the ‘second’ career in her long journey. Jane covers every item on the checklist, leaving room for error along the way only when revealing the inside scoop of what it means to be human; her honesty is everything as she reveals all the elements of her time in the sky and on land. Whether you’re in coach, first class, or visiting the cockpit, you can trust that she’ll tell you how it is and get you to your destination better off than when you set out.
About the Author
After experiencing some difficult life challenges, Jane’s decision to pursue a career change from a twenty-year flight attendant to take flying lessons during what could be called a mid-life crisis (divorce, temporary job loss) was met with barriers at every stage. In spite of hearing, “You’re too old,” or “No one is hiring,” Jane was determined to achieve her dream, eventually ending her almost 44-year career with Continental/United as a B-737 Captain.
Her story will inspire those who have experienced the highs and lows of life’s trials, particularly a career in the aviation industry. With stories to tell along the way, it began with a spontaneous trip to Los Angeles for an interview as a ‘hostess’ in 1969, and ended with a smooth landing in Houston with fire trucks on each side of the aircraft spraying the traditional water cannon salute to a retiring captain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Jul 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886833386

Book preview

The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by F. Jane Schuring

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

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ISBN: 979-8-88683-360-7

eISBN: 979-8-88683-338-6

This book is a memoir. It reflects my present recollections of experiences over many years. The stories told in this book are accurate to the best of my recollections and details were added from others who shared this amazing career along with me. Some names and characteristics have been changed. Other than that, it has been such fun pouring over old photos, reconnecting with friends from long ago, and recalling a lifetime of experiences.

I am grateful for the many people who have shared their stories and provided details throughout this manuscript. This is not a history of Air Micronesia, but more a collection of memories of my time there and my pursuit of a flying career years later.

For my children,

Arend

Austin

Savannah

who have inspired me,

loved me,

motivated me,

and have been there for me…

And for my Mother, who seldom complained

and showed remarkable spirit

And for my sister, Beth,

who shows love and courage every day!

BW_SchuringJ_001.jpg

Forward

Flying along at flight level three six zero with Captain Jane Schuring towards Houston; that is my first memory of Plane Jane, we were still about an hour south of the Gulf of Mexico. The required tasks had been completed and we now had some time to relax and have a conversation. The conversation began with Jane talking about her love of gardening and lamenting about how much money she had spent that spring and admitting that she really had no clue what that number actually was.

I had long been interested in personal finance, and my wife and I religiously keep a monthly budget. While that sentence may bring stress and fear to many, it brings freedom and peace to us. I had to think about whether to bring this up as part of our conversation, as I had tried this before with many others. There were always the sounds like that works great for you comments, and the we pretty much do that, except for… comments. No matter what the words were, the tone was always one of mild defensiveness. Despite these previous experiences, I decided to share my thoughts about money and budgeting. Famous author Stephen Covey once said, Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. Famous author Stephen Covey DOES NOT know Captain Jane!

Jane’s attitude was immediately one of curiosity and interest, her response was in the form of quick-fire questions arriving quicker than I could answer and her enthusiasm for new knowledge was palpable. As I began to know Jane better through our chance meetings in the cockpit, and our planned meetings outside of the cockpit, I quickly figured out that Jane’s enthusiasm and love of life did not just apply to our conversation. It is who Jane is and it is how she lives her life.

I have absolutely no doubt that as you turn the pages of this book, regardless of how well you know Jane, you will learn something new about her. I also have no doubt that you will thoroughly enjoy this book and will be able to truly appreciate the legacy that Jane leaves for her friends and family.

Captain Dan Pignotti

I’ve known Jane Schuring for almost thirty years. We met when I was a new hire First Officer on the ATR-42 for Continental Express. Over the course of four years, I spent many a month in the right seat as a first officer flying with Jane. After moving on to Continental (later United) I had the pleasure, although not as often, to fly with Jane on the Boeing 737. Jane was the first female Captain I’d ever flown with. I quickly learned something about Jane and the other female pilots that I worked with. They had to be better. In a profession that is approximately 96% male, there are those that have the mindset that females got their job just because they were women (the irony is not lost on me). Because of that perception, I feel that female pilots have that in the back of their minds, most of the female pilots I’ve flown with have been consummate professionals.

Thinking of making a career change? Read this book. A single parent seeking a better income and benefits?  Read this book. Jane shows us that it may be difficult, but with persistence, determination, and help from friends and family, it can be done. Jane not only had an amazing career for twenty years as a flight attendant, she also had an amazing career as a pilot. If you have the pleasure of knowing Jane, one thing is abundantly clear. Jane Schuring is all about her family. I’ve been on trips with Jane when she brought her kids along; she’s a great mom.

Although I’ve known Jane for a long time, both professionally and socially, there are a lot of things that I didn’t know. I found her book captivating and entertaining. Jane has served as a mentor for many pilots, myself included and I’m proud to call her my friend.

Captain Scott Brown

United Airlines

When I showed up at Continental Express as a newly hired first officer in the spring of 1990, Jane had already been there for six months. Female pilots were still few and far between, so it was natural for us to become fast friends. We had a great time discussing and laughing about our trials and tribulations as women in this industry. She was raising three kids on her own and starting a new career in the demanding airline business, a daunting task. Her cheery attitude belied her journey to get to this level of becoming an airline pilot. With no family nearby, and with a little help from friends, she became the organized guru with her flight schedule, kids school activities, meals, babysitters (where my daughter filled in on occasion). She never seemed to miss a beat!

Jane’s story is inspiring. A young stewardess, who suddenly finds herself divorced, with kids, decides she can move to the pilot’s seat, and won’t let anything stop her from that goal. A 44-year career ending proudly with the water cannon salute as she taxis her Boeing 737 to the gate. Captain Jane Schuring proves you can have it all! A successful career with life’s roadblocks and raising great kids.

Captain Mary Trusler

retired

At the age of 24 I decided to follow a lifelong dream that had been derailed by an earlier health crisis. With little financial resources and not much encouragement from well-meaning friends and family, I quit my job and dove headfirst into flight training - I wanted to be an airline pilot. I could understand the hesitation to support my move. Financially, the airline industry was in the dirt, there were thousands of experienced pilots out of work and the cost of flight training was astronomical. What are you thinking? How will you ever get a job? How are you going to pay for it all? Well, I found a way, and as it turned out, my timing couldn’t have been better. By the time I was qualified and building the necessary hours, the airline business was picking up and pilot retirements were on the increase. In 1996 I landed my first airline job at regional carrier Continental Express and began flying the ATR-42 turboprop at Houston Intercontinental Airport.

It wasn’t long after I started that I found myself on a trip with Captain Jane Schuring - the first female Captain I’d ever flown with. At the time, I had no idea about Jane’s real story. But, I distinctly remember what a great example she set as an enthusiastic, skilled pilot and leader and how much I enjoyed flying with her. We kept in touch over the years as we both transitioned to mainline Continental and I was later blessed to become her neighbor. While I’d picked up bits and pieces of her story over the years, it wasn’t until I read her book that I really came to appreciate what she’d accomplished. The difficulties I faced transitioning my career pale in comparison to the financial, family and stereotypical hurdles Jane overcame on her journey to becoming a major airline Captain. This is a GREAT story everyone should read, especially those who think they may be stuck in life, facing challenges that keep them from pursuing their dreams. Jane is proof - ignore the naysayers. If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way and you can do anything.

Captain Bret Hinkie

United Airlines

Plane Jane follows Jane Schuring through the roll, pitch, and yaw of a life that includes her time as a flight attendant for two decades, a mother of three slinging crockpot meals, a world traveler hiking active and extinct volcanoes, and a captain for a major airline, the ‘second’ career in her long journey. Jane covers every item on the checklist, leaving room for error along the way only when revealing the inside scoop of what it means to be human; her honesty is everything as she reveals all the elements of her time in the sky and on land. Whether you’re in coach, first class, or visiting the cockpit, you can trust that she’ll tell you how it is and get you to your destination better off than when you set out.

 My father served in the Air Force for 4 years and worked for the FAA for two decades, but even with all of his stories playing in the back of my mind, Plane Jane is a great reflection to add color to modern flight. No other memoir is going to give you this type of honesty about the highs and lows of a woman managing two careers in the late 20th century. The work of a pilot and flight attendant can easily go ignored, especially if they’re doing their job right. Jane handled her careers with finesse and lands her story perfectly as she reveals the behind-the-scenes training and work to make sure every day people arrived safely. Her memoir takes care of the reader as well, making sure they know the history and the reality. You couldn’t ask for more.

Jeffrey W. Peterson

You are about to meet the most amazing person. I first met Jane in the cockpit of an airliner. I was a first officer and she was a flight attendant who had come to the cockpit to talk to the captain about flying. I had never met a flight attendant who was interested in flying, but then, I had never met Jane. After she left I remember thinking that if Jane decided to pursue a professional pilot career, she would be successful. As you will learn from reading this book, a can-do, positive attitude carried Jane through times where many would simply give up. Now, Jane is an author! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Capt. (ret) Mark Thielker

I remember the first day Jane and I sat down to talk about this project. She wanted to make a little book to tell her favorite stories and share fun photos with her family. My excitement grew as she began to tell me stories from her days at the airlines. Her life is full of adventure, comedy, tragedy, challenge, and redemption. In short, it is a life well-lived that will serve as an inspiration to the next generations. Her little family book quickly grew in length and reach, and as soon as I read the first few chapters, it was my hope that she would decide to publish this for the public.

In some ways, Jane has had it all - the education, the family, the career. But there is not one chapter that came easy. Hers is a story of grit and of choices. She models for the rest of us how to pursue dreams - not with luck, but with one tricky, dedicated step at a time. This is especially important for younger women to hear. The having it all that has been thrown at us is either unreachable or exhausting for most, but Jane’s honest example encourages us to keep fighting for our dreams even if success comes in fits and starts.

One of my favorite things about this book is how Jane’s curious and caring personality comes through. She never meets a stranger. Or I should say, she meets all the strangers and turns them into friends in a matter of minutes. Her connections from work and from her personal life ring true in these stories because they are true, and most of them hold to this day.

The sparkle in her eyes and quick smile you will see in her photos capture the impact she has on everyone she comes into contact with. These stories are infused with her warmth and quick wit. Early on, Jane told me the story of a captain who she had flown with as a flight attendant. He recognized her when she stepped into the cockpit as a first officer and was trying to puzzle it out. I can imagine her sweet but a little smirky smile when she said, I used to bring you coffee. Her sense of humor is always at the ready.

A life like this doesn’t happen without depth and heart. Even in the midst of the biggest obstacles and most daunting challenges, Jane pursued the next step with an underlying joy and vigor that she still has today. Being her friend is an immense privilege. If you are on her list, you can count on her relentless commitment when times are tough. Her own struggles have infused her heart with compassion and non-judgement, and her successes spill into hope for everyone she meets.

What a privilege it has been to do my little part helping her put this book together. I have no doubt the readers are in for a special treat.

Alyson Hinkie

Friend, neighbor, pilot wife, and fellow dreamer

Jane and I have been friends for 50+ years since our first encounter as roommates in Continental Airlines training. We never flew together because we were always in different bases, but have always kept in touch to share our experiences, our loves, friends lost, motherhood, and generally the ups and downs of life.

Through the last few years, whenever we have traveled with our friend, Kim, it has been especially full of laughter and fun. We always wanted to share, when people asked, that Jane had advanced to retire as Captain of a 737, all while raising three cute kids, by herself most of the years, into great adults. My friendship with Jane will always be something I cherish.

Kay Fleming

Try to stay in the middle of the air. Do not go near the edges of it. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees, and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there.

—anonymous old aviator

Introduction

The airplane is descending, surrounded by clouds, so thick you can scarcely see 10 feet ahead. We are gliding, slowly, quietly. The engines are silent, suggesting that they forgot how to spool up. Ground fog is thick as the ground looms closer. The air is smooth, not a smidgen of turbulence. This is my favorite flying weather—fog. It’s quiet and peaceful. I must rely completely on the instruments.

Walking into a Tornado

The supercell thunderstorm tracked through the Tomball area, about 35 miles northwest of Houston, TX, producing four tornadoes along with damaging microburst winds and tennis-ball-sized hail.

This thunderstorm produced an F3 tornado that killed two people, injured 80 others, and destroyed a nearby mobile home park, including most of the David Wayne Hooks Airport. The damage would exceed 80 million dollars.

Twisters had also hit two apartment houses, several homes and a doctor’s office. About 90% of the houses in town suffered some damage. Three hundred aircraft at Hooks airport were either damaged or destroyed. Much of the more substantial hail was propelled by 60 to 80 mph winds, resulting in widespread damage.

"There are airplanes on