Flying the Not-So-Friendly Skies

    SAN DIEGO, CA, January 02, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Before San Diego author and attorney Robin "R.D." Kardon came up with the idea for FLYGIRL, her debut novel about a female pilot breaking the blue ceiling, she lived it. In vein of Barbara Kingsolver and Chris Bohjalian, Kardon's cockpit confessional has been hailed as "an astounding peek behind the scenes of pilot life."

Long before #MeToo, Kardon became one of the first female pilots to integrate an all-male corporate flight department. Her novel, which takes on issues of sexual assault, hostile work environment, and professional betrayal, is drawn from what she experienced and witnessed in the 1990s.

"The novel is inspired by actual events rather than based on them," explains Kardon. "My goal was to realistically recreate the discriminatory environment, harassment and challenges I faced as a female pilot. It is only through an examination of our past that we can help shape a better future both on the ground and in the air."

Kardon decided to write a novel rather than a memoir so she could create a fuller portrait of a female pilot in this era by incorporating the experiences of other women. "I've been told it's a good story so that's the first and foremost reason to read it, but people will also learn a great deal about what female pilots like myself went through just a few decades ago."

International bestselling author T. Greenwood says the story is written with "authenticity and heart" and "examines one tenacious woman's struggle to survive in a vocation dominated by men who want nothing more than to see her fail."

Kardon was a commercial pilot for 12 years and says she always enjoys talking about aviation in general, and how to succeed in the male-dominated field. "I encourage women and men to explore careers in flying whether it's as a pilot or other crew member, dispatcher or controller. From the 1990s to today, it's been a bumpy ride, but every year women get more of the recognition they deserve."

Robin "R.D." Kardon was a litigation attorney before beginning a twelve-year flying career as a corporate and airline pilot. She holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and three Captain qualifications. Her travels took her all over the world in every type of airplane from small single-engine Cessnas to the Boeing 737. Robin earned her B.A. in Journalism and Sociology from NYU and J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. A native New Yorker, Robin now lives in San Diego, California with her beloved rescue pets.

FLYGIRL, a work of fiction inspired by her own aviation experience, is her first novel.

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