The Wally Stick

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Wally Funk

ATP - CFI-AI - MEL - GLIDER - IGI - GS - AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATOR

Wally Funk has been flying professionally since 1957 and she has accumulated over 17,000 hours of flying time.

As a child, she was interested in mechanics and built model airplanes and ships. At the age of 14 Wally became an expert marksman, receiving the Distinguished Rifleman's Award. At the same time she represented the southwestern United States as Top Female Skier, Slalom and Downhill races in United States competition.

At age 16 she entered Stephen's College in Columbia, Missouri. She graduated in 1958 with an Associate of Arts degree and rated first in her class of 24 flyers. In 1964 her work in aviation was recognized when she became the youngest woman in the history of the college to receive the Alumna Achievement Award.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and earned her Commercial, Single-engine Land, Multi-engine Land, Single-engine Sea, Instrument, Flight lnstructor's and all Ground Instructor's ratings at Oklahoma State University. While attending OSU Wally was elected as an officer of the famous "Flying Aggies" and flew for them in the International Collegiate Air Meets. She received the "Outstanding Female Pilot" trophy, the "Flying Aggie Top Pilot" and the "Alfred Alder Memorial Trophy" two years in succession.

Her first job at age 20 was at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as a Civilian Flight Instructor of noncommissioned and commissioned officers of the United States Army. To date, as a professional Flight Instructor she has soloed more than 700 students and put through thousands of Private, Commercial, Multi-engine, Seaplane, Glider, Instrument, CFI, Al and Air Transport Pilots.

In February 1961, at the age of 21 Wally volunteered for the "Women in Space" Program with an independent clinic which had the support but not the official sponsorship of NASA. Only twenty-five women were chosen for testing. Wally underwent a series of rigorous physical and mental tests and passed with a very high average, rating 3rd in the field of 13 qualifying candidates - (read all about it). It was at that time that Wally became fully absorbed with the idea of becoming an astronaut and traveling into space.

The initial Mercury Astronaut Candidate examinations taken by both men and women consisted of three phases:

PHASE ONE

involved a series of 87 different tests covering everything from having to swallow three feet of rubber hose for a stomach test to having 18 needles stuck into your head to record brain waves, to drinking a pint of radioactive water.

PHASE TWO

consisted of psychological and psychiatric testing. The isolation tank test involved being placed in a circular 8 foot deep tank of warm water located in a small, air-tight room with 8-inch thick humidity- proof and vibration-proof parameters. While undergoing this experience, all of the five basic senses were as thoroughly removed as possible since there was nothing to see, hear, touch, taste or smell, thereby simulating a weightless condition. In addition, the water could not be felt since the water temperature was perfectly matched to the subject's own body temperature. Under sensory deprivation conditions, the normal reaction is for the subconscious mind to take over and one lapses into uncontrollable hallucinations. The ability to remain in touch with reality without lapsing into hallucinations is paramount. Wally spent a record 10 hours and 35 minutes in the tank without hallucinating, but admits to sneaking a few naps.

PHASE THREE

was performed at different test sites. Wally was the first woman in the history of the El Toro Marine Corp Base to be asked to undergo a High Altitude Chamber Test and the Martin-Baker Seat Ejection Test. One part of her program was the Centrifuge Test which simulates gravitational forces such as are encountered in lift-off and re-entry procedures in a space vehicle. During, this test, West German Television took movies for a documentary series "Women in Space Industry". The Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City conducted Aerospace Physiology courses and tests to finalize the qualifying procedure. Although the female astronaut program was suspended, Wally and her dozen counterparts were the first women to pass some tests with very high marks trying to qualify for the Mercury astronaut program.

 

Wally has since flown the C.S.T. Apollo Static Space Simulator at Edward's Air Force Base Flight Test Center. In the fall of 1961, Wally accepted a job as a Certified Flight Instructor, Charter, and Chief Pilot with an aviation company in Hawthorne, California.

In recognition of her outstanding ability, accomplishments and service to her community, country and profession, Wally was selected as one of the "Outstanding Young Women in America" in 1965. Later, she was listed in "Who's Who in Young Women in America" and "Who's Who in Aviation".

She has received the FAA Gold Seal as a Flight Instructor and became the 58th woman in the United States to receive the Airline Transport Rating.

In 1970, she received the Commercial Glider Rating and taught five Aeronautical Science classes at Redondo High School in California. She was recognized by Sacramento's Educational Board for giving high school students a head start and interest in aviation.

Wally was a goodwill flying ambassador on an extensive 3-year tour entailing fifty countries and covering some 80,000 miles in Europe and the Mid-East, including the circumscribing of Africa. While touring Russia, an attempt was made to meet Valentia Tereschkova in Moscow. The Russian government decided that this meeting might not be a good idea, due to competition in space flight programs at the time. However, she and Wally did have the opportunity to meet some years later at another event.

In 1971 she was the first woman to successfully complete the FAA General Aviation Operations Inspector Academy course, which includes Pilot Certification and Flight Testing procedures, handling accidents and violations. This exposure has led to an interest in other aspects of flying, namely: parachute jumping, ballooning and hang-gliding.

In 1973 she was promoted to FAA SWAP (Systems Worthiness Analysis Program) as a specialist, the first woman in the United States to hold this position. In late November 1973, Wally again entered the FAA Academy to take courses involving air-taxi, charter and aviation rental businesses. Upon completion of this course, her duties included traveling to Arizona, Nevada and California to inspect flight schools and air taxi operations.

This accomplished lady flyer has participated in several Air Races. She placed 8th in the Powder Puff Derby's 25th Annual Race, 6th in the Pacific Air Race and 8th in the Palms to Pines Air Race. On August 16, 1975, she placed second in the Palms to Pines All Women Air Race from Santa Monica, California to Independence, Oregon. On October 4, 1975, flying her red and white Citabria, Wally won the Pacific Air Race from San Diego, California to Santa Rosa, California against 80 participating competitors.

Wally has appeared on numerous television and radio programs and spoken to more than 50 professional organizations. In November 1973, she was interviewed on the "Ad Lib" television program "What Will The Women Be Doing In The Year 2000?", and on the "Mike Douglas Television Show". In the fall of 1975 she was interviewed on Gene Burke's television program "Salute of Women In Aviation". In an interview February, 1995 is when NBC's "Dateline" featured ten of the original thirteen female astronaut candidates.

She has been featured in such magazines as "Life", "Town and Country", and "Ms Magazine"; appeared on the front cover of the "Oklahoma State Alumnus" magazine, "Aviation News Illustrated", and was featured in "Women in Aeronautics" by Charles Paul May; "Ladybirds II The Continuing Story of American Women in Aviation" by Henry M. Holden and Captain Lori Griffith; "Woman into Space", "The Jerrie Cobb Story", "Amelia Earhart's Daughters", "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aviation in Space" and "Aerospace Education". In 1969 Wally was featured in eight European and South African magazines.

On December 9, 1974 Wally accepted the job of Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, DC. She was their first female Investigator. In Washington, she attended two schools for field investigators in order to learn the many elements contributing to airplane accidents and how to investigate them. She hopes the end result of investigations will be to keep the same type of accident from occurring again.

While aviation has claimed the lion's share of Wally's life- (she says flight instruction and airplane racing are "hobbies") -she does have other interests. She likes sports and restoring antique automobiles, which includes a 1951 Hooper Silver Wraith.

June 23, 1975 found Wally at a luncheon at the White House in Washington, D.C. at the request of Mrs. Gerald Ford. That same year the Governor of Louisiana named her Honorary Colonel.

Wally's additional accomplishments during the past quarter century are impressive:

1976:

January - April

Attended three NTSB training schools:

-Williamsport, Pennsylvania for Lycoming engines.

-Wichita, Kansas for the Cessna 400 series.

-Washington, D.C. for legal and engine accessories courses.

August

Won the 4th leg of the Palms to Pines Air Race.

November

Selected by Merrill-Lynch to make a television commercial flying acrobatics in a Stearman.

1977:

February

Member of a special group touring India to promote aviation in India, with American women pilots meeting women pilots of India. Wally is active in sending aviation material to India and aids in sponsoring Indians visiting America to further their education.

March

Attended Allison engine school in Indianapolis, Indiana.

April

Attended Ground and Flight course at Bell Helicopter Jet Ranger School in Fort Worth, Texas.

1978:

- Completed training at Cessna Citation Jet School, Dallas, Texas.

- Completed training at Piper Aircraft School, Vero Beach, Florida.

- Trained at Lear Jet School.

- Trained at the General Electric Engines facility.

1979:

- Attended Mitsubishi MU-2 School in Houston, Texas.

- Made two FAA Safety Films.

- Started the "Wally Funk Safety Slide Presentation", which describes the functions of the National Transportation Safety Board and how to prevent accidents.

1980-84:

- Dedicated hundreds of hours to both aviation and non-aviation groups in the western part of the U.S. with her slide presentation on safety. The education derived from her lectures has been an asset to the public and to the NTSB.

- Attended Rolls-Royce RB-211 school in Derby, England in the fall of 1981. (Rolls-Royce engines are used on many commercial aircraft flown by major airlines in the world today).

- Attended School of Investigation in Washington, D.C. - Feb. '82.

- Attended additional sessions at Bell Helicopter Ground and Flight School Fort Worth, Texas, in May of 1983.

- Listed in "Who's Who in California".

- Placed in the Baja All Women's Air Race.

1985:

January

Attended NTSB Advanced Air Safety Investigators School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

May

Wally retired from the NTSB to further safety education in our aviation communities.

July

Attended the Experimental Aircraft Association (E.A.A.) Convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, speaking on safety.

August

Federal Aviation Administration made Wally an FAA Safety Counselor.

December

Listed in "First Edition of 5,000 Personalities of the World".

1986:

February

Key speaker for the USA at The World Aviation Education and Safety Congress, Now Delhi, India. She captured the audience by introducing the intricate and meticulous methods of investigating aircraft accidents, and her presentation "How to Fly and Stay Alive" with emphasis on proficiency, discipline and attitude. India's Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi was host for the World Aviation Education and Safety Congress.

March

Lectured in Bombay and Calcutta as guest of India Airlines.

1987:

February-April

In New Mexico, qualified as Captain of Sierra West Airlines.

May

Principal speaker for The Ninety-Nines Inc. International Women Pilots' delegation to the People's Republic of China, for the purpose of exchanging ideas and information on aviation. Wally's delegation toured and spoke at aviation training facilities, visited aircraft manufacturers and airports and observed airline operations. She spoke on Aviation Safety and Accident Investigation in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian and Guangzhou. The Chinese Government was very receptive to an educational exchange and made every effort to make the sight-seeing tour memorable.

July

Flight instructed 5 students for their ratings in Taos, New Mexico.

October

Appointed Chief Pilot at Emery Aviation College, Greeley, Colorado. In this position, Wally oversaw the entire flight programs for 100 students from Private to Multi-engine flight Instructor and Helicopter ratings. The program consisted of 45 weeks for each student who desired a complete course with an AA degree. Her staff included 20 flight instructors and a fleet of 23 air machines.

1988:

Speaker for The Ninety-Nines, Inc. International Women Pilots' delegation to the USSR, speaking in Leningrad, Tbilisi, and Moscow, and Helsinki, Finland. Her long-held wish came true in Moscow when she at last met Madame Valentina Tereshkova, the Soviet Cosmonaut she attempted to meet when each was involved in their country's space programs. Through interpreters, the two flyers were finally able to discuss their space-flight training. Madame Tereshkova held an Aviation and Space Educational Exchange and invited 99's to visit the USSR Space Center - the first pilots or visitors not employed by NASA to be invited to do so. Wally also visited the Kremlin Armory, the Leningrad Hermitage and Tbilisi's Georgian Art while in Russia.

1989:

- Presented seminars "How to Fly and Stay Alive".

- Instructed mountain flying in Taos, New Mexico.

- Made Honorary Member of International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA) at Maui, Hawaii ISA Convention.

- Honored by Stephens College as speaker-alumna-in-residence.

- Worked in Kansas City in a Cockpit Resource Management Program for Braniff Airlines.

- Remained active in assisting the FAA in Safety Counseling.

1990-91:

- National Judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) in Illinois and Alabama. (both years)

- Worked the Dayton Airshows. (both years)

- Helped two India Captains obtain their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) ratings.

- Presented seminars at the National Conference on Women in Aviation.

- Guest of the FBI and the Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

- Attended the United States Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama.

- Conducted Safety Programs at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

1992:

- Featured speaker in Las Vegas, Nevada at the "Third Annual National Women in Aviation" Conference.

- "Safety Officer" for the NIFA, Monroe, Louisiana.

- Presented two FAA Accident Prevention Programs in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.

- Gave same program in many Florida cities.

1993-94:

- Keynote speaker in St. Louis, Missouri at the 4th and 5th Annual "International Women in Aviation" Conference, with record attendance. Presented "Fly and Stay Alive" seminar both years.

- Safety Judge at several SAFECON Regionals.

- Chief Safety Judge at Killeen, Texas for NIFA.

- Placed 3rd in the "Great Southern Air Race" flying a Twin Comanche through Georgia, Florida, and the Bahamas.

- Invited guest speaker to the Cayman Islands Government for International Aviation Week to present "Fly and Stay Alive" seminar both years.

- CFI Revalidation Clinic lectures throughout the country.

- Chief Safety Judge at NIFA Regionals in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

- Commissioned to rank of Colonel in the Confederate Air Force, Midland, Texas.

November '94

At a Ninety-Nines Conference in Oklahoma City in 1994, nine of the original thirteen "Women-in-Space" candidates got together for the first time in history to conduct interviews for a future production. It was the first chance many of the women had to meet and exchange information about their experiences in the 1961 Mercury test program, since they had been sworn to secrecy during testing, and each knew of only one or two other women in the program. Those thirteen women who qualified for the early space programs are now known as "the Mercury 13".

December '94

Interview with Sarah James of NBC News program "Dateline" at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Ten of the original thirteen female astronaut candidates were interviewed both as a group and individually. With Sarah's prompting and prodding, Wally reluctantly admitted on-camera to the truth of a long-time rumor that it was she who scored better than Astronaut John Glenn on some of the tests required to qualify for the Astronaut Program.

1995:

February

Seven of "the Mercury 13" were guests of Lt. Col. Eileen Collins as she prepared for the February 2nd space flight. When NASA realized who they were and how many were present, "the Mercury 13" members were given behind-the-scenes VIP tours of the entire Kennedy Space Center complex. All of the astronaut program qualifiers who were present witnessed the space shuttle "Discovery" liftoff with their friend and counterpart, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, as the first female to pilot a space shuttle.

March

Presented seminars on flight safety at the 6th Annual International "Women in Aviation" Conference, where both Wally and Eileen Collins were inducted into the Aviation Women's Hall of Fame in St. Louis, MO. on March 18, 1995.

May

William D. Tate II, Mayor of Grapevine, Texas, proclaimed May 2nd as "Wally Funk Day" in recognition of outstanding professional and personal accomplishments in the area of aviation as well as service to the community as a role model for young and old alike.

June-December

-Conducted seminars at various colleges, universities and businesses before taking off to Alaska for bush flying, salmon fishing, and bear watching at Brooks Lodge.

-Presided as Safety Judge for NIFA in Greenville, MS

-Gave repeat seminar in the Cayman Islands and Forest of Friendship in Atchison, Kansas (Amelia Earhart's birthplace).

1996:

January

Educator's Conference in Monterey,CA.

February

Appointed Chief Pilot for North Texas Aero International

March

-Lectured at Women in Aviation Conference - Minneapolis
-"Tribute to Women in Space" - inducted into Hall of Fame for Mercury 13
-Documentary film about women in aviation for Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. (Film is available on request for viewing by the public at the museum.)

April

Presentation at Sun & Fun - Lakeland, FL

May/June

-Provided for a perpetual trophy to be presented annually to the school with the best safety record during competition.

-Safety Judge NIFA - Embry Riddle Aero University in Florida, where the "Wally Funk Safety Trophy" presentation was inaugurated.

-Honorary Starter - Embry Riddle Aero University (ERAU) Air Race Classic in Prescott, Arizona.

September

The 99s hosted the prestigious World Precision Flying Competition with Wally serving as Safety Judge. Twenty countries participated in this competition which, although an annual event, is only held in the US once every ten years.

Fall of '96

Featured in August issue of AOPA Pilot and September issue of Dallas-Fort Worth Distinctive Lifestyle Magazines

-Flew to Alaska bush in a Beaver on floats to view bears and help hunters

1997

During 1997, Wally took on a profession in a new area - house re-modeling. She refinished a 5,000 sq ft home to livable condition. The three story house has a 200 degree view for 50 miles and is 8 miles west of DFW. Wally was featured on Home & Garden TV "Location Location". The house is now complete.

March

-Gave Safety Seminar to nearly a thousand people at the Women in Aviation International Convention in DFW

-Mercury 13 interview with BBC which was picked up for broadcast worldwide

April

-Safety Lecture - School of Aeronautics, Flushing, NY

-Safety Judge NIFA, Battle Creek, MI - presented 2nd Annual Wally Funk Safety Trophy to school with the best safety record during the competition

May

Interviewed for Discovery Channel "Wings" program entitled "Women & Rocketry". The only living physician from the Mercury 13 program, Dr. Kilgore, is featured along with Wally. "Wings" reveals the little known fact that of the 159 men who were tested for the program, only 7 passed but of the 25 women who were tested, 13 passed the same test given the men. The program aired early in 1998.

June

Honoree Wally was invited to fly her own plane to Forest of Friendship in Atchison, KS for the 100th birthday celebration for aviatrix Amelia Earhart.

August

At Oshkosh - "Women Fly" offered memorabilia featuring women who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation. Wally is the only living person featured on their products. The slogan Good Golly - it's Wally! shows a reproduction of a photo of Wally next to a Cessna 195 she flew at the time and encourages young women to pursue an aviation career.

October

Luncheon Speaker at the "Women in Military Service" Convention in Washington, DC for the Women's Memorial Foundations more than 30,000 attendees.

 

1998

Wally's dream will come true! She is going into space with a private firm in the future. She will be aboard a space cruiser and will do five orbits.

 

Flying students, lecturing, winter skiing, attending the Women In Aviation Conference in Denver and working on the house has been full time for 1998.

 

1999

In February, Wally was in New Zealand lecturing, touring and was the Safety Judge of the World Precision Flying Championship in Hamilton, New Zealand.

 

In mid-March she helped celebrate Women in Aviation International's 10th Anniversary in Orlando, Florida.

 

Wally has added a few new sports to her life: "Cowboy Action Shooting", which depicts life in the 1860s in the manner and depiction of that period (clothes and guns must be authentic); Civil War re-enactments; NASCAR school and racing (at the Texas Motor Speedway); and go-cart racing. The 1997 home is now complete!

 

In July, Wally and five of "the Mercury 13" women were on hand to watch Col. Eileen Collins become the first NASA woman commander. She flew a flawless mission. Due to weather, Wally had to leave the Cape just before Eileen's launch, but she saw her streak across the Texas sky at 90,000 feet traveling at Mach 9 to land at the Cape :16 minutes later.

 

In December, Wally was in a British publication "Space Flight" and a condensed version was published in The Ninety-Nines' magazine.

 

2000

Wally was offered a chance of a lifetime - to continue her quest to for space travel. She trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia for a full, packed week. The Cosmonaut instructors were fantastic, and taught her so much about the full-size modules of space vehicles in use - the Soyuz-TM, MIR and the ISS (International Space Station). Now she see watches these modules high in space travel over her Texas home. She experienced 5 G forces in a huge centrifuge, much different than her experience in the 60s. Much nicer and the 5 Gs didn't faze her. Then she learned about the various space suits and worked in the Orlan-M EVA suit (it weighs 300 lbs), and the Sokol lift off and re-entry suit, she learned to dock a Soyuz-TM spacecraft simulator with a orbiting space station and gained a lot of technical knowledge about space flight. At the close of her course, Igo Rudyaev, The Star City Deputy Chief, honored her with medallions.

 

Wally trains with the cosmonauts. After 40 years, she got to fly in the Ilyshin 76- airplane and experience 10 parabolic arcs from 35,000 to 15,000 feet, which let her go in a zero-G weightlessness state, doing tumbling acts, pinwheels, rolls and travel through space horizontally. "This was the most thrilling experience I have ever had."

 

2001 & 2002

Wally has specialized in giving flight instruction to only teenagers who are going into the military or universities or colleges with higher aviation courses to see their dreams come true as military pilots or airline pilots way down the line. She now has students at the USAF Academy, Navy, Marines, University of North Dakota and Marquette.

 

A band group called "Spider Bait" has made and dedicated a CD out of Australia called "Flight of Wally Funk."

 

Wally returns to Star City, Russia in the future to continue her course of space flight study. She wants to get up to 8 G forces and fly many more parabolic flights.

 

2003

Wally was a guest lecturer at the United States Coast Guard talking about safety and women in aviation; then she was flown to Kitty Hawk to see where our aviation heritage began. She was able to climb around and learn about the Hurricane Hunters HC 130J aircraft, a wonderful heads-up display.

 

Wally was in California to meet astronauts Bob Crippen, Scott Carpenter and Gordo Cooper. They all had fascinating stories to relate to her. She was a guest speaker at this year's Women In Aviation International's annual conference in Ohio and was chosen as one of the 100 Most Known Women in Aviation. She was Chief Safety Judge for NIFA at Grand Forks, North Dakota with the University of North Dakota hosting.

 

She has been featured in several books (the latest is "The Mercury 13" by Martha Ackmann) and has made films for French Concepts, Massachusetts School of Law. She was photographed for People Magazine, was on live CNBC and filmed by National Geographic concerning the X Prize which she has been given the distinction of being a rocket pilot for Interorbital Systems in Mojave, California. There will be more filming with National Geographic through the year.

 

She flew the Palms to Pines air race with one of her students (who is a First Officer for American Airlines) and had lots of fun. She is still teaching and soloing her teenagers and sees that they become private pilots before entering college.

 

People Magazine, July 7, 2003 (click on image for larger view)

 

 

2004

Throughout the year Wally spoke at the Los Alamos Laboratories, San Diego Aerospace Museum, American Tropical Association (study of stamps, in which the Mercury 13 was honored with a stamp cancel), Civil Air Patrol and ACE Program. She worked as NIFA Chief Safety Judge, Symera,Tennessee and Galviston, Texas, spoke to The 99s, Bubba Girl, Lockheed-Martin, NASA Dryden with SR-71 test pilot, Marta Bohn-Meyer, The County of Los Angeles and Women in Metal Industries.

 

She was featured on Make Believe TV (New York), National Geographic and "Brigitte" a French magazine. She was filmed for German TV while attending Rutan's Team and Space Ship One to win 10M as they reached into space. Wally was invited to the St. Louis Anasari X Prize Gala event and dinner by Charles Lindbergh's grandson Erik. Both experiences were outstanding to attend.

 

She attended WAI in Reno, Nevada as a speaker and made two 700 foot bungee jumps while there... thrill seeker!! She made trips to Jacksonhole, Wyoming and Old Faithful... She soloed six teenagers and licensed 3 of them, did flight instruction in Las Vegas, Nevada and Albuquerque, New Mexico and to top it off, she rescued two 6 week old black kittens, Jet and Bravo, who now travel with her.

 

2005 & 2006

 

Wally conducted the FAA Wings Seminar for the Women In Aviation convention in Dallas, Texas and helped with the Bobbi Trout scholarship selection. She spoke to the PEO Ladies in ABQ, New Mexico, saw the only living Lovelace (M-13) doctor, Dr. Kilgore and visited her home town of Taos, New Mexico.

 

She and several pilots flew to the Cape to see Commander Eileen Collins lift off, STS 114, " The Return to Flight".

Wally was awarded the Chicago Adler America's First Planetarium, as a Mercury 13 (M-13) Pioneer.

She was also honored to be the banquet speaker for the Womens Military Aviators Association filling in for Eileen Collins in San Diego, California. What a thrill to met so many very high ranking flying Military women.

 

Texas Women's University had Wally speak with author Margaret Weitekamp on her new book "Right Stuff, Wrong Sex" and she also spoke at Oshkosh, Wisconsin with author Martha Ackmann, who wrote "Mercury 13".

 

Wally was an instructor for the Dallas Flight Instructors Clinic and continues to teach her teenager students who received their private pilots license.

 

She was honored by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to speak about her life in the I Max Theater. Earlier there was a lovely dinner under the Spirit of St. Louis, the X-l and Space Ship One. Her hostess was Dorothy Cochran and host General Jack Dailey, Director. Dorothy is in charge of general aviation planes at the Udvar-Hazy Smithsonian Center........a must see! Scott, one of her students, Air Force graduate and pilot hosted her to fly the F-22 and F-35 simulators while in DC. Those were wild flights!!

 

Technology now is beyond the mind!! While in DC she met with Space Adventures who will, hopefully, get her into space in a few years. No vehicle other than the X-Prize, Space Ship One, has been on the flight line yet. Space Adventures have some good backing as of now...

 

Nashville, Tennessee - Opery Land hosted the Women In Aviation convention where Wally spoke about space flight and showed attendees how to use the "Wally Stick", which she invented (and hand makes each one) a long time ago as a CFI while investigating NTSB accidents. Also at the convention, she was a hostess for lunch to Commander Eileen Collins after her speech to 3,000 attendees... It was great to be with just her for a few hours and learn more about her STS 114 flight into space.

She was the Chief Safety Judge for NIFA in Columbus, Ohio and will return back to Oshkosh for another round.

 

Wally gave the Stephens College Commencement speech on May 6, 2006 in Columbia, Missouri.

While President Libby was introducing Wally, she had Wally step up to the podium while she announced "that in the history of the College (126 years) a Doctor of Science Honoree is being awarded to Wally". At which time, she was caped and given the degree.



 

Wally (Class of '58) encouraged the graduates to live their dreams and gave many words of wisdom for their future.

Wally's life came full circle when Jennifer Jacob from Detroit, Michigan brought a Cessna 120, N1829V, had it restored and flew it Columbia to be part of the Stephens College fleet. Wally soloed N1829V on December 5, 1957.