A wife of 31 years, mother of 3 gorgeous daughters, grandmother of Kadence, Miles, Khoyn, Carter, Ellis and Anthony. A pilot for 8 airlines, 7 type ratings, 2 masters degrees, and my 1st novel, Flight For Control, is published!
I recently closed one chapter of my career, flying the 747-400 with Northwest Airlines, and have opened the next three chapters...
- I am now flying the Airbus A330 for a major airline.
- My writing career has taken off.
- Flight For Control is published.
Works in progress:
- Flight For Safety ... The sequel
- Flight To Success: Be the Captain of Your Life
- A330 Study Guide
Aviation Experience:
- Evergreen FO 727.
- Braniff SO 727.
- America West Simulator Instructor 737 and 757.
- Guyana 757 Director of Training/ Check Airman/ Instructor.
- Tower Air 747 FO. Northwest Airlines 747 SO/Instructor/ Check Airman and 744 FO.
- Currently flies an A330 for an International Airline.
Typed: A330, B744, B747, B757/767, B737, B727.
Seaplane rating too.
Writing Experience:
- Airline training manuals, company procedures, LOFT scenarios, many term papers, and a thesis or two.
- Hawaii Writers Retreat 2009, I studied under award winning author, William Bernhardt.
- PNWA Writers Conference July 2010. Worked with award winning author, Robert Dugoni.
- Finalist in PNWA literary contest with Flight For Control
Education:
- BS Business
- Master of Business
- Master of Human Services
- Ph.D. of life
My corporation has just changed names to Jet Star Publishing.
CIO, the original corporate identity, was named for my belief system: 'Crisis Is Opportunity.' Doing Business As Contract Aviation Services. I create flight training programs, write manuals, and work with pilots to help them achieve their dreams in aviation. Simulator instruction, tutoring, coaching, prepping for an interview and ultimately help them connect with employment opportunities.
While I'm still available for teaching, training and manual writing, and the previous year of my life has taught me once again that I can turn any crisis into an opportunity, I have expanded into helping new authors give wings to their dreams through Jet Star Publishing.
Home life:
Days off you can find me writing or playing with the grand kids, at the movies with my husband, beating him at scrabble, painting, reading, cooking, dreaming about living in the mountains, up-side-down in a yoga class, taking long walks, or working in the garden.
Future:
- The release of my second novel: Flight For Safety.
- Study Guide Complete.
- The release of Flight To Success. 10% of profits will go to Aviation High School, Women With Wings.
- A happy healthy family, that continues to grow, learn, love, and embraces life.
- Good friends to share our successes and challenges with.
- Giving back to the Aviation industry, by supporting and inspiring future pilots.
- Giving back to the writing community by supporting and inspiring writers.
- Flight For Control on the big screen.
"Anything we can dream, can become a reality.
You just have to believe."
As a fellow writer and travel friend, I can comment that your ability to handle complex issues, whether about character and plot arcs or about aviation skills, is outstanding. I know people who choose to work with you will be very happy with the results they get!
ReplyDeleteLinda, Thank you. Now... we just have to get them to buy the novel too! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Karlene, on a great blog site! Your energy is so positive that I'm confident you will achieve everything you set out to do. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jule! My success is a result of friends like you, with your support and encouragement. I appreciate your confidence so much!
ReplyDeleteKarlene, I know you can do anything, from building a walk-in closet (!) to helping me checkout as 747 captain! You are an awesome instructor, pilot, woman & friend. Oh,and author!
ReplyDeleteKathy, you are too sweet. And, my new PR assistant! You are going to be featured on one of my blogs. Will email you with more about that. Thank you for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteSorry I did not get a chance to fly a trip with you. Mike
ReplyDeleteYeah me too. But, I see you in First Class one day. I'll try to make a good landing! :)
ReplyDeleteKarlene,
ReplyDeleteGreat to connect with you! :) I so value the power of technology to connect us with others we would not otherwise have the opportunity to...
Thank you for being such an inpsiration to others, especially women!
I look forward to reading more and more of your posts/articles/work and can't wait for July when you begin to submit Flight for Control to agents so you can continue to share about your journey we can all learn from...
With gratitude, Stephanie~
Stephanie, Thank you for the incredible comment, and I am grateful to connect with you! I will share my journey when the next phase continues and my novel soars. :)
ReplyDeleteKarlene, I have a lot to learn from you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nate! I have a lot to learn from you too!!! K
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Mom ! I miss you and love you. Fly safe and I'll see you when you get home again.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU Kalimar! I miss and love you too! XOXO Mom
ReplyDeleteKarlene, Happy Birthday from another "mature" aviator!
ReplyDeleteRon
Thanks Ron! Does growing old mean we have to be mature too? :)
ReplyDeleteHey Lady!
ReplyDeleteYou're a model for women across the globe and my daughter. You go girl! Happy Mother's Day from row 7A.
Cheers! Jamie
www.nickgrantadverntures.com
Thank you Jamie!! What a nice comment! Happy Mothers Day to you too!!!
ReplyDeleteHello my name is Rodolfo, I´m from Mexico, I am a pilot also, since 10 years ago, I`m 30 married with one kid (2yrs) I currently fly the Boeing 737-700, first officer. I work for Aeromexico, love it. Just love it, 3 yrs ago I was flying an ERJ 145 Aeromexico Connect, theb reginoal airline of Aeromexico, I am so glad that since January this year I´m currently flying the 737 and working for the "big company"...love your blog, and I hope I can get your book during my next flight to the USA
ReplyDeleteThank you Rodolfo for the nice comment! I hope you can get my book too! It's not published yet...but more comments like that... it won't be long! I'll send you an autographed copy!
ReplyDeleteHave a wondderful day! And enjoy that baby and your 737! Both are a wonderful journey!
Wow Karlene, reading this, I could only think of one word to describe you - amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer! I can think of another word... tired. lol. Soon you'll be in the sky!
ReplyDeleteI started my granddaughters early. They love to go to the museum of flight. They ask to go. How can I deny them. They particularly love the simulator. After 7 consecutive rolls, I said we must fly right side up for a while. The 5 year old was on the stick giggling. I was the passenger, crying like a baby.
ReplyDeleteFred...What a great story!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have tickets for them. Email me at Karlene.Petitt@gmail.com They can come to the Seattle Museum of Flight!
Hi,
ReplyDelete2 things:
1. Has your novel been released? If not, when will it be?
2. Delta is no longer the worlds biggest airline. United/Continental is/are.
Hey Anonymous... Novel not published but ready for the agents. And I corrected the largest airline comment. Conited is now the largest!
ReplyDeleteI think your secret for success is passion and love for what you do. What an inspiring model to follow.
ReplyDeleteWill your novel be released only in the US?
Greetings :)
Thank you Mario! Oh no... I'm hoping my novel is released everywhere. Time will tell. If not... I ship. :) I'll have book signings on my layovers.
ReplyDeleteHi Karlene, I'm looking forward to reading your novel, is there a release date yet? Awesome blog! I'm not sure with your busy life, how you are able to keep such a great blog going:-)
ReplyDeleteHi Piper Mama! I'm looking forward to you reading it too. Published soon. I will keep you posted! Nice to meet you.
ReplyDeleteHi Karlene..
ReplyDeleteYou're such an inspiration. I'm about to apply to IGRUA. I just wrote 10+2 exam. I was wondering if I should get a degree before getting a CPL. What do you advice?
PS: Great blog.
Veena, Thank you so much! UGRUA.. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi... Flight School... That's great!
ReplyDeleteI think that you should work on your flight training, "while" you get your degree.
Your studies, your flight training, the people you meet, the focus... you'll be able to write better papers for your degree, with practical experience with what you want to do, and doors will open connecting the two worlds.
Graduate with both a degree and your Pilots license. You can do it!!!
So youre with Delta now...cool! Greg in SFO x
ReplyDeleteYep... Greg in SFO... hope to see you soon. :)
DeleteHey Karlene!
ReplyDeleteThis blog site is marvelous! An inspiration to many, who come into this site. You are such a sweetheart <3
I am enthralled to have seen your flight experience.
Good wishes, to all the aspiring would-be Pilots.
Happy Flying!
Charan Pilot
Charan, Thank you so much for the incredible comment! I really appreciate your support, and wish you all the luck in your flying career!
ReplyDeleteAnd your journey to inspire everyone around you continues. We were classmates in an MBA course (maybe two), but that's not the point. I continue to be your admirer and am inspired by the heights you have scaled. Keep going girl and the very best to you in life from here on till eternity.
ReplyDeleteNo I'm not a pilot, but it was my childhood dream to be a pilot ... never realized this dream.
Hey Sid!! Thank you so much for the great comment! I am so glad to be living a dream for you. We should all try to remember to be grateful for everything we do because our lives may be someone else's dreams. Nice to see you again!
ReplyDeleteThank you Flynthings!
ReplyDeleteAs qualified as you are, as a pilot, Karlene, it speaks volumes for you, as a person, to see that the things you value most are family - Wife, Mother, Grandmum. I admire and commend you for that.
ReplyDeleteFrom a fellow airline pilot,
Charles Rich (Kaptin M)
www.PIREP.org
Charles, Thank you so much for the very nice compliments. I really appreciate it. Looking forward to knowing you!
ReplyDeleteKarlene, I love your site. You are an inspiration! I am also a woman fighting hard to reach goals I had since childhood--to write and publish my memoir and much more. My every breath is about that and sharing my friendship, love, and wacky sense of humour with as many people as I can.
ReplyDeleteTerry, Thank you so much for the comment. I will come and find you. Not in a stalking way, but we must connect. Thank you for saying hi.
ReplyDeleteDear Karlene, you seem like an amazing woman - with the head up in the clouds and heart on the right place. I just came to the blog but I'll definitely come back and read more and more. Maybe it will help me to learn more about flying and also to fly, though just on the wings of my dreams of words for now... Thanks and keep on writing, dreaming and flying! TeriS
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, cross fingers for the little pilot in the holding pattern and his mother... :o)
Teri, Thank you so very much for the nicest comment. I think there are many times my head is in the clouds, even on the ground. I'm honored you'll be reading my blog. Keep flying on those dreams of words... they will carry you far.
ReplyDeleteP.S. That little pilot is still holding. :)
Hello mam, my name is Suraj and I am from Bombay, India. I just recently chanced upon your blog, and I must say it's amazing! I usually never go through blogs, but this one is just off the hook! I will go through this as much as it is practically possible :) In this world where success brings along with it tonnes of unwanted attitude and ego, you mam have done the best of what a good human being should be like, a role model so to speak. Even though I don't know you as a person, I hope people like yourself will help aspiring pilots like me reach new heights, making it plausible for us to one day, fly those beautiful jets in the sky. I have sworn to myself, that no matter what, I will fly my baby - The Boeing 777-300ER. I will make it happen someday. And people like you really give me a lot of inspiration & motivation to achieve such a "biblical" task. I already consider you as my friend (hope it's the same on your side too) and you are my GE90-115B :) Take care captain and countless happy landings to you. God speed!
ReplyDeleteSuraj, What a wonderful message. Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement. I do know what you mean the attitudes of success. But we are all in this life together and together we can work wonders in the world, and all achieve anything.
DeleteI have not doubt you will reach your dreams, and and continue to inspire others. Perhaps one day we will fly the 777-300ER together.
God speed to you my friend.
Hello Karlene,
ReplyDeleteThis is Mohan, and we had connected via Linkedin where I added you as a contact (if you remember several days ago). Even though I'm an IT person (unfortunately), my first passion in my life had been aviation/flying/aerospace. I wanted to be pilot as I was a young kid. Too bad, circumstances in my life were circumvented and I ended up being where I am. I live in SF bay area, california but am looking to make contact with aviation professionals throughout the world.
I feel as a woman, you are a powerful inspiration to not only a person who wants to pursue an aviation career, but more so to any woman who wants to pursue this dream. Its indeed a pleasure to read your blog. I think any woman in this career must have overcome something in her life which made her do this possible. I have a 12 year old daughter who talks about being a pilot someday when she grows up (and hence follow my unmet or unsatisfied passion as I was growing up). Hopefully you can be an inspiration to her. She keeps talking about being an aviator and author someday and who can be the best inspiration than you?
Hopefully you will write her an email with few words of encouragement, would you? She is a smart kid btw.
Regards and good luck and keep rotating those airliners past V1!
Mohan.
Hello Mohan, Thank you for your kind words. I would love to be a spot of inspiration for your daughter. It's amazing how many children find the passion of their parents unmet dreams. I know she will accomplish anything she sets her heart to. I will definitely email her. Can you send me her email address? Thank you.
DeleteENOUGH---Stop Bragging,,,Your NOT "ALL THAT".
ReplyDeleteDid I forget to mention... exhausted? :)
DeleteWow! this is very very impressive Karlene! I wish you just the very best in all your future endevours.
ReplyDeleteHenry, Thank you so very much! I really appreciate your support.
DeleteI sure do appreciate your emphasis on family. My wife is a very talented nurse, yet chose to remain home and raise our four children. Her dedication to our family has paid off over and over. Thank you for emphasizing family.
ReplyDeleteMike
B777 Captain for United
Mike, Thank you so much for the nice comment on family. I think a lot of the equation is stability. A team effort between you and your wife. Kids need their physical needs met, but also emotional. Security and love are huge.
DeleteIt's so nice to hear your support of your wife.
Hey Karlene!! congratulations on your latest publication.Best wishes
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!!!
DeleteKeep up the good work Karlene!!
ReplyDeleteAhhh... Thank you!!
DeleteHi Karlene,
ReplyDeleteNice to know about the aviation thriller. Well if it is as what you describe you could also think of the Indian Bollywood. Its big time.
Well I would love to read it. These topics excite me a lot.
I have visited your website and it is beautiful, Congratulations for all the achievements and wish you all best for all the new ventures.
With kind regards,
Raj
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kinds words.
DeleteCaptain Petitt thank you so much for your reply to me on twitter.
ReplyDeleteMa'am you are an inspiration to women,nay,human beings everywhere.
How you've managed to achieve so much in life professionally & also the hardest part of all to successfully raise such a beautiful family is brilliant.
You are obviously making quite a name for yourself in the USA.I think it's only a matter of time before you are 'cleared to land' here in Europe too!
Stay safe Captain.
John, Thank you so very much for the beautiful comment. Yes...the family was the hardest, and you know... the most rewarding. Thank you so much! And I love Europe. I will be there more often!
DeleteWow!!! this is great and inspiring,Karlene you are truly a woman, mother and grandma of substance, God knew his business before he made you who you are. It si my strongest hope to become like you in the future. Continue the good work and be an inspiration to all. God bless
ReplyDeleteFrank, Thank you so very much. You comment means so very much!!!
DeleteThe Iron Lady of Aviation.
ReplyDeleteThe Guardian.
Lol... Thank you for the smile!!!
DeleteHi Captain Karlene,
ReplyDeleteCongratulation for great achievements in your career and being a loving Mother for your amazing family. Am so proud of you.
Am a Tanzanian- (East Africa) 23years old passionate about aviation since was 6 years.I have been using flight simulators with hopes of join the aviation after finishing my advanced level education.
Unfortunately couldn't afford since due to financial constraints so i opted to go for a degree in business computing then will raise the cash for my aviation course.
During my first year in University i discovered that their some fellow youths around who have failed to reach their dreams due to lack of mentorship in related field and financial challenges hence motivated me to start a magazine which will educate and inspire youth to achieve their careers.
Am currently look for the aviation scholarship so that i can start my aviation journey with the dream and passion of helping other youths around to achieve their aviation dreams.
With your future plan of "Giving back to the Aviation industry, by supporting and inspiring future pilots." I believe you can think of also engaging in supporting youth in East Africa who are passionate in aviation to achieve their dreams.
Wish you success Captain.
regards
Amin Swai
aminswai@gmail.com
-
I love the great feeling of being the part of completing people's dreams especially when they have just landed to their destination.
Good luck in your aviation dream, Amin! You are not alone in that pool of pilots who want to fly and working hard, short on funds. In the search box, type how to build hours, flight time... etc, and see what I've written on the subject. And google search scholarships. There are many out there, but you have to look. Also type in Aviation 101. One thing I about this career... is it's hard because it's supposed to be to make better pilots. You will become one of the best! Keep working hard and you will make your dreams come true.
DeleteHello Karlene.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to have read your blog which is truly motivating. Well my question might be similar to plenty out there with the love and passion for aviation and flying. I have held this dream close to my heart for a long time. I am 32, not a US citizen have an engineering degree with a Masters in Business Administration..have been evaluating the path ahead..whats pausing the decision making is the time, money and chances of employment..I'd like to work for Fedex one day..what would your suggestion be based on the real and practical picture..
Appreciate your thoughts !
Regards,
DeepB
Hi DeepB...Thank you so much for the nice comment. About your dreams... I think you need to be a US citizen to work for FedEx. I wish there was better news. I would recommend talking to them.
DeleteThanks Karlene.. My specific question to you is on flight training..considering the 1500 hr rule and flying costs could suggest what path should be taken..how long do you think it would take to reach there and any specific flight schools you might have in mind or heard of..is it the right age to enter ? How many years before I could be employed ?what my grad or undergrad degree help ?
ReplyDeleteDeep, this is not a discussion to have on a blog commenting section. It would be better to email me. Karlene.petitt@gmail.com. However, type in a word search about hours, career, etc into the search box above and you may find related blogs and can respond to those. Thank you!
Deletejust bought your book to support aviation in wallowa county thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!
DeleteXOX Karlene
Appreciate your glorious career as Pilot & writer.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes mam
Ahmad
Thank you Ahmad!!!
DeleteOh... so FLIGHT FOR CONTROL was, originally, a
ReplyDeletecontest entry! Was it a short story, then?
Tell me about William Bernhardt: How did he
INFLUENCE your writing?
p.s.
I'm from the future, Karlene. You'll be
happy to know that, as of April 30, 2018,
your blog will still be going strong!!!
Dan, Thank you so much!!! Actually Flight For Control was a novel I entered into the PNWA contest. It was a huge honor to get noticed for a first novel. Thank you... a great day in April, 2018!!!
Delete