As a child growing up in Maryland just outside of Washington DC, her parents used to take her and her sister Bonnie to airshows occasionally. Wing walkers and Stearman aircraft are things she remembers out in Mananas, VA. Growing up in College Park also meant bicycling right past the Historic College Park Airport, stopping to watch the planes. The bike path continued on to the ErCoupe factory runway that was just South as well.  When production moved the runway became a spot for RC plane enthusiasts to meet on weekends.  Finding an abandoned RC propeller there one day, the propeller soon graced the bicycle basket so she could “fly”. 

Fast forward, her father became friends with a plant nursery grower who had a 172 and a runway on his farm. Dad would hop in and they would fly off to some local science meeting together. The plane took off on as it reached the third little hill in the runway.

2013 proved to be a bit of a tumultuous year and Tina realized that learning to fly was a bucket list item that needed to be tackled. In 2015 she realized her goal and also had her friend, Dick Johnson (B29 pilot and friend) sign her logbook as well.  During Covid she moved to FL and was able to realize her dream of owning a plane. “Bluebird” her Cessna 172A (1959) is now tied down at KFPR. She flies young eagles with the EAA chapter 908 as well as the Let’s Fly Now program with the 99’s.  $100 Omelets and lunch happen as well!