Interviews from Vista Women In Aviation
Leona Qi, President VistaJet US
As an entrepreneur yourself, what encouraged you to pivot your career and join VistaJet?
I liked the culture and how the Founder listened to his employees. I have a lot of autonomy to run my ideas. In 2016 I officially joined VistaJet, initially to run the Asia-Pacific business and began commuting from New York City to Hong Kong. That was one of the best decisions I ever made for my career.
What keeps you motivated?
Passion. I've worked in male-dominated industries for most of my career, from over a decade working on Wall Street and now a decade in the private jet industry. Though women may have to work twice as hard to prove their worth, they shouldn't let these obstacles stop them.
I believe that passion comes first and advise women pursuing a career in a male-dominated industry to not think about how challenging it may be, but to focus on how passionate they are.
How have you changed the narrative from being seen as a 'woman' to being seen as a 'person'? What advice would you give to someone looking to pivot their career?
At VistaJet, I have been fortunate to have a team that does not look at me as a woman, but rather, as someone good at her job.
I'd advise anyone looking to pivot their career to really assess the environment and would even challenge them to be the one to step up and cultivate a solid and supportive team that praises strengths and talent. That is how the narrative will shift.
LÉa Thiery, Captain, VistaJet
What initially drew you to becoming a pilot?
It was actually my Dad that first inspired me to become a pilot. My Dad is a doctor and always had an appetite to learn how to fly. Due to being colorblind, this could never become a reality. Thankfully, I was naturally curious about aviation and wanted to pursue becoming a pilot and fulfilling the dream my dad never could.
Why did you choose to work for VistaJet?
I've always loved the concept of business aviation due to the non-routine nature of the scheduling. No day will ever be the same, which is exciting to me.
What's your favorite part of the job?
The VistaJet team is my favorite part of the job. All of these people have the same passion and positivity as I do. When you have such a positive team, it makes life so much easier. I get to fly with my friends everyday. It feels like I'm always on holiday!
Why do you prefer private aviation over commercial?
I love the flexibility and adaptability. Flying commercial can be monotonous, as you fly to the same destinations. Flying private means we never know where we'll go. Every rotation means new destinations and cultures.
How would you encourage woman thinking about pursuing a career as a pilot?
My top tips would be to build your network. Don't ever hesitate to speak to anyone in the industry and build your book of contacts. Always show a positive and willing attitude to stand out from the crowd. There's no reason you won't succeed if you want it badly enough.
Nalini Ramer, Cabin Host, XOJET Aviation
What initially drew you to becoming a Cabin Host?
When I was 12 years old and on a trip with my mom, I told her I wanted to be a cabin hostess. I was just fascinated by flying. In 2016, when I moved to Florida, I followed that dream and applied for six or so jobs in aviation, starting my career in aviation just months later.
Being a Cabin Host isn't an easy job. What motivates you to serve our clients in the capacity that you do?
I get enjoyment out of serving others. When I get a chance to make something special for one of our clients, that's the best. Our clients are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and making their flight special for them always keeps me going.
What's your favorite part of the job?
Traveling. It's really fun. I get to go and experience new places and new things, and it makes it even more fun when the rest of the crew is with me.
How would you encourage someone wanting to become a Cabin Host?
I think I'd tell them that it's an exciting, changing industry, which means there's so many opportunities for them to gain experience and grow in. Aviation only continues to grow, which means the opportunities will keep coming!
When you aren't a Cabin Host, how do you spend your time?
Believe it or not, but I just can't seem to get away from the skies. When I'm not in an aircraft, I'm jumping out of one. I love skydiving and luckily, so does my husband, so we'll go together all the time.
Emma Heering, Captain, VistaJet
What initially drew you to becoming a pilot?
As a young girl, I was fascinated with Thunderbirds. I think that's where the idea of a career in aviation came from, even though the Thunderbird only ever had one female pilot. My family actually comes from a seafaring background, so I guess I'm a bit of an outlier!
What motivates you to do your job every day?
I don't need motivation. When you get to do what you love everyday, motivation isn't necessary. I get to live my Thunderbirds dream every day. Flying is my passion.
What do you love most about your job?
I love how every day is never the same. I've been at VistaJet for 10 years and I still get to experience places I've never been to. At VistaJet, we cover 96% of the globe and have flown to 187 countries. The global scale of this company is still mind-boggling to me. Of course, I have so much fun with the people I work with too.
Do you have a memory that stands out the most to you?
Honestly, I have had so many “pinch me” moments over these 10 years. One memory that stands out to me is my first time ever taking off as a Captain in the left seat. It's a big responsibility to manage everything while flying, but I just remember thinking “all of that studying, late nights, and time away from family has finally paid off.”
How would you encourage women thinking about pursuing a career in aviation as a pilot?
Whether you're a male or a female — you get out what you put in. As hard as it can be sometimes, hard work pays off.
Lynn Fischer, Chief Marketing Officer, XO
Why marketing?
I've always been interested in storytelling and engaging customers through different mediums. I'm also just naturally curious. You have to be curious about the product you're selling, your consumer and really be the voice of the customer within our company. That's what I love about marketing. It allows me to be curious.
Before joining, you didn't have any experience in aviation. What drew you to work for Vista?
Although I have no experience in aviation, I have a lot of experience in the mobility industry. In the recent past, the mobility companies I've worked for always worked to innovate the mobility space, just like we're doing here at XO. We are working to transform the private aviation industry, which I found very intriguing and exciting.
What motivates you to do your job? What do you love most about what you do?
For me, the best part about my job is working and collaborating with people that are equally as passionate about this space as I am. I love waking up in the morning and looking for ways to make our product and services more efficient, accessible, and transparent.
What would you say to a woman wanting to pursue a career in aviation and/or marketing? How would you encourage her?
Because XO is both an aviation and technology brand, I'm a big proponent of women exploring careers not only in aviation, but also in tech, where women are also underrepresented. Finding a mentor is also super helpful and allows women to genuinely start to consider this path as a career.
Where do you hope to see the trajectory of XO go in the next 5 years? What are you most excited about?
On a broader scope, I'm excited to see how we can expand to more cities and reach more people. We will also grow from a sustainability perspective, which is really exciting and needed in the industry.