When 89 year-old Bee Haydu stepped into the captain’s seat of an Air Tran 717 aircraft she calmly said “I’ve got one in.” Haydu’s experienced hands gripped the yoke of the 717 but it wasn’t the first time she sat behind the controls. Haydu is one of 300 surviving WASP members or Women Airforce Service Pilots. These women flew Military aircraft domestically during World War II in order to free male pilots for active duty. She was flown to the ceremony and given a tour of the Airtran plane by an all woman flight team as a curtousey from the company in honor of her service.
WASP members were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in Washington DC today. Watch video clips of Bee below and read Elizabeth Prann’s blog to learn more about this group of pilots.