Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 28, 2024 22:36:06 GMT 12
From The Press, 20 November 1975:
A pilot because she loves flying
Lieutenant Judy Neuffer is the second woman to earn her wings in the United States Navy. But she did not break barriers of tradition to prove a point; she simply loves flying, and the more challenging the assignment the better.
This week she is in Christchurch for a brief stop-over during her present assignment with VXN8 Squadron, the United States Navy’s Oceanographic Development Squadron. Lieutenant Neuffer is a co-pilot of an aircraft carrying millions of dollars worth of scientific equipment for Project Magnet, mapping the magnetic fields around the Southern Hemisphere.
Her first posting after getting her wings was with the Navy Hurricane Hunters, the squadron which flew from its base in Florida into the eye of oncoming hurricanes to gather information for storm warning broadcasts. Why did she request that sort of assignment?
“It seemed to be an interesting sort of flying,” she said, “and a chance to really test myself.”
Judy Neuffer “grew up around aircraft.” Her father managed a small airport in her home state of Ohio, and she learned to fly light aircraft at 16. Her summer job was usually to help her father, “sweeping and things.” After graduating as a computer scientist from Ohio State University, she joined the Navy as a computer programmer and because it offered a chance to see something of the world. She had no idea then how much of it she would be seeing.
In the early 1970s the Navy decided to open its flight programme to women, and she was one of six women chosen for the trial programme of training in 1973. After completing the one-year course she joined the Hurricane Hunters squadron.
Her arrival must have caused quite a stir — one woman among 200 men. Lieutenant Neuffer is by no means the “Playboy” stereotyped female, but she has her own brand of gentle natural American charm. She could not have wished, she says, for a better reception than she received.
“At first the men didn’t known why I was there,” she said. “Once they found out I was not trying to prove anything, or posing any threat to them, and that I was working as hard as anyone to be the best pilot I could, they couldn’t have been more helpful. They were very encouraging, and always willing to take time to explain things, to talk about the plane just as they would with any new pilot coming into the squadron.”
As well as providing lifesaving warnings for people in the path of hurricanes, the squadron flew into winter storms affecting the northern part of the United States.
Such snow storms could cripple large areas, and advance warnings helped districts to organise precautions, such as getting the snow ploughs ready for action. The squadron also gathered oceanographic information in the Atlantic. Lt Neuffer is obviously a very capable person, but hardly the dare-devil type. Did she ever get very scared?
“It was dangerous flying, but we were all so busy there was not time to get frightened. I suppose I must have been, subconsciously,” she smiled, “because my palms always got sweaty. But knowing it was a very dependable aircraft and with a very professional crew helped a great deal.”
But 10 months was enough. “It was a great experience, but I’m glad I’m not doing it now,” she said.
FIVE-WEEK TRIP
On her present mission she is away from home base — Patuxent River, Maryland — for more than five weeks. The crew is making two world circuits while the five civilian scientists collect the data which the United States Government shares with a number of countries.
Flying leaves little time for a social life. When she is back in the United States she “potters around” her own home — which she shares with two cats, looked after by kindly neighbours while she is away — and studies. Not being brought up tinkering with things mechanical, she says she has to learn a lot about the technical side of aircraft.
Does she think there is a future for women pilots in the U.S Navy? “Eight more women have just been selected for flight training. I think the Navy has discovered that we are no different from other pilots. We make the same mistakes, progress at the same rate, and are physically capable of flying the same aircraft.
“So far I haven’t encountered anything beyond my capabilities.”
What of marriage and a family in the future? Judy Neuffer believes it is possible to combine marriage with flying, and says the Navy tries hard to keep its married couples together on postings. It also has new policies that allow women to have leave of absence to have children and then return to the service.
“Yes, there’s a future in flying for women. It’s an exciting field, that’s for sure,” she said.
Lieutenant Neuffer in the pilot’s seat at Christchurch Airport yesterday.
A pilot because she loves flying
Lieutenant Judy Neuffer is the second woman to earn her wings in the United States Navy. But she did not break barriers of tradition to prove a point; she simply loves flying, and the more challenging the assignment the better.
This week she is in Christchurch for a brief stop-over during her present assignment with VXN8 Squadron, the United States Navy’s Oceanographic Development Squadron. Lieutenant Neuffer is a co-pilot of an aircraft carrying millions of dollars worth of scientific equipment for Project Magnet, mapping the magnetic fields around the Southern Hemisphere.
Her first posting after getting her wings was with the Navy Hurricane Hunters, the squadron which flew from its base in Florida into the eye of oncoming hurricanes to gather information for storm warning broadcasts. Why did she request that sort of assignment?
“It seemed to be an interesting sort of flying,” she said, “and a chance to really test myself.”
Judy Neuffer “grew up around aircraft.” Her father managed a small airport in her home state of Ohio, and she learned to fly light aircraft at 16. Her summer job was usually to help her father, “sweeping and things.” After graduating as a computer scientist from Ohio State University, she joined the Navy as a computer programmer and because it offered a chance to see something of the world. She had no idea then how much of it she would be seeing.
In the early 1970s the Navy decided to open its flight programme to women, and she was one of six women chosen for the trial programme of training in 1973. After completing the one-year course she joined the Hurricane Hunters squadron.
Her arrival must have caused quite a stir — one woman among 200 men. Lieutenant Neuffer is by no means the “Playboy” stereotyped female, but she has her own brand of gentle natural American charm. She could not have wished, she says, for a better reception than she received.
“At first the men didn’t known why I was there,” she said. “Once they found out I was not trying to prove anything, or posing any threat to them, and that I was working as hard as anyone to be the best pilot I could, they couldn’t have been more helpful. They were very encouraging, and always willing to take time to explain things, to talk about the plane just as they would with any new pilot coming into the squadron.”
As well as providing lifesaving warnings for people in the path of hurricanes, the squadron flew into winter storms affecting the northern part of the United States.
Such snow storms could cripple large areas, and advance warnings helped districts to organise precautions, such as getting the snow ploughs ready for action. The squadron also gathered oceanographic information in the Atlantic. Lt Neuffer is obviously a very capable person, but hardly the dare-devil type. Did she ever get very scared?
“It was dangerous flying, but we were all so busy there was not time to get frightened. I suppose I must have been, subconsciously,” she smiled, “because my palms always got sweaty. But knowing it was a very dependable aircraft and with a very professional crew helped a great deal.”
But 10 months was enough. “It was a great experience, but I’m glad I’m not doing it now,” she said.
FIVE-WEEK TRIP
On her present mission she is away from home base — Patuxent River, Maryland — for more than five weeks. The crew is making two world circuits while the five civilian scientists collect the data which the United States Government shares with a number of countries.
Flying leaves little time for a social life. When she is back in the United States she “potters around” her own home — which she shares with two cats, looked after by kindly neighbours while she is away — and studies. Not being brought up tinkering with things mechanical, she says she has to learn a lot about the technical side of aircraft.
Does she think there is a future for women pilots in the U.S Navy? “Eight more women have just been selected for flight training. I think the Navy has discovered that we are no different from other pilots. We make the same mistakes, progress at the same rate, and are physically capable of flying the same aircraft.
“So far I haven’t encountered anything beyond my capabilities.”
What of marriage and a family in the future? Judy Neuffer believes it is possible to combine marriage with flying, and says the Navy tries hard to keep its married couples together on postings. It also has new policies that allow women to have leave of absence to have children and then return to the service.
“Yes, there’s a future in flying for women. It’s an exciting field, that’s for sure,” she said.
Lieutenant Neuffer in the pilot’s seat at Christchurch Airport yesterday.
