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AVIATE with Shaesta

AVIATE with Shaesta

By: Shaesta Waiz Michael Wildes
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 AVIATE with Shaesta brings some of the most interesting female aviators together- trailblazers, record-setters, mothers, adventurers, entrepreneurs- to have honest conversations about what it means to be a woman in aviation. Join Shaesta Waiz, the Youngest Woman to Fly Solo Around the World, as she goes around the world (via a podcast) and connects with the industry to have honest conversations about being a woman in aviation. AVIATE, which stands for Acknowledge, Vocalize, Inclusion, Act, Travel, and Evolve, are the themes guiding each conversation. AVIATE With Shaesta is sponsored by Atlantic Aviation.2021 Aviate with Shaesta Drama & Plays Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • What the First Latina U.S. Air Force Pilot, Olga Custodio, Teaches Us About Building a Stronger Industry

    What the First Latina U.S. Air Force Pilot, Olga Custodio, Teaches Us About Building a Stronger Industry
    Jun 19 2025
    In this powerful conversation, host Shaesta Waiz speaks with Retired Lt. Col. Olga E. Custodio, the first Latina to fly for the United States Air Force and later, the first Latina commercial airline captain in the U.S. Olga shares the deeply personal and professional journey behind her groundbreaking aviation career—one that began after starting a family, not before. Together, they unpack cultural norms, leadership, and the rollback of DEI initiatives in today’s aviation climate. Olga discusses how women—especially Latinas—can stand firm in spaces where they don’t yet see themselves reflected, and why now is the time to preserve and elevate our stories, even as others try to erase them. This episode is a masterclass in persistence, purpose, and public service. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Equity and excellence are inseparable ✅ Male and female allies accelerate change ✅ Family first doesn’t mean career last ✅ Confidence comes from preparation, faith, and self-trust ✅ Institutional bias can be dismantled ✅ Stories must be preserved ✅ Leadership’s tone sets the pipeline ✅ Legacy lives in service Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Equity fuels excellence 01:11 | Olga's historic military and airline firsts 03:26 | Military childhood shaped global worldview 07:28 | Marriage and motherhood built career foundation 12:19 | Persistence despite bias and rejection 19:00 | DEI rollbacks threaten aviation’s future 24:11 | Latina pilots belong—find your allies 30:15 | Leaders must champion inclusive pipelines 34:12 | Stay visible, grounded, and accessible Follow Olga Custodio Website: www.purflygirl.com LinkedIn: Olga Custodio Instagram: @olgaecustodio Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
  • Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer on Flying the 747, Mentorship, and Moving the Industry Forward

    Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer on Flying the 747, Mentorship, and Moving the Industry Forward
    Jun 12 2025
    In this wide-ranging conversation, Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer—first woman to fly the Boeing 747—joins host Shaesta Waiz to dismantle the myth that equity and excellence are mutually exclusive. Rippelmeyer traces her unlikely climb from TWA flight attendant to 747 captain during an era when women “weren’t just under-represented—they were reminded they didn’t belong.” She credits key male allies, highlights the power of mentorship, and explains why tapping an inner spiritual compass is critical when the industry questions your right to be there. Beyond the flight deck, Rippelmeyer discusses raising two sons while flying, founding the nonprofit ROSE—Roatán Support Effort, and writing two memoirs (Life Takes Wings, Life Takes Flight) whose proceeds fund medical and educational aid in Honduras. Her core message: a fully engaged, diverse workforce is the only route to operational excellence—and every new pilot has a part to play. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ Equity is foundational to excellence—not its opposite ✅ Mentorship from male allies can open historic doors ✅ You can raise a family while flying professionally ✅ The myth of “safety risk” from women in command roles ✅ Inner confidence stems from spirituality and self-trust ✅ Institutional bias once blocked female captains—until proven wrong ✅ Representation matters: visibility breeds access ✅ Legacy is built not just in flight, but in giving back Chapter Breakdown 00:00 | Cold-open — “You can’t have excellence without equity” 01:24 | Host intro and Lynn’s historic flight credentials 03:04 | Dreaming the 747 while training in a Piper Cub 05:27 | Chief Pilot Carl Hershberg and mentorship that changed everything 07:21 | The 747’s “sacred” feel; pilot-aircraft relationship 10:15 | Tackling the false binary of DEI vs. safety 13:16 | Debunking myths: mental fitness, menstruation, and command 19:52 | Flying through doubt, powered by spiritual grounding 23:49 | Finding support: 99s, WAI, ISA+21, and choosing community 26:33 | Post-career: launching ROSE and humanitarian flying 28:50 | Life Takes Wings & Life Takes Flight — memoirs with mission Additional Resources Nonprofit: ROSE – Roatán Support Effort Follow Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer Website: lynnrippelmeyer.com LinkedIn: Lynn Rippelmeyer - Speaker, Author - Wings Unlimited, LLC Books: Life Takes Wings Follow Shaesta Waiz Website:⁠ ⁠⁠shaestawaiz.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Shaesta Waiz⁠ Instagram:⁠ @shaesta.waiz⁠ TikTok: ⁠@shaestawaiz⁠ ⁠Shaesta Waiz on YouTube⁠ ⁠YouTube (Aviate Platform)⁠ Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group ⁠www.massifsp.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ Massif Studio & Production⁠ Website:⁠ www.TallawahWorldwide.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ The Tallawah Group⁠ For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Jessica Ruttenber Exposes How DEI Rollbacks Threaten Aviation

    Jessica Ruttenber Exposes How DEI Rollbacks Threaten Aviation
    Jun 5 2025
    Military veteran and advocate Jessica Ruttenber—retired Air Force officer, founder of Level Up Aviation joins host Shaesta Waiz to explain why dismantling diversity, equity & inclusion programs threatens aviation safety, talent pipelines, and hard‑won policy gains such as the removal of a height restriction that once barred 44 % of U.S. women from military cockpits. Politicized pushback against DEI is already shrinking grant dollars, sponsorships, and talent pools across aviation. Drawing on her work overturning the Air Force height standard and running Level Up Aviation scholarships, Ruttenber details how “trigger words” in funding applications are chilling support for nonprofits, why the FAA’s own data contradicts claims that standards were lowered, and what leaders can do—quietly or loudly—to interrupt bias and preserve equal access for future aviators. From the myth that DEI lowers standards to the hidden costs of outdated specifications, this conversation delivers hard data, candid stories, and a roadmap for leaders who refuse to roll back progress. Major Themes & Concepts ✅ DEI removes barriers—never qualifications ✅ FAA executive‑order rhetoric vs. actual safety data ✅ Height and anthropometric rules that excluded women & minorities ✅ Funding “trigger words” that chill nonprofit grants ✅ Change is a marathon: pacing advocacy to avoid burnout ✅ Leadership duty to interrupt bias in real time ✅ Inspiration + access: why representation still matters for recruitment ✅ Budget vigilance—protecting long‑horizon research ✅ Progress is nonlinear but defensible with facts and documentation Chapter Breakdown 00:00  | Cold‑open—misconceptions about DEI and safety 01:39  | Host introduction—Season focus on women in aviation 03:34  | Framing question: DEI politicization and nonprofit fallout 04:14  | Executive‑order language vs. aviation safety data 08:04  | Funding “trigger words” and scholarship impact 10:46  | Removing the 44 % height barrier; advocacy pacing 13:57  | Women pilots data; crypto‑linguist case study 19:11  | Inspiration vs. access; role‑model visibility 24:10  | Leadership advice: interrupt bias, protect inclusive R&D 26:26  | Closing gratitude and sign‑off Additional Resources Executive Order — “Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation” (Jan 2025) FAA Air‑Traffic‑Controller Shortage Coverage (CNN) Follow Jessica Ruttenber Website: levelupaviation.org LinkedIn: Jessica Ruttenber Follow Shaesta Waiz Website: shaestawaiz.com LinkedIn: Shaesta Waiz Instagram: @shaesta.waiz TikTok: @shaestawaiz Shaesta Waiz on YouTube YouTube (Aviate Platform) Production, Distribution, and Marketing By Massif Studio & Production & The Tallawah Group www.massifsp.com LinkedIn: Massif Studio & Production Website: www.TallawahWorldwide.com LinkedIn: The Tallawah Group For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email hello@MassifKroo.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins

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