Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann FRAeS

Our very own Seattle Branch and Board member, Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann FRAeS, visited a school in the Isle of Mann while on a recent trip and the event was reported as follows in the "Isle of Mann Today" newspaper on 30 May 2006.

WOMAN PILOT'S STORY OF INSPIRATION

CHILDREN at Foxdale School are set to be high-fliers after an inspirational talk from Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann.
JET SET: Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann with children from Foxdale School MP060523-11. She was the project pilot leader for Boeing's successful world record attempt for the longest commercial non-stop flight last year aboard the 777-200LR from Hong Kong to London.

Captain Darcy-Hennemann, who jetted in from Seattle, was a guest of the Isle of Man branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

She said those involved in the record flight say they went 'the long way, not the right way'.

'The Wright brothers had set the first record longest test flight in 1905 so it was the 100th anniversary. They flew for 38 minutes - the rumour is that they would have got further, but ran out of gas,' Captain Darcy-Hennemann said.

She joined Boeing in 1974 and spent her initial years in engineering, then worked as a trainer at its school for airline pilots.

In 1985 Captain Darcy-Hennemann became the first female Boei ng production test pilot and four years later became the first woman rated as a captain on the 747-400.

She made her first 777 flight in January 1995 and became a captain that same year.

She graduated from the University of Washington in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics engineering.

A member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, she has served as a guest speaker and participant in many industry and community forums.

Captain Darcy-Hennemann said: 'My challenge, as a day-to-day thing, is doing the best and being the best that I can personally be. I'm always looking to be more efficient and better. The pilots would like to do another world record.'

On Wednesday she visited Foxdale School and spoke to Elizabeth Bankes-Jones's class.

'I agreed to speak at the school because I think it's really important.
Someone encouraged me and it's important to reach out a helping hand and pull someone else along. M rs Bankes-Jones encourages the children to follow their dreams,' Captain Darcy-Hennemann said.

'It was great fun. The kids were very sharp. Their teacher had told them to ''Google'' me first and they all wrote individual questions and had thought about what they wanted to ask and were very eager.'

Thanks to her career, she is well travelled, but she said the Island was one of the most beautiful places she had visited. On Thursday Captain Darcy-Hennemann opened the aeronautical society's season with the annual Howard Pixton lecture.