Carole Lynn Homan

Selecting a major wasn’t a hard decision for Carole Homan; she knew she wanted to be a pilot by the age of 17. The aeronautical management technology program at Arizona State University helped Homan fulfill this dream and provided a well-rounded education that went far beyond flight training.

“Flight students take a full-time course load at ASU while balancing flight training across the street. You could be in physics class at 9 a.m., and then be flying to Page, Arizona, at 10:30 a.m. for a cross-country flight,” says Homan. “It takes a lot of time management, but it’s all worth it.” 

Homan credits many of her program mentors for her success in the classroom, in the cockpit and in honing her leadership skills. Faculty Associate Carol Hannah and Senior Lecturer Marc O’Brien have been helpful guides in her role as president of ASU’s Women in Aviation International student organization. Faculty Associate Michael Hampshire and former Flight Instructor Trevor Cardey helped Homan become a more confident and skilled pilot. 

One of Homan’s most memorable moments at ASU was in Professor Kimberly Powerplants class. The class learned how aircraft engines work inside and out, literally. 

“We had to take apart a reciprocating engine entirely and put it back together,” Homan explains. “It increased my understanding of how the engine worked and it was fun too.” 

As a woman entering a male-dominated career field, Homan’s involvement with WAI was paramount. 

“There are only about 5% of female commercial pilots in the world and not only does Women in Aviation bring those women together, but it helps support and inspires young women to choose aviation as their career,” says Homan. 

In Homan’s academic career, she received the New American University Scholar – Dean’s Award and The New American University Plus Award, both from ASU. She also received the Francesca Norris Memorial Scholarship from ISA +21 and WAI for her flight training.

Carole Homan will be staying in Arizona as a flight instructor to rack up hours in the cockpit. In the near future, she plans to fly for a regional carrier before heading to a major airline. Ideally, she’d like to be based back in the midwest and flying wide-body aircraft internationally.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2020 class here.