Natalie Kelley
First $5,000 scholarship for female pilots at Sporty’s Academy.
#SecondAct for Mom: What to do, when all the kids are now in school?
Born in Tennessee, based in Cincinnati, probably in the air somewhere right now: FlyGirl Kelley.
[MARCH 15, 2018] As a proud mother of three young boys, Natalie Kelley has displayed courage, intelligence, character and cunning. She is, of course, still the head of this East Side Cincinnati household, in charge of academics, athletics, hunting, bros and girlfriends.
For her #secondact, however, Kelley, 44, was looking for something completely different. Natalie 2.0, as it were.
Something more entrepreneurial. An enterprise that could lift the soul, perhaps, and incorporate her first love: flying.
Now a licensed General Aviation pilot, Kelley has literally, metaphorically, spiritually and in totality taken flight.
The founder and CEO of FlyGirl LLC today unveils her flagship website, FlyGirlLLC.com, from which she is spreading a message of motivation and female empowerment, education, entrepreneurialism and opportunity.
“I would love to talk about planes all day long; but in the bigger picture it is not just me, nor is FlyGirl just about the career-slash-industry of flying that has me motivated,” said Kelley.
“This is about all women, everywhere, pursuing their dreams. I have experienced a rebirth, as do women of all ages, once you realize there really are no bounds to what we can achieve.”
For Starters: Fashion, Gear, and a $5,000 Scholarship for Female Pilots
A cornerstone of the new FlyGirl brand is a new $5,000 scholarship being offered exclusively to female pilots through a strategic partner of FlyGirl LLC, Sporty’s Academy, the world-renowned flight school in Batavia, Clermont County, where Kelley earned her first pilot’s license.
The FlyGirl LLC mission is to encourage and inspire women and young girls to open their hearts and minds to their potential and to help their dreams take flight.
“That is the message. And never, ever give up on your dreams taking flight!”
Kelley arrived in Cincinnati a decade ago when her husband, Shawn Kelley, was named Managing Partner of the Cincinnati and Dayton offices of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. They settled in Montgomery, fielded their sons to Sycamore High School, Moeller High School and All Saints School, and now Ms. Kelley is looking to blaze her own trail.
Former U.S. Army parachutist Robert Langford earned his Pilot’s License using the G.I. Bill and now flies aerobatics for Red Thunder of Nashville.
A native of Nashville, Ms. Kelley grew up in a family devoted to flight, with a father flying P-3s during the Cold War and her uncle, Robert Langford, a former U.S. Army parachutist who used the G.I. Bill to earn his license as a pilot. Uncle Robert continues to be an aerobatic pilot at the age of 76.
Beginning around age 9, she spent many years in the cockpit besides Uncle Robert, who now flies for the Red Thunder aerial acrobatics team based in Nashville.
Her father, Larry Fiser, earned his U.S. Navy wings in 1971 and set about the world hunting Soviet subs during the Cold War.
Former U.S. Navy Pilot Larry Fiser with his daughter Natalie FlyGirl Kelley in Nashville.
His advice to his daughter: “The training is hard, and you probably will get tired of all the training hours and regimented training,” says Mr. Fiser, still living in Charlotte, Tennessee, about an hour west of Nashville.
“It is hard, but you really need to know the basics of the airplane, the basics of aerobatics, if you really want to be proficient as a pilot,” Mr. Fiser said.
U.S. Navy Pilot Larry Fiser, father of Natalie FlyGirl Kelley
FlyGirl Kelley plans to spread her message through speaking engagements, school and community outreach programs, and good old-fashioned industry networking to reach women and girls “regardless of their age.”
A Family of Flight: from Nashville to Cincinnati to Points Known and Unknown
So what is the best advice she remembers?
“Uncle Robert always told me to keep my eyes on the outside. He was really glad that I had to learn flying by using paper charts. I think maybe he thought I was learning by using all the gadgets.
And while I do like the gadgets – I fly with two iPads and my phone – I can always still hear Uncle Robert, in the back of my mind, reminding me over and over again, to keep your eyes on the outside.”
The $5,000 FlyGirl scholarship has been organized through Sporty’s Academy on Sporty’s Drive in Clermont County.
The deadline for scholarship entries is April 15. Applications are to be sent to Eric Radtke at Sporty’s at (513) 735-9100 (ext. 352) or by e-mail at eradtke@sportys.com.
Applications will be reviewed by committee and finalists will be invited to interview with Kelley.
Funds will be disbursed to Sporty’s on behalf of the recipient on a pre-determined schedule to be used during the 2018 calendar year for flight training at Sporty’s. For more information, please visit this link on the Sporty’s website: https://sportysacademy.com/flygirl/.
FlyGirl LLC is also a fashion destination: aviation gear for the female pilot is available on the website.
A speaking engagement bureau is being organized.
And at age 44, FlyGirl Kelley is just getting started.
“Becoming a pilot has been a tremendous accomplishment and has further inspired me, and with that, I am hoping to provide, perhaps even the smallest encouragement, to maybe a young girl, a young woman who is dreaming about being a pilot or possibly pursuing some other aspiration: Go for it!”
For media inquires, please contact Andy Hemmer at (513) 604-5428 or andy@andyhemmer.com.
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….. that’s Matt on top of Denali.
THE COUNTDOWN IS ON: 50 Days from today, Saturday, February 3, 2018, Matt Brennan of Cincinnati launches his trek up Mount Everest on March 25, 2018.
Follow Matt on Facebook at @MattBrennanEverest and on Twitter at @CincinnatiPR and/or @CinCenterAutism.
Born in Columbus and adopted by The City of Cincinnati, Matt Brennan is the owner of Loveland Excavating and Paving Inc.
His personal challenge to summit seven of the world’s tallest peaks was recently chronicled on WCPO-TV Channel 9:
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