AHS Aspiring Pilot Featured on Today Show
Posted on 11/07/2022
For Alexander High sophomore Bryleigh Schival, boarding an all-female flight was a dream come true. Last month she had the incredible opportunity to board a Boeing 737 piloted, staffed and crewed entirely by women. Schival’s flight took off in honor of International Girls in Aviation Day. The Delta “Women Inspiring our Next Generation” (WING) flight took to the skies with her and 130 other girls on board.
Schival’s passion for flying began in the fourth grade. Already in her second year of flight school with Centennial Aviation Academy, she is quickly learning the sky’s the limit for learning.
The historic flight allowed her to embrace even more possibilities. “It was a remarkable experience,” she explains. “It was empowering. The experience encouraged us to strive for excellence and to do better.”
As the girls flew on a Boeing 737 from Atlanta to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Delta employees encouraged their love of aviation. Since 2015, Delta's WING program has helped close opportunity gaps for women in aviation and generate a more diverse talent pipeline. It has also inspired Schival to continue spreading her wings.
When she turns 17, Schival plans to start private pilot lessons. After graduation, she plans to attend Western Michigan or Auburn University. Her long-term goal is to be a commercial pilot when she turns 22, the required age to be a commercial pilot.
To help prepare for life after graduation, Schival has been maximizing Alexander’s learning opportunities. She excels in academics, takes part in the Marketing Management pathway, and is an active DECA member. The future pilot is grateful for the opportunities that exist not just on her campus but within the Douglas County School System. “Having a school system that allows flexibility to get your core classes and dual enrollment is important,” Schival says. “It allows you more time to do what is important to you. For me, that means one day being captain of the A350, Delta’s flagship aircraft.”
NBC’s "Today Show" interviewed Schival in their story on the historic, girl-powered flight. See more in the video below.