FRANCES ROHRER SARGENT

Fran began flying in 1941 in Atlanta, Georgia, then became a Navy Instrument Ground Instructor. In 1943, she was recruited into the fourth class of the famous Women s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS) during WWII. The training at Sweetwater was just like the cadets' training. They went to Primary Training in PTI9s, moved on to Basic Training in BTl3s and 15s, then Advanced Training in AT6 and C-78 light twin trainers. They had appropriate ground school, Link training, physical education, and military procedures.

Fran and some of her class were assigned to the Antiaircraft Artillery Training Group on the North Carolina coast. They towed a twenty-foot long muslin sleeve behind various planes to give ground soldiers experience in shooting a moving target. This helped the shortage of men pilots needed overseas. Fran checked out on ten different types of planes including A-24 Douglas Dauntless, AT-9 and II, A25 Helldiver, B-34 and 37 and others. The WASP was disbanded in December 1944 and women did not fly in the military until about 1977. Fran married and she and her husband settled in Charlotte, NC for ten years and enjoyed their family of a daughter and two sons. In 1956 they decided to move to Florida.

After her children were in school, she started flying again and obtained her FAA Flight Instructor's Certificate. In 1961 she joined the faculty of Miami-Dade Community College in their newly formed Aviation Program. Her experience in the Navy and the WASP, although brief, led her to an interesting career in aviation. In 1987 she retired as Professor Emeritus. She was so proud of her many enthusiastic and dedicated students and appreciated her many pilot friends and hoped to have helped pave the way for them.

Her achievements brought her a number of awards including in 1996 the prestigious Wright Brothers Memorial Award from the Greater Miami Aviation Association. She has attended most of the biennial reunions of the WASP and even took her whole family to the 50th reunion in Washington, DC. She earned her Bachelors degree at Florida Atlantic University and her Masters Degree in Business Administration at the University of Miami. She was awarded the Amelia Earhart Scholarship from the Ninety Nines International Organization of Women Pilots.

She holds an Air Transport Pilot Certificate and is a Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor, as well as a commercial Glider Pilot. She was FAA Examiner for the Written Test for 15 years. She was faculty advisor of the MDCC Flight Team and the National Intercollegiate Flying Association for a number of years and the first woman president of the University Aviation Association On two occasions the American Council of Education requested that Fran inspect and evaluate the US Army Helicopter School at Ft. Ruckers, Alabama for credit transfer for college credit. Fran has been a member of the Florida Aero Club since 1968. Most of all Fran's family has been a delight and joy and has been so encouraging and supportive of her aviation work.

Since retirement from MDCC, she is often found in Tamiami Airport with a happy smile on her face as she makes her way to a plane; however, she now has a little time to play bridge, try piano lessons, and travel.

6/4/01