Shelby Nowak

That’s what Shelby Nowak decided at age 16 when she stopped flying and told her father aviation wasn’t for her. Her father, Danny White (above), owns H.O. Aircraft in Minnesota, a 40-year-old aircraft restoration facility. Nor did college appeal to her after high school, so she went to Florida to pursue a passion she did have: scuba diving. Nowak discovered she could “hang with the boys” and often found herself a better diver than some of the 30-something Marines she trained with. She gained a lot of confidence in the water and, after some soul searching—and checking her wallet—she realized she couldn’t make a living diving, but maybe, just maybe, she now had the confidence to “do this flying thing.” Back home in Minnesota she whipped through her ratings and within months she went from “nothing to corporate,” she says. “I was too young to even share a beer after a flight, but I was flying corporate jets.” She and her dad built a Van’s Aircraft RV–9 together in 2014. Today she is the global product manager for a cardiac surgery team, actively flies with her father, and recently purchased a seaplane rating course for her new husband.

How did you get started in aviation? My dad runs an aircraft restoration company called H.O. Aircraft, so I really grew up around aviation. I started formal flying lessons when I was 16, but quit when I was ready to solo, because I was nervous. After high school, I spent a few months in the Florida Keys attending a program to become a professional scuba diver, and that experience gave me more confidence in my capabilities. When I returned home to Minnesota to start college later that year, I decided to pick up flying again. It was then that I realized I really enjoyed it, and I was actually pretty good at it! I got my private when I was 19; I’m 27 now and still fly for fun. 

What were your biggest challenges? The biggest challenge for me was confidence. Getting a young start is great, but when you’re still a kid, it seems crazy and a little scary to be flying an airplane when some of your friends don’t even have their driver’s license yet. My dad always told me, “You fly the plane, the plane does not fly you,” and that really helped ingrain that I was in control of the aircraft, and wherever it goes is because I’m putting it there. Learning instruments in a Cessna 150 with a single VOR was also a challenge.

Favorite aircraft? Super Cub on amphibious floats.

Favorite aviation-related activities? Seaplane flying in the summer when the sun sets late and the air is calm. It was also fun to watch my husband get his license earlier this year!

Advice for students? Find an instructor who you click with; if you enjoy flying but things just aren’t making sense, don’t be afraid to shop around for someone whose way of teaching aligns better with your personality and learning style.