Maria D’Amato – Maria was a beloved chapter member and flight instructor. Her sudden passing was a shock to us all, and she is deeply missed. Our advanced rating scholarship is given in her honor.
From her wife, Stacy:
“Once she took that Discovery flight, she knew what she wanted to do. The drive, passion and joy. Most don’t find that.
While starting later than most, she knew obstacles and challenges would be there. She took it one step at a time. But never denied helping and encouraging others along the way. She knew the fiercely competitive nature of the flying culture but never succumbed. She was supportive and encouraging to all.
Her singular goal, fly 737s. Be in the ‘bigs’. She flew the jet she always wanted and hopes she can still encourage and support future aviators.”
From one of her closest friends who was also one of her students, Kristine:
“Maria D’Amato and I were in the pattern at Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, doing takeoffs and landings as part of my flight training in 2012. When I did well, she praised me. When I needed correction, she would repeat her mantras about getting on the glideslope, pitching for speed, powering for altitude. Once on final she would start to sing, “The final countdown,” by Europe.
“There you go, now pull the power back, level off, level off,” she would say, followed by “It’s the final countdown, the final countdown . . .” I would be grinning singing along with Maria. The song helped me calm down.
Maria is the reason I am a pilot. She texted me, called me, came to my house to study for the oral and written exams, and when my flight school had trouble getting me scheduled, she suggested another school 45 minutes away and drove me there herself. We carpooled for months.
When I soloed, at long last, she was on the ground like a worried mother, nervous as hell, then proud when I did it. When I did my first cross-country to Yolo County Airport, it was the same. But when I passed the private at Santa Rosa, her happiness was my happiness.
At the same time she was instructing, Maria was doing what she could to make it to the airlines. As a woman over the age of 40, she knew she would face many barriers. She never flinched, though she questioned herself. But she had guts, a lot of them. Even with setbacks and small paychecks, she persevered.
At her last job she was flying the Boeing 737 from the Bay Area to Hawaii, transporting sports teams and families and all through covid, emergency landings, and frayed nerves.
I used to tell her how strong and confident and passionate I thought she was. When I decided to start my own organization she was among the first to say that I could do it and that it was important to empower women.
Maria was always connecting with us women pilots. She would even check in with me during baseball playoffs, she always knew when my Padres were in the running. Her Seattle Mariners were in the postseason at the same time. She was happy. For both our teams. And that perfectly describes Maria. She had as much satisfaction seeing her students fly as making her own dreams happen.
With the complexities of our world, the polarization of our politics, the daunting challenges of flooding, drought, wildfires, extreme heat, extreme cold, and wars and conflicts, I have thought to myself, many times, I’m just one person, what can I really do?
Then I think of Maria. She has personally assisted and inspired so many pilots, women and men alike – with studying, a kind word, some encouragement, offering tips, sharing her own story so we all wouldn’t feel alone.
Isn’t it incredible, the influence of one person? The difference that one person can make?
After Maria died I decided to incorporate as much of her passion into my own life. What I loved about her personality is that she wanted us to be safe, not show-offs, not doing things that were dangerous or scary or stupid. She wanted us to plan our flights and err on the side of caution and safety. She wanted us to study, to be learning all the time, to never get too comfortable, to always be listening and practicing. Then she wanted us to enjoy our license, to get up there. To experience the thrill of flight, of seeing the earth, of understanding how it all fits together.
So I try to do just that – being a constant learner and being as safe in my flights, in my life, as I can. And I’m going to enjoy my license. I wouldn’t have that license if it weren’t for her, after all.
This scholarship helps us to honor Maria in a profound way. When you support the scholarship you are emphasizing the difference one person can make. One text, one call, one word of kindness. Being interested in someone’s dream means a lot. Let’s make more dreams happen.”
