When a Trailblazer Lands in Our Hangar: Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer Visits
When Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer walked into our hangar, it felt like history, possibility, and a whole lot of joy arrived with her. Our crew already knew her story: the first woman to fly the Boeing 747 and later captain it on a transoceanic flight, a lifelong champion for women in aviation, and someone whose journey began just across the lake from us—learning to fly a Cub on floats off Savage Island in Vermont. One of our builders, Taylor Bushey, had read Lynn’s books ahead of time and came armed with thoughtful questions about everything from early training days to navigating a career full of “firsts.” Watching Taylor and Lynn talk, student-pilot to seasoned-pilot reminded all of us why visible role models matter so much.
Lynn not only shared stories; she shared tools for dreaming forward. She generously gifted us a collection of her books, Life Takes Flight and Life Takes Wings, whose proceeds support Roatan Support Effort (ROSE), the nonprofit she founded to deliver essential supplies to schools, clinics, and families in Honduras. Her visit wove together everything we care about at Habitat for Aviation: aviation excellence, global citizenship, community, and opening doors for the next generation. We are deeply grateful to Dunlap “Deebs” Riehle for introducing Lynn to our work and accompanying her on this very special visit.
