Ladies, buckle up for an exciting journey with Fearless Females as we cruise the skies with Cassie Nelson, a Delta pilot whose story will elevate your aspirations.
Discover how Cassie’s tenacity and dedication propelled her to remarkable heights in the aviation industry. Learn how she harmonized the thrills of piloting with the joys of motherhood, and why she never let gender stereotypes clip her wings.
Fasten your seatbelts—it’s time to ascend with Cassie’s fearless flight toward success.
Show Highlights:
- Dive into this woman pilot’s ultra-success story. [00:04:58]
- The power of “Point A to B” discipline when chasing goals. [00:13:10]
- Proof positive of coordinating a career with maternity. [00:17:17]
- Are women truly stealing men’s jobs? [00:22:41]
- Explore mental and physical challenges women face in male-dominated industries. [00:28:24]
- Discover how your career as a woman can improve your family. [00:34:31]
- Invaluable advice for your rising career as a young woman. [00:37:25]
For more information or to connect with Cassie Nelson go to:
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review! For more information about Lorie Jones, go to http://fearless-females.com/.
00:00.85
loriejones7
Oh perfect, it did it worked today. So that's great. Oh and the other thing I wanted to let you know is that we will. Um, once we're done I'll go ahead and turn it into my podcast guru because I am not a tech guru so he.
00:04.76
Cassie
That's great. Oh.
00:13.40
Cassie
Ah.
00:18.36
loriejones7
Cleans up the audio and makes us look good and if we you know sneeze funny or scrunch our face he gets rid of all that stuff for us I know I thought I thought too I'm like yeah ah only do good things only make us look wonderful and smart. Ah.
00:24.75
Cassie
Oh I love it. That's a that's sex point. Good. yeah always yes yeah yeah cut it out absolutely hundred percent look
00:37.56
loriejones7
And anything I say that's stupid just go ahead and edit that out for me. So um, well thank you today. We're here with Cassie Nelson today thank you so much for joining us Cassie has been a pilot for delta for.
00:53.60
Cassie
That is personal.
00:57.20
loriejones7
Um, for quite a while I'm going to let her share her story that I just before we got started I wanted to let you know full disclosure that Cassie is also my cousin and so I am just.
00:58.19
Cassie
Yeah, that yes.
01:09.68
loriejones7
I've just been so proud of her I've watched Cassie since she was like two or three years old I remember her as a teeny tiny little blonde headed um girl wander around and so I've just I feel.
01:20.57
Cassie
Are.
01:23.99
loriejones7
You're you're not young enough to be 1 of my kids Cassie but I do feel so proud of you just like you are so I I shout out and and tell you how excited I am to be able to interview to you today. So thank you for doing this.
01:36.35
Cassie
Oh hundred percent I appreciate it. Laurie thank you for that that means a lot really does you.
01:43.35
loriejones7
So I usually start out with a question because I love reading and I love to get my hands on tons of books I have a stack this big by my bedside. So what is your favorite book. What are you look? What are you reading right? now.
01:54.88
Cassie
So my favorite book. Well I don't get a lot of time to read right now because I am a mother of 3 little children and a full time airline pilot and we just got. Ah, bunch of chickens and there's just always something else to do so I do not get to read very often I mean I'll I'll read a lot like news and different things. But as far as favorite book goes. Um, you know I always like It's a classic It's a book Rebecca um I just loved how it was written and so I always appreciated that one just the the writing I thought was so beautiful and then um I was like Atlas Atlas shrugged to that was just a good one. But um, and that's.
02:36.56
loriejones7
Um, that.
02:50.49
Cassie
As far as current reading I have nothing to report my life just doesn't allow for it right now but maybe someday. But.
02:59.36
loriejones7
yeah yeah I I do understand that I actually most of my reading um is 15 minutes before bedtime and then I'll listen to the book on tape as I go back and forth to work. So.
03:10.81
Cassie
Smart but that's a good idea. Maybe I should just do that on the way the airport and I think that's how I can get some books in.
03:12.68
loriejones7
Ah, usually do get through quite a few books but I it's all Liz book on tape. So yeah.
03:25.33
loriejones7
Well I I remember those days when you've got those young ones that take up a bunch of your time and I'm I'm sure that as our um, our younger listeners ah grow through those stages of their life they will they will get there.
03:28.15
Cassie
Is that.
03:37.45
Cassie
Oh okay.
03:41.67
loriejones7
And it just seems like they take up every single minute of every single day. They're totally worth it. But they do take a lot of time.
03:51.11
Cassie
It's so true. Yeah, and it's um, and and then when you don't in its energy too because it's like even when you have time to do other things Sometimes you just don't have the energy anymore you've spent everything.
03:56.39
loriejones7
Are.
04:05.98
Cassie
So yeah, sometimes in the evening I mean I'll and I'll organize I take a million pictures of them in our lives and so I'll organize all that and our family history and everything and by the time we do that and it's 11 or what I'm like I got to go to bed because this is all going to start again. So you can have to pick and choose what you do, but.
04:18.81
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
04:25.39
Cassie
And somebody else. Yeah there in sequence exactly. But.
04:25.62
loriejones7
Yeah, that's to prioritize there are seasons the time will come. So um, so tell us a little bit about your your journey Cassie how did you get where you're at today. What have you been doing tell us about you.
04:38.38
Cassie
Hey so how I got into flying I I mean a lot of people you talked to they say you know I I always want to be a pilot It was always there for me I didn't know that ever that was something that I could do and. But when I was a junior in high school I went up to Utah state for a thing called engineering state because I thought I'm um, good at math. Maybe I could be an engineer um and that is where I fell on flying flight was on their list of things that you could kind of explore and learn about. And I learned it about the path and how to get there and what to do and um for pretty well my whole life different places I grew up on a farm and was like we never went anywhere like um, you know from the tower was 6 on we we never went. Anywhere we barely went camping and I just had this desire to see things I wanted to see the world I wanted to go places and so um, when I thought about doing flying as a career I thought that's my window like that's my window to be able to see things so that was my initial thought and then. When I actually started flying so I graduated from high school and like two days later I moved up to Logan and just started school right away that summer and they had ah a summer program where you could get your pilot's license in like two months it was a really fast like.
06:05.91
loriejones7
Oh wow.
06:08.17
Cassie
It was based after like a military thing. It was really fast and and it was good because it set my pace through my all my training I just like you know, blasted through everything but um, anyway, what I found when I started flying was that I loved it like I actually loved it and I I had a knack for it. I had a kind of a talent for it which was so interesting to me because I mean I never would have thought that in 1000000 years I never would have even known that you know so it was a testament to me to you really just need to try and everything because you don't know what you're going to be good at and you don't know what you might enjoy and. But yeah, it was just it was easy for me and fun and and and and and the the travel the desire to travel was still there obviously but it was so fun to be able to actually like it as well. And so I I was able to um.
07:00.50
loriejones7
I think.
07:05.79
Cassie
Yeah, everything done in 3 years I talked to I had a great counselor and I didn't realize how good she was until later because I thought oh all the counselors just do this. She just go to them and then they just tell you exactly what to do for this amount of time and then you're done and. And that's what she and they don't really do that. My husband had to cancel search for school and that's not what they did at all. But I just went to her I like how fast can I do this and she's like well while you're working and you sleep maybe 3 years I was like okay line me out and so she just lined out every single class every single minute I didn't waste. Ah, minute in college which I loved like all of it was exactly I wasn't there longer than they needed to be wasn't there as they're much shorter than they mean to be actually just because she lined me out so well and and some of the semesters were heavy. There was one a had like 21 credits. Um.
07:54.55
loriejones7
Oh.
07:57.57
Cassie
Which was a lot but that was just that one but the others you know there weren't less than 15 to 18 usually ah but I just knocked it out because I wanted to and so I was working flying and going to school and I wanted working and flying to be 1 thing and then I don't want.
08:13.91
loriejones7
E.
08:16.82
Cassie
School that I wanted to just play so I wanted to work and I wanted to play and so that was kind of my goal and so I was a flight instructor after graduated for almost two years I did that to be able to get my time to go to Sky West
08:29.44
loriejones7
And.
08:35.26
Cassie
And then once I had my time I ah applied to Sky West thank we got an interview and went well I I flew there for 9 years for 7 of those years. The industry stopped there was no hiring. There was no movement. There was no anything I stayed the same seniority I just stayed there and I thought okay this is where I'll stay this is where I will you know I think I can be a mom and do this because I wanted to have children someday and so I just kind of made my camp there. Ah, but then I kept hearing from different people. They're like are you putting your stuff in at Delta when are you putting your stuff in a delta. Are you going to delta or I just kept hearing it and hearing it and hearing it and I've learned in the past that when you hear things enough. Usually the universe is trying to tell you something.
09:26.21
loriejones7
Heaven.
09:28.91
Cassie
And maybe it's good to start listening. Um and so I made that jump. It took me about 5 years to get noticed at Delta but because it's not easy to get an interview there. But finally they saw me and I was able to get on that delta. So I've been there. 7 years and I love it and I'm so grateful that I made the move. Um, but yeah, so I've been doing it for about 16 almost seventeen years now which is crazy to me that that time has gone by it has um.
10:01.57
loriejones7
Yeah.
10:04.48
Cassie
But I love it I I love my job I loved it at Skywest I love the people it was hard to leave the people at Sky West but um it's the same job at Delta but the benefits are better. The pay obviously is better and there it was a good move and I'm grateful.
10:17.55
loriejones7
And.
10:24.19
Cassie
I'm grateful that I listened to those promptings to make that an option for myself because initially I wasn't I wasn't really thinking that that would be the best way to go to balance work and family and it turns out that it's better than it would have been a sky west. So.
10:27.21
loriejones7
Yeah.
10:34.12
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
10:38.96
loriejones7
So you said that you did a two month training program at what is did you have your pilot's license after two months because you.
10:45.44
Cassie
I did yeah so your initial pilot's license. They call it your private pilot's license. Yeah I was able to do that and in just the two months there at Utah state and.
10:59.48
loriejones7
Um, just.
11:02.97
Cassie
And it was good to go from non flying to fine I mean it was it. It was intense but it was It was a really good. Yeah.
11:09.66
loriejones7
And then you have to you had to have certain number of hours is that to get like a commercial license or how did that work.
11:16.76
Cassie
So so you go like you? Yeah, you have different ratings So your private pilot license is one and then usually your next one you get is your instrument license so you can fly like in in the clouds without visual reference. Basically.
11:28.56
loriejones7
Um.
11:33.20
Cassie
And then um and then usually from there you go to your commercial license and the commercial licenses ah is you have to have a certain amount of hours cross country time like there's there's requirements for each of those ah commercial license was fun and easier I would say the instrument was probably the harder or more technical but more fun. It's just like a.
11:38.30
loriejones7
Um.
11:53.18
Cassie
And math problem. You finally figure out to do. It's like how to do that it it becomes fun because you know how to do it? Um, so that was fun, but and then I got my ah flight instructor mae.
11:56.75
loriejones7
Yeah.
12:05.88
Cassie
Cfi flight instructor certificate and then I got my flight instructor instrument certificate and then I got my multi- engine certificate. Um, and then my multi- engineine instruction Certificate. So like instruct a multi engine plane so you kind of get all these ratings and then after you have all that done. Then you can work as an instructor or maybe a freight like ah like a cargo type operation or even corporate I mean you could work for a bunch of different outfits to try to get time to go to the Airlines If. That's what you want to do? Um, and that was the right path for me. But um.
12:39.96
loriejones7
What.
12:43.85
Cassie
Yeah, the airlines have been it again. It's gotten me to where I want to be able to travel and be able to see some things so it's been a good choice I'm grateful.
12:48.83
loriejones7
yeah yeah I watch ah I watch a lot of your posts on you know Facebook and Instagram and you do get to visit really cool places. So.
12:58.90
Cassie
Really do it's It's been a gift. It's it's neat I mean we are standby so it's not. You know it's not a for sure ticket so you work. It's a good deal but you work for it in other ways, especially with little kids and so you know we.
13:10.89
loriejones7
Ah, yeah, yeah.
13:15.97
Cassie
We have to be flexible but now we've been able to to do some really neat things.
13:20.50
loriejones7
So Cassie what's the best investment that you've made in yourself like is there something that you can look back on and you're like oh I'm so glad I did that but that totally led me to marry Matt today or to be successful.
13:33.91
Cassie
Um, yeah, um, my best investment in myself I've always been I don't know if it's a gift to be able to see.
13:45.43
Cassie
How to get from point a to b you know it's just been simple to me to be able to see that like all right for to get from here to here I need to do this and then I can just make myself do it. Um, if I want to go clear back I have thought about why partly why I am that way and I think it's a service. My mom. May have done for me. She she always had me make my bed in the morning I was like the first thing I did when I woke up I always had to make my bed and um and that sounds so simple. But I think it helped me get on that path to being disciplined. Um, and then there were other things that that I made myself do that. It wasn't um that maybe no one ever knew about. But I would kind of create a regimen for myself and I would make myself do things or I would create little goals that I could complete or different things like that and I think that did me a good service.
14:24.82
loriejones7
Ah.
14:45.65
Cassie
I Know just making it so I could stick with something until it was complete. You know I could start if I started something I finished it and um, that was a great service to me, especially in this because it's I mean it's.
14:48.24
loriejones7
This is.
14:59.62
Cassie
Not easy to become a pilot just like anything that's worth it. It's It's not easy. But if you stick with it and you put that time in and you you understand where you're going to get to. You know that you understand that endpoint. Um, it's.
15:15.70
loriejones7
Ah, no.
15:18.82
Cassie
It's worth it and you can I can make myself do that which is I don't know maybe kind of a gift or maybe it was trained into me I don't know I don't know.
15:28.19
loriejones7
Well I don't make my bed. So so so we can thank your mom for that right.
15:35.74
Cassie
It's fun I know I'm trying to do do it with my kids I think kid does teach things but we'll see.
15:39.81
loriejones7
Yeah I love that idea of discipline. That's actually 1 of our core values here at Fidelis is the idea of being discipline discipline and our approach to investing in discipline in our approach to life that consistency that persistence. So I I really love that idea and I do think it has a lot of value. So what is the worst advice someone gave you and and did you take it or what did you learn from that.
15:59.96
Cassie
Absolutely absolutely.
16:10.32
Cassie
Um, so the worst advice I was thinking trying to think hard about that and I wont I want to say I kind of guided my own path. It was a very like self- drivenven thing I really I didn't care why anybody thought so. I don't know if it mattered but like what anybody said to me. So maybe I don't maybe someone did give me poor advice and I just didn't even listen to it but um, along the road somewhere but I do remember when I was working for Sky West because I didn't make a lot of money at Sky West but again I worked really hard to get there and do that and when we had our first baby.
16:30.54
loriejones7
Ah determined.
16:49.91
Cassie
It was tricky like it was hard and I was tired a lot and and so Matt and I were talking about like is this really worth it and he suggested that maybe I do quit and I remember thinking about it like really taking it to heart and I just. Pride I was just like no like I kick I I don't work at Walmart or not that that's not a bad place to you know? but I was like I worked really hard to get here. Um I paid big.
17:17.59
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
17:22.66
loriejones7
Ah.
17:24.41
Cassie
There were a lot of sacrifices to get here I know I'm not making that good money. But I just I care I Um and I'm so glad I didn't give up you know during that harder period because the payoff has been crazy great and so.
17:33.95
loriejones7
Yeah.
17:42.34
Cassie
I'm glad I just stuck it in there for that harder time and and made it work.
17:46.56
loriejones7
Did you pull back it all during that time work less hours or anything like that or how did you? How did you make it work. We've got a lot of you know women at the beginning of their career that are going to go through that that phase if you have kids you go through it as a professional woman.
17:52.88
Cassie
Um.
18:04.28
Cassie
Right? Um, well I had at that time I had like 7 years of seniority. Um, and so I was able to get what were called standup trips. So I would like do the last flight out the first flight back in the morning. So. And but which which means you don't get a lot of sleep but you might get through 4 hours wherever you go and you come back and it's nice because you're home all day and that was good because I could be home with my boy I could it was his first year of his life I could nurse him the way I wanted to I could do all that um I was so tired all the time. Because I wasn't getting that sleep. Even if I got a nap I was just kind of in a fog all the time. So I able to make it that way I wasn't able to cut back a lot because we were so short. Ah pilots like there's just been a pilot shortage for a very long time. Um, and so that was tricky.
18:47.72
loriejones7
And so.
18:57.18
Cassie
Um, and and when I was looking at going to Delta to delta I was worried I'm like am I going to be gone longer on longer trips I can't be gone away. You know I and so that's why I was thinking I would just stay at c west and like I'll just be gone at night and then I'll be able to be there during the day. But.
19:06.90
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
19:15.62
Cassie
Um, it just it just wasn't the best fit for me I found as far as Lifestyle and how I felt and and everything out and probably my help deep and I need sleep. Everyone needs sleep. But.
19:22.78
loriejones7
So.
19:28.33
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, it's I think a lot of times as women. Ah you know we try and do everything and we we try. We're taking care of our kids or we're taking care of our parents or we're doing both and plus trying to you know have a career and.
19:32.85
Cassie
Nice.
19:43.91
loriejones7
And then ah, perpetually short on sleep and short on self-care and that's that's a hard time to go through and a hard lesson to learn. Um just out of curiosity has it gotten better. Do you did you figure out how to balance it or.
19:56.90
Cassie
Absolutely yeah, um so that move to Delta was a great one and again it came with some fat sacrifice initially it was based in Detroit initially so I was commuting so obviously I was gone more for that. Just the training is.
20:10.20
loriejones7
Is.
20:15.14
Cassie
Like a month and a half that you're almost gone you know just to do that and so you do sacrifice a little to get it going just like any new thing. So the first two years I would say were like ah what did I do you know and then um after that.
20:16.12
loriejones7
You.
20:28.86
loriejones7
Um.
20:31.17
Cassie
Ah, there's been so much hiring and I got in. It's such a good time now after seven years I'm number 20 out of like 200 pilots in Salt Lake and so I bid I get pretty much what I want for trips and.
20:38.94
loriejones7
Yeah.
20:46.40
loriejones7
And.
20:48.69
Cassie
I'm usually doing 1 or 2 day trips and and usually I can I can get rid of 1 or 2 trips and so I'm working like maybe 6 to eight days a month. Um, which is very doable and very great. It's turned into this great thing where I get a mommy's day out.
21:00.46
loriejones7
Yeah.
21:07.80
Cassie
You know where I get to go and maybe sit in Cancun for 20 hours and just get some sun on my skin and walk in the sand and eat slowly and just be alone for a minute. It makes me a better mom I think when I fall home because I've had. A minute you know to and again to do something I'm good at to do something I love and that other part of me because a big part of me is mother but there is this other part of me that that exists and to be able to do. Both is a really just a huge gift.
21:27.64
loriejones7
Um, it is.
21:43.88
loriejones7
Ah, you're making me want to be a pilot a mommy stay out. Ah lovely.
21:48.37
Cassie
It's so good I recommended to everything went and it's some wonderful I love it and it's not. It's not always cancu like you know some days. Um I might spend like 15 hours in Fargo or.
22:02.82
Cassie
Suddenly not to say I love fargo in the Summer Sorrygo and summer's great, but um, yeah, really anywhere I get to go I I can enjoy it. You know I can get something fun to eat walk around maybe go'll see a movie I don't know it's it's fun.
22:03.59
loriejones7
Ah.
22:10.62
loriejones7
And.
22:18.28
loriejones7
I Love that I love that for you. So as you look back? Um, ah I mean regrets like we all have them. We all look back and say hey I wish I would have done that differently or gosh I could have handled that situation. We learn something from it. But but what's your biggest.
22:19.50
Cassie
This.
22:35.46
loriejones7
Ah, learning I Hate calling regrets What if what's your biggest learning experience there.
22:40.67
Cassie
Right? Um I think my biggest thing I I wish I would have tried to get delta sooner. Um I kind of just sat where I was and just I closed out every any other idea and I just thought this is the best. This is what's going to work. This is.
22:46.43
loriejones7
E.
22:58.89
Cassie
You know and I just kind of stayed in that space and um I don't know that I would have gotten on delta sooner I don't know what the hiringne if that would have even worked but like I said it took me like 5 years to even get noticed to get on there. I was going to conventions I was like way be like I'm over here please. But they've got so many applicants. It's it's hard to get noticed. Um, so I wish I would have had that on my radar sooner. Um, because I could have gotten to where I am.
23:30.44
loriejones7
Um.
23:33.55
Cassie
Sooner and I mean I Love where I'm at and maybe the timing was perfect. Maybe it just happened exactly how it was supposed to but um, and and I learned things along the way as you say we do with with different things but in a perfect World. You know. I just would have been an delta that whole time. But I know that I think industry wide last time I saw it was like 6% I don't know if we reached 7% yet. But.
23:56.80
loriejones7
Um, did ah how how many ah women are there that are pilots that's got to be a small number.
24:11.80
Cassie
And that was the same at delta for a while too I don't know current numbers at Delta but we made up about 6% which made sense um like my class my starting class at delta had 44 people in it and 4 were girls and and it's about that with any clash you've got like.
24:26.25
loriejones7
Um.
24:29.88
Cassie
2 1 2 or 3 maybe 4 was a lot from our class ah of girls. So and it's funny I always hear well not always. But I have heard it before the guys some guys will say yeah the girls are taking our jobs. You know like they're hiring all the girls are. and and I look at these classes and the pictures. It's like 40 men and like 4 women dotted in there. You know it's like they're all we took 4 of those jobs. You know there were 40 jobs. We did not take you know so.
25:02.45
loriejones7
Ah, yeah.
25:02.84
Cassie
It's just kind of funny. It's like and that's every single class that goes through So I'm like I don't think we're taking your jobs there. Your jobs are there. You just have to go get it home if any.
25:10.93
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, So um, if you could go back and talk to your younger self your. At the beginning of your journey your 20 year old self your 22 year old self. What advice would you give her.
25:28.55
Cassie
Um, oh my gosh I would just say so stay the course because there is a big paycheck at the end of it and some amazing Memories. You know like it was It was worth a 100% I Have no regrets with becoming a pilot I Um, and I'm thankful that I knew right out of the gate. What I wanted to do and I could just shoot for that that I didn't have to you know make a change somewhere in there or just something different I. I was fortunate with an industry that's kind of up and down. You know it's cyclical as far as what's happening with hiring and everything else and where I fell in that I was very blessed because I mean I've had to work I haven't had to miss any holidays with kids or.
26:06.21
loriejones7
Um.
26:19.26
Cassie
My family I haven't had to um I mean I maybe had to work like one Christmas or one thanksgiving in almost seventeen years which is incredible and some people they get in at their own time and they work every Christmas for 10 years or they work every you know. It really just depends on where you fall in there in the seniority base excuse me.
26:45.50
loriejones7
Um, um.
26:47.52
Cassie
But yeah I would just say stay the course this thing things work out. Well a hundred percent yes
26:52.36
loriejones7
Um, hang in there. It's gonna be worth it hang in there? Yeah um, what's scared you the most when you started out and and does it still scare you.
27:07.00
Cassie
Um, you know what it sounds silly. What scared me was initial initially was flying with someone mean or you know cause you fly with this for some for days you know and I'd heard stories of.
27:16.94
loriejones7
Um, almost.
27:21.54
loriejones7
Um, and.
27:23.68
Cassie
Different people and what it was like flying was some of there's not very many, but there's always a few that are kind of awful anyway, I ah I was really nervous about that at first. Um, but I think it was because everything was new. You know it was.
27:31.61
loriejones7
Um, 50
27:40.92
loriejones7
Yeah.
27:42.97
Cassie
And knew I had to learn the company I had to learn the play I had to learn I had to learn a lot and ah, but once I'd learned that and I'd got it under my belt. Well and I was good at it and I was confident and I had that confidence.
27:59.33
Cassie
I It didn't It didn't even faze me anymore and it's the same now it doesn't worry me at all I'm like and and at Delta I've never film with anyone I would say is mean I've never flown anyone that I would maybe not want to fly with again, you know, ah everyone I've fallen with has been has been really great.
28:01.70
loriejones7
Remember.
28:10.79
loriejones7
Um, one.
28:18.55
Cassie
Um, and I and but even if I did fly with a jerk or something I wouldn't care because I I meant I'm a good pilot like I I try really hard with what I do I'm good at what I do I Know how to do what I'm doing well.
28:37.34
Cassie
So there's really nothing. He can say to me about that. Um, and so if he wants to pick on me in any other way he could try you know hi I I don't know. Yeah, it's that confidence I just I don't know. Yeah.
28:39.80
loriejones7
Yeah.
28:50.34
loriejones7
Um, that's that confidence right.
28:56.30
Cassie
6 and stones I don't know I don't I don't really care.
28:57.86
loriejones7
Yeah I can't imagine anyone being mean to you you just you're I Just can't imagine it. So I I.
29:06.34
Cassie
Ah, well hopefully not. But I mean I don't know I'm probably I'm happy and probably that comes off as obnoxious sometimes I'm sure so maybe somebody if anything. Maybe they just won't talk to me and I can do that. That's. Are.
29:21.88
loriejones7
Ah, funny. So um, what about unique challenges as a woman if you're ah I've interviewed a lot of different women in different spaces and um, you actually have the lowest percentage so far of the women that I've.
29:37.13
Cassie
So.
29:39.58
loriejones7
Interviewed of women in the industry. So did you end up with any unique challenges because you were a woman working in a very male dominated industry.
29:48.53
Cassie
Um, well I mean you would you would think that like it at first I wondered if I would be not treated as well just because or you know maybe we're supposed to be in the kitchen or whatever I don't know. Maybe there's such still that crowd that.
29:55.22
loriejones7
He.
30:01.63
loriejones7
Oh.
30:04.70
Cassie
That thought we were supposed to be bare pregnant in the kitchen but it turned out not at all if I did fly with that person we got along great. You know we didn't I was I've never been treated that way. So but I kind of expected but never saw.
30:13.34
loriejones7
I.
30:21.10
Cassie
Um, but 1 thing I've noticed is I feel like I do have to be perfect and really good. Every single second like I have to be ah the best every time because every time I fly.
30:31.64
loriejones7
Um.
30:38.30
Cassie
And not so much like to should prove anything to who I'm fine with because we just kind of there's an understanding that you know your job. You do your job. We just whatever but there's always somebody in the back that I'm their first woman pilot always like every single flight and so.
30:44.63
loriejones7
M.
30:55.12
Cassie
If I don't land. Well if I don't land perfectly every time you know it's like I feel kind of judged on that and I mean we take turns wine and landing and so um, usually like if they have a hard landing I kind of stay hidden because I don't want anybody to think of me. Um, because I try really hard to land perfectly every time and you know if you and if you don't It's like oh it was because it was a girl and it's like and then if you but if you do on the flip side. It's like oh it's because it was a girl you know like I'll land. Well and people get off there like I knew it was you flying.
31:28.52
loriejones7
That.
31:34.30
Cassie
Because it was you know it was so the lining was so like they'll they'll put that on you too in a positive way. But yeah, you kind of feel like you have to be perfect every second um and then another thing was just having a baby was a little bit tricky in the career at Sky West
31:42.27
loriejones7
A.
31:49.43
loriejones7
You.
31:53.48
Cassie
I flew until I was like thirty seven weeks pregnant which was crazy but they only would give you three months off from the time you took off and so I thought well I need with insurance. Sorry so.
31:57.25
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
32:08.43
Cassie
So you could have more time off but you wouldn't have insurance and I was like well I need insurance I I don't know I didn't actually I but I was dumb at the time and and thought I needed insurance and O for that entire time and and so I flew as long as I could and because of that I think it.
32:11.39
loriejones7
Um.
32:24.91
Cassie
It made things weird with my pregnancy I ended up having to get a c-section on that one. It was like it wasn't a good situation I shouldn't have flown that long. Um, but with delta they support you a lot better and it was ah a delta was a much better place to have a baby. Um.
32:36.30
loriejones7
Um.
32:39.59
loriejones7
Um.
32:44.29
Cassie
And we had to fly to like twenty six weeks you could even take off earlier which I did with my third during covid because you know we didn't know what was going on I got pregnant March Twenty Twenty so when everything went crazy and I was like.
32:54.90
loriejones7
Um.
32:59.51
Cassie
I mean it came with that high fever that could be dangerous during pregnancy. So I took off a lot earlier that delta didn't even question it. They let me take that time off and then they pay you um your entire time off and until six weeks for normal delivery eight weeks for a sesarian.
33:19.28
Cassie
After the baby they pay you which is amazing So you can enjoy that pregnancy. You can take that time and just now figure out your body because it's hard to be off my cockpit. It's hard. The clothes don't fit right? and it I remember my mom asked I was had to make me a maternity shirt because they don't mate.
33:33.61
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
33:38.77
Cassie
Shirt Now they do but they didn't at the time make shirts for pilots and you had no you and I had like a a rubber band or so you know on my pants and I was trying to figure that out because I was like do wear maternity pants with this I don't know what to wear. But again it delta was nice because I could just.
33:40.40
loriejones7
Oh wow.
33:58.23
Cassie
I mean I actually had a different shirt where I had I had things and I didn't have to fly as long and then I um they delta gave me a year off after each baby which was such a gift because it's not.
34:07.64
loriejones7
Um.
34:12.21
Cassie
Ah, normal. It's hard to do in a normal job too to pump and to do different things but especially in our job I can't just be like okay I'm gonna leave I got to go pump because and you know I hurt so um to be able to have that year off to navigate that and the bond with my baby and to not.
34:21.90
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
34:31.19
Cassie
Phil is stressed I mean I felt ready to go back to work I was excited. You know after the year whereas you know what twelve weeks or whatever the norm is is just not enough at all. It was adult at Sky West it was very stressful I was not ready to go back but I had to my job was on the line. Were at delta they were a lot more flexible. So.
34:53.72
loriejones7
Do you think that's ah, a change in like the time period they're they're getting better at accommodating those specific issues over the years or was it a company issue.
34:56.35
Cassie
Or that.
35:04.46
Cassie
Ah, both um I think at the time um, at the time I don't think when I had my first baby at sky west I don't think Delta had things as good as they have now. So but yeah as things moved forward. Um.
35:16.40
loriejones7
Um.
35:20.30
Cassie
And delta had like the best in the industry and then so people have tried it to imitate it and so sky west made theirs very much like deltas after delta came out with theirs. Um, and so so that's good. We're glad that it's starting to come around with that and even deltas with my second baby.
35:25.20
loriejones7
Um, um.
35:39.11
Cassie
Um, so you you could take the year off but that was not with insurance and so you would yeah had to do cobra or whatever else which I couldn't do because that was like a house payment and I already had a house payment and I couldn't do 2 house payments while I wasn't working and so um, we just ruled that I said we did not have insurance that year
35:49.26
loriejones7
Um.
35:51.75
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
35:56.50
loriejones7
Well.
35:58.36
Cassie
Um, and that's why I saying I'm so worried about that with my first I was like oh we didn't have an insurance for an entire year and it was fine. Luckily right? but with my second baby they gave me insurance.
36:05.10
loriejones7
Yeah.
36:10.46
Cassie
While I was off and that's now a set thing to where if you do take that year off it does come with that benefit which is amazing. So.
36:15.52
loriejones7
Yeah, that's they have made great strides and changes in all industries I think to be more accommodative to women and women's specific issues. So.
36:29.76
Cassie
That's good to hear because I didn't know you know if it was just airline or and like hopefully other people are making strides toward this because obviously we we want to stay. We're gonna come back. This is 1 year in the next twenty five years thirty years I'm gonna be there. Hopefully.
36:45.82
loriejones7
Um, yeah, so what Cassie is the thing that you are the most proud of.
36:46.14
Cassie
That perspective is in place. But.
36:54.25
Cassie
Um, probably ah the life that I've been able to create for my family. Um, my career is a huge huge part of that and why um why I've been able to enjoy things the way I have not only.
36:59.62
loriejones7
Are.
37:13.12
Cassie
The delta has allowed me to be the kind of mom that I want to be um but has also allowed me to do what I love and hit with the side bonus of being able to see the world and giving me good enough pay to be able to do so many things in the world and.
37:27.96
loriejones7
From the head.
37:32.56
Cassie
And just to feel comfortable and to to be able to enjoy my little ones I I am I was so proud of the decisions and the work that I did ah to get here because it's it's been 100% Worth it. It's just been. It's a dream that's awesome.
37:54.72
loriejones7
I Love that I I do um people kind of roll their eyes but I do the same thing I'm living the dream I Love finance I Love what I do and I adore other people who love what they do So that's exciting for me to see that.
38:10.14
Cassie
That's awesome I do too I I love it when people are happy in what they're doing because it it can be a rare thing. A lot of people don't get the yeah that it is not can to get a word because I'm a mom.
38:16.20
loriejones7
Yes.
38:27.15
loriejones7
Um.
38:27.58
Cassie
Can't be words when your mom. Um, but just that gift to be able to um to love what you do is is is rare when I when I talk to other people. They they go to work. They they do what they need to do but they don't They don't love it even my own husband. He Ah, he's really good at his Job. He builds homes. Um, he doesn't love it. But he's good at it and he just does it. You know and ah, but and he always tell me tells me he's like ah you just he Stuck. He's like you job. So he's like I have with love I would trade you in a Second. He's like even and he's even seeing you know what couldn't.
38:47.93
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah.
39:07.30
Cassie
The not as good side of of it relate I mean there's not always a positive to everything but and he still thinks it's it's worth it and it's great. So I'm really just happy with my decisions and I'm grateful and a big part of that was I've always kept.
39:07.20
loriejones7
When.
39:26.65
Cassie
Ah, my heavenly father God in the loop of what I do um with whatever I've allowed him to guide me I've allowed I've trusted him like even when that like that jumped to delta that felt really scary and I don't I didn't even know if that was the right thing to do.
39:30.43
loriejones7
Um.
39:43.36
Cassie
And it's really weird to try really hard for something that you don't even know if it's the right thing to do and that you're scared to do um again I just I trusted and and I'm grateful. He's got my back and that's just been a huge blessing for the entire.
39:43.59
loriejones7
Ah.
40:02.59
Cassie
Entire path. So.
40:05.89
loriejones7
I agree. So um, okay so any advice for a young lady who's just starting down this path that you are so successful on what would you? What would you tell her to be successful like you are.
40:14.70
Cassie
Um, you know I Um I would just say whatever you want to do whether it's to be a pilot or to be in finance or to be whatever you have a passion for that. You really Like. Just um, you can do anything. You just say you have to have the desire and and then you just have to practice it and so as a as long as you have the desire and you put in that time and you practice it and work toward it. Um. Whether you've got a knack for it or not.. It is nice or if you do have some innate ability to be able to do these things but um, as long as you have the desire and the persistence and and you put that work in then you'll get there because time goes by anyway.
41:05.94
loriejones7
Yeah.
41:07.73
Cassie
Right? The times is going to go by anyway is like you may as well start get started make a plan and make sure that plan has an endpoint I think a lot of people start working toward these they work hard toward what you know make sure there's an end goal in there. Um and pick something that makes some money.
41:21.56
loriejones7
Um, name.
41:27.29
Cassie
You know I pick so that my mom always told me she's like you know you get make sure you get a man's job and not that a pilot is a man's job anymore. But um, what she meant by what that was just get a job that's getting be able to support you.
41:45.32
loriejones7
This is.
41:47.27
Cassie
Um, is in my mom's situation. She um, she wasn't happy in her marriage for a really long time but she didn't feel like she could leave. She didn't feel like she had options. Um because she gave herself the and so that something.
41:57.37
loriejones7
And.
42:05.90
Cassie
She really wanted for me because she's like hopefully you married prince charming. But if you don't I want you to be okay, you know and I I did I'm married prince charming. He's awesome I love Matt um, but I was always grateful to have that. So whatever you pick just make sure there's money at the end of it.
42:17.33
loriejones7
Um.
42:24.78
Cassie
Um, find something you can kind of stand that you kind of like to do and just find out how to get from a to B and and put that work in. You won't regret it.
42:33.19
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I find that a lot of times too that that the passion helps because you can find a way to you know make it make sense for a lifestyle to or to fund you know.
42:36.96
Cassie
This page.
42:49.50
loriejones7
If you are passionate about something and you really love it. Um, you know so you can ah my daughter is a good example. She's she loves art and starving artist is not a profession but marketing uses her art skills and is something that.
42:51.78
Cassie
Absolutely.
43:04.41
Cassie
Right? so.
43:08.19
loriejones7
Um, she she loves doing married with something that's got that practical bent to it right.
43:14.39
Cassie
That's Awesome. Yes I know I've always thought that I have a little one of my little boys is ah budding artists like he does loves that it's late. That's his his passion was so mad and I've been looking at I'm like how can you make money with our you know is. I I know people that struggle with I Found people that have found a niche for it and and have been able to find a way to market it and sell it. Um, but there's a lot that don't and so yeah, it's like how do I monetize my talents.
43:37.84
loriejones7
See that.
43:45.10
Cassie
And you don't think that's important you're just like oh it's not about money but ah money does take the edge off things it does make it not as stressful. It does make you be able to enjoy it and and you have to work Anyway, you know you may as well make a good.
44:00.69
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
44:02.69
Cassie
But it was kind of the same thing like I said I'm doing the same job I did it Sky West at Delta and I make it a lot more to do the same job. So just find that spot where you can be comfortable, whatever that is for you. You know.
44:07.98
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
44:17.59
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, well I I love that? Um, thank you so much Cassie for taking the time to to chat with me today and to share your experience and I see great things in your future and I I watch your? ah.
44:27.37
Cassie
A a.
44:33.92
loriejones7
And stick Instagram and Facebook quite a bit because I've got that travel bug or that adventure bug. Whatever you want to call it I'm just scared of height. So I'm never going to be a pilot. But.
44:38.51
Cassie
Yes. That you have that passion too. I Know you do because I've watched your sue and I know that you love to to just have a beautiful adventure especially with the people you love I'm kind of addicted to it I Just I love it and I another all I could say maybe some bad advice.
44:53.62
loriejones7
Yeah.
45:01.99
Cassie
Ah, different bad device that wasn't work related I got as people were like don't take young children on they you know on trips and and but we did because you don't really have anybody to watch them for that one. We just take them with us wherever we want to go and it's been so amazing. It's just been one of the best.
45:07.25
loriejones7
Um, thing is.
45:16.48
loriejones7
You know.
45:21.67
Cassie
Decisions I've ever made. It's easier to take them out of school rate. It's harder when they're older to take them actually because they're into more They can't miss school as easily and um, yeah, just the memories that we've made the just the beautiful things we've been able to see and do is.
45:24.66
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
45:38.72
Cassie
I'll have that for the rest of my life that was a and that's a good investment I think or actually I'll have that past life right? I'll be able to take that with me but really good investment. But.
45:42.57
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, it is and there you go there, you go I love it. Well thank you I appreciate it I appreciate your passion I appreciate your story. Thank you so much Cassie.
45:55.90
Cassie
Yeah, thanks! Larry come.
46:00.45
loriejones7
All right? So thank you for doing that I appreciate it. It really was ah I love the I loved listening to the to your story. You know it just it's inspired. It's but it's inspiring. You know to hear what you've done and. Hear how I am actually adore passion so me when that loves what they're doing and I once I can tell you that I love passion because Quin once gave me probably a.
46:19.82
Cassie
A yeah.
46:36.18
loriejones7
3 hour lecture on how water flows through the pipes of a house and I listen to the whole thing. He loved it and.
46:47.76
Cassie
Um, and so funny. That's awesome. You're like ah.
46:50.72
loriejones7
And we were driving between Laramie and Green River and I couldn't get out of the car so that was the other reason I listened to.
46:56.00
Cassie
So you happens to do it. That's so funny but he just loved it. Yes, that's that so far and that's awesome I Love it I Love that we all have different passions that way you know like that he he would just love my oldest.
47:00.78
loriejones7
Um, he just loved it. Yeah oh so good. So I.
47:15.77
Cassie
It's kind of like that he likes the mechanical of like how things move and what they do and um and I and I don't care like I you know about that. So like when we're because for even for flying we had to learn the systems every single system of the airplane we had to learn how this worked and this worked and this work and.
47:16.80
loriejones7
Hol yeah.
47:34.35
Cassie
I mean I took the test I dumped that because I don't need that. What are we going to do crawl out on the the engine and light fix it. You know if someone goes no there. There's nothing I know what I can do on the inside of it and how to make that work. But um, yeah I have no interest. But yeah, some people are just crazy about that stuff.
47:35.10
loriejones7
Um, you.
47:53.47
Cassie
And usually it's they having innate how works.
47:53.87
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, I also think it's funny that you ah went to the you know to the engineering college because you know that like every single one of my brothers and sisters has an engineering degree like Lacey's an engineer.
48:07.70
Cassie
Yeah, that's true. You yeah.
48:11.84
loriejones7
Quinn Troy Misty has an engineering degree ah Quinn danal Lee Cody like me and Marianne are the only 2 who are engineers to our family.
48:26.86
loriejones7
Um.
48:27.39
Cassie
You're like why is everyone an engineer I That's amazing that that is so crazy and I you know I don't think I would have liked that like yeah that I went there thinking I would like that but I don't find's not like engineering I would say it's more of an art you know just about.
48:31.46
loriejones7
Again.
48:41.69
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
48:45.71
Cassie
Um, and then it's multitasking which we can do really well as women but I love making that beautiful approach I Love making that beautiful landing I Love Um, ah just I do this then I do this this this this you know my brain just works really well that way.
48:48.80
loriejones7
Um, yeah.
48:54.80
loriejones7
Um, ah.
49:00.53
loriejones7
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so I know because they make the buildings not fall down we were in then we were in France my daughter.
49:02.10
Cassie
But as far as how thingss work we're making them work on Alter So think thankful for the engineers very thankful for them. Yeah.
49:17.79
loriejones7
Wanted her senior trip to France and I'd been to Paris we've been to Paris a couple of times I took them once and then I was there earlier than that and so this time we went outside of France we went to like Normandy area in mountt st michel and so.
49:18.87
Cassie
Awesome.
49:33.57
Cassie
Ah, whole time.
49:34.77
loriejones7
Yeah, so we were sitting in Montse Michel and listening to their little guidebook thing and they were telling us what parts of the you know the monolith the building had fallen down at any given point they're like this.
49:44.78
Cassie
Me.
49:47.47
loriejones7
This fell down this many years ago this fell down this me, you're sitting in the middle and you're like well what is this part can fall.
49:55.53
Cassie
You're like oh wow that is scary. That's funny. That's awesome. Good.
50:00.56
loriejones7
So so I'm like I I texted at my family I'm like ah the engineering on this building was really not thought well.
50:12.39
loriejones7
So ah, all right? well.
50:12.72
Cassie
Oh my God That's awesome.