I have always been in airplanes, said Slattery, a freshman in aviation flight from Palatine. It’s kind of a feeling of power because I can control it.

Because Slattery’s father is a airline captain and has worked for United Airlines for as long as she can remember, she has ventured inside the cockpits of airplanes since she was a child. She began flight lessons before entering her senior year in high school and obtained her private pilot’s license after graduation.

Now, she is one of only eight freshman women in SIUC’s aviation program.

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I can do what lots of people can’t, she said. I love flying. It’s a rush.

SIUC has three aviation programs aviation flight, aviation management and aviation technology. There are 28 women in aviation flight, 22 in aviation management and six in aviation technology. There are also six women flight instructors. Slattery is among the 12 percent of women in the aviation program.

Lindsey Bohms, Beth Bilik and Slattery became friends at the start of semester when they met as the only three women in their aviation flight class.

The situation makes them realize the bumpy road ahead, and this forms a tighter bond between the women. Despite their years of experience, these women may face stereotypical convictions throughout their journey as pilots such as the premise that only men can become pilots. This particular bias stays in these women’s minds and they plan to destroy it.

It’s gotten normal for me, Slattery said. Right now there aren’t many girls in it. Last semester there were only about 84 freshman in aviation and eight of them were girls.

I’m sure it’s out there, males thinking only males can fly. I just try as hard as I can.

Beth Bilik, a freshman in aviation flight from Kildeer, said being a minority in the field gives her the incentive to become successful. She never planned to pursue aviation flight as a career until she realized its unusualness.

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When I walked in, there were only two girls in the classroom, Bilik said. I think we were all like, Wow, there’s a couple of girls in here.’ But, I kind of expected it. It’s nice because we have a common ground.

I like to do things out of the ordinary. I really like that. It’s something I started without any intentions of pursuing as a career. But, it’s hands-on. It was something I knew I could do.

Dave NewMyer, chairman of aviation management and flight, said over the years many women have battled the stereotypes against them and have become some of the most remarkable pilots, like Amelia Earhart. Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean solo and the only one to fly it twice. It was the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman and was done in record time.

NewMyer said the aviation programs have graduated numerous women in aviation and is certain that many more will be successful in their flight to the top.

It’s part of an overall interest, he said. It has been phenomenal in this decade. The change really occurred in the ’80s. Aviation in the past was male dominated, and it still is in some places. It’s changing everyday. Now there are several women vice presidents at United Airlines.

It’s an awareness. We’re all growing up a bit. We still have some hurdles to face the idea that women can’t fly. But, we know they can and we got the pilots here to prove it.

And to prove her capability to fly, Slattery said she has flown on a windy day and even on the rainiest days. She has never been afraid of the circumstances because she has been flying since she was a child. But she has had her share of bad landings in a Cessna 152, which she flies about twice a week.

I’ve never had any times when I had any close calls, Slattery said. I’ve had a couple bad landings. Sometimes you can land it too hard or kind of balloon it. That’s when you land it, but it wants to fly up again.

After being exposed to her father’s lifestyle, Slattery said she thinks she can handle being a minority in the field she has loved all her life. Any stereotypes she faces will not matter as long as she becomes successful.

As long as we have the same qualifications we will get a job even before the men, she said. I know the lifestyle, and I have a connection to it. I know how my life could be like. I could make money and do something I enjoy.