After 25 Years, Jill Cramer Takes to the Sky
- Community
- Annuitants & Former ExPats
Author: Aramco ExPats Staff
Released 31 October 2005
Jill Cramer Completes Her First Solo Flight
Photograph Contributed by Jill Cramer
Jill Cramer took an interest in flying airplanes back in 1980 when she attended ground school in Dhahran along with Bob Shoemaker and several others who were into flying at the time. She continued taking flying lessons when on repat in Charlotte, North Carolina; Mammoth, California; and Vero Beach, Florida but time stretched between lessons. It seemed as though she never had enough time and would forget everything she learned by the time the next vacation came around. She decided to wait until she moved back to the states to pursue flying.
Jill left Arabia after Desert Storm in August of 1991, settling in Park City, Utah. She and her husband started a new business and began spending most of their free time skiing. Again, she found little time to pursue flying.
After a few years, Jill decided to go back to teaching at Park City Academy. She looked forward to working with children again. In 2003, a parent of one of Jill's students who knew of Jill's interest in flying offered his plane so that she could once again pursue flying. Not being able to pass up such an offer, Jill HAD to start again. She tried to fly as much as possible during the summer, but working full time made it difficult to fit flying into her busy schedule.
Jill Cramer
Photograph Contributed by Jill Cramer
In August of 2004, Jill started a global internet business, Lexxus International, LLC. She worked after hours, not wanting to leave her teaching position, and in June 2005 she was able to retire from teaching. Her new business has allowed her the freedom to finally take to the sky.
Right away, Jill set out to accomplish her first goal -- to get her pilot's license. In July, she enrolled in flight school in Heber City, Utah with OK3Air. Classes started soon after she returned from the 5678! Reunion in Las Vegas where Jill performed in several dance routines, another one of her talents. She has been flying ever since.
On September 16, 2005, Jill had her first solo flight. She said it was thrilling, "learning to fly in the mountains is a bit tricky, but will make flying everywhere else a breeze."
Jill is now working on her cross country flight training, so she is reviewing maps, flight computers, weather and other related topics.
With winter on the way, Jill plans to fly on the clear days and ski on the snowy days. Just the other day during her flight she had to contend with a flock of geese flying south as she was coming in for a landing. She is certain she scared them as much as they scared her!
Her goal is to finish up with private lessons by spring. Then she plans to pursue her instrument certificate with the ultimate goal of eventually buying her own plane. Jill's business is growing rapidly and she will be able to use the plane to fly around the United States to help her train other distributors. In then end, the timing was just right for her to finally take to the sky.