Molly’s father, Tom, a WWII instructor pilot, taught her to fly in his Army Air Corp surplus Stearman. She could have soloed at 16, she said, “but I got sidetracked by boys and cheerleading.  Daddy was right when he said, “boys are dumb”!  So I soloed in Daddy and Mama’s Stearman at 19 and flew as much as I could. 

I was in the right place at the right time, and God opened the door to United Airlines for me! I was 24 when I got hired as a pilot. I worked hard in training, as I was not nearly as qualified as my military and commuter classmates. I bought a Cessna 140 in 1979, right before I was furloughed for 4 years. In 1987 I bought my own Stearman.

My husband Keith and I also own a Super Cub, Cessna 150 and Cessna 185.  We live at Crest Airpark, a residential airpark near Seattle Washington. We taught our oldest son Ben to fly, and he made his first solo in my Stearman!  

Q: You’ve flown quite a few different aircraft. Do you have a favorite airplane?

I have approximately 1,100 hours in a Stearman, 3,000 in tailwheel aircraft and 23,000 total.  For United Airlines, I flew the 737, 727, 757, 767, 747 and retired off the 777. I always thought the 757 was my favorite….until I flew the 747! What a machine!

How did you get involved with Dream Flights?

I have a special place in my heart for veterans, as my father and Keith’s father were pilots in WW2. I have given many veterans flights and look forward to seeing the magic of flight on the faces of our veterans!