Debrief: Heather Sterzick Dirksen

Started in aviation… My dad was a pilot; he had a J–3 Cub on floats. We would fly from Michigan to Canada [where] we would videotape goose and bear hunts.

From ultralights to fixed wing…I started doing ultralight flying in Abu Dhabi with friends, and when I worked in Kosovo I bought a paraglider…[Flying those] made it easier [to fly fixed-wing aircraft] because the ultralight and paragliding is so much of a precision flying than just getting in a Cessna and heading out and learning that way. My [fixed-wing] instructor might tell you differently. He yelled at me a lot.

Being on television…I was on the [P–51] Miss America air racing team at the Reno Air Races. Kevin Lacey and Mike Kennedy came over. They became good friends of the Miss America crew, and we hung out the whole time. The producer of the show came over and talked to me and found out through Kevin I was doing aerobatics and interested in flying a lot. I was uncomfortable on the set at first, but by the time the second season rolled around, it was like just another job.

Favorite aviation activity…Just going up with my husband and not having a real cross-country destination—just playing around and having fun and becoming current and staying proficient.

Favorite airplane… I have a real emotional attachment to the Super Decathlon because it’s what I started on.

Advice for students… I recommend learning from the books, flying with different people, flying different
airplanes, always taking responsibility for the situation by making sure the aircraft is maintained, you’re flying in the correct airspace, and the pilot [you’re with] has the correct ratings.