Tammie Jo Shults

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Show notes

You may know her as the pilot of Southwest Flight 1380, where her calm leadership and skill saved lives. But Tammie Jo’s story is about much more than one day in the cockpit.

She was one of the first women to fly Navy jets, breaking barriers in military aviation, and went on to a 27-year airline career. In her memoir, Nerves of Steel, she shares lessons on resilience, leadership, and perseverance that apply far beyond aviation.

In our conversation, we talk about:

Why telling our true stories matters

Overcoming rejection to pursue her dream of flying

The cultural and institutional barriers she faced in military and airline cockpits

How past experiences prepared her for the crisis of Flight 1380

Buy the Book: Nerves of Steel

The Young Readers’ Version: Nerves of Steel

Blue skies and happy reading. 💙