Nadia Kountoures: Greek-American youngest and female pilot in the US
![Greek-American youngest and female pilot in the US](https://www.tornosnews.gr/en/files/pilot_female_766945024.jpg)
Greek-American Nadia Kountoures, one of the nation's youngest and female pilots, channeled her passion for airplanes and flying into a career.
Nadia Kountoures has many characteristics that some individuals spend years striving to achieve. She's a woman filled with passion and determination, exhibits extreme discipline, and is highly intelligent. As a corporate pilot and the above qualities are an absolute must for her line of work.
The daughter of Chicago Businessman Alex Kountoures and National Hellenic Museum's Development Director Marianne Vallas Kountoures, Nadia Kountoures was born and raised in the Chicago area. She's always had a passion for airplanes and flying. While most little girls had posters of boy bands and television stars in their rooms, Nadia had posters of airplanes and jets.
She always knew she wanted to be a pilot, beginning in grade school. When she was 9, her parents took her to the Chicago Air & Water Show. As soon as she saw that first plane buzzing by, she knew wanted to be when she grew up — and what she was going to do with the rest of her life.
While growing up, Nadia would watch movies about flying. She continuously dreamed about flying.
Dream come true
"As soon as I found out I could attend college in-state so I could become a pilot, my dream became a reality."
Nadia started flying airplanes when she was 18. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied aviation. She then became a flight instructor and immediately upon graduation, began teaching students to fly.
Studying aviation in college wasn't easy for Nadia.
"The curriculum was so intense, with not only full course work, but with flying lesson requirements several times a week."
The curriculum was also difficult in the sense that the grading was on a different scale. Where 75% is considered a pass for most courses in college, in aviation courses it's considered a fail. Nadia had to always strive to score at least a 95% and get the "A".
"It was very challenging for me but in a good way."
Extreme discipline
Social activities while in college, were almost impossible to engage in and definitely not a priority for Nadia at that time.
"It was impossible to go out on a Friday night and be at flying lessons at 8:00 am on a Saturday morning. You had to be awake and alert so you were able to fly safely."
Not only did Nadia have to demonstrate extreme discipline and focus to complete her courses and flying requirements, but she also had to be extremely diligent in sticking to her goals. Thankfully she had the support of her family to keep her focused, as well as the support of a core group of friends that majored in aviation.
Nadia was one of only a handful of females in her class at the university. While this never presented itself as an additional challenge, it was something that had always struck her.
"Being a female, I never really faced any additional challenges then what men faced, other then being a minority in numbers. Freshman year, 2006, only a handful of females to began the program. Four years later, of a class of 40, only two were girls. They only worked up to certain ratings, for example, instrument rating. They then ended up transferring to other degrees. Overall, the aviation industry is a male-dominated industry."
However, it wasn't only the women students that were transferring out of the program — men transferred out just as frequently. Nadia explained why.
"It's intense. There's a lot of information that you need to know and have committed to memory while you're flying a plane. Knowledge of airspace, air traffic control procedures, how the aircraft operates systems-wise; you need to know every detail of the plane during each phase of flight. Not to mention speed, full flap and landing procedures. It's really hard."
Male dominated industry
Not only are there very few females in the industry, there are even fewer Greeks in the field.
"It would be nice to see more Greeks pursuing aviation as a career."
Nadia's age also makes her very unique; 28 is considered extremely young for a corporate pilot, and a 23 year-old coperate pilot (the age she started) is even more unheard of.
In 2011, Nadia began flying a turboprop aircraft, as a contractor pilot for Gogo Air, an aviation tech company providing internet and inflight entertainment services for airlines. A year later, the company expanded, and hired her as a corporate pilot, to fly a business jet. Today she's flying a Boeing 737, and flies internationally.
"It's great for my career because there's a lot more aviation procedures that need to be learned. It's an exciting milestone. Especially crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This is a big step in my career."
Among her favorite locations to fly to is Anchorage, Alaska.
"My current favorite place to fly is the Pacific Northwest — to Seattle and Portland. I love flying into mountainous areas, and being close to the Pacific at the same time when flying in."
Typical challenges
And while the majority of her flights are uneventful, typical challenges, usually weather based, arise frequently.
"We once had to deviate our flight plan to avoid large thunderstorms several times. When you do that you have to make changes to the flight route. And at the same time, make sure you have enough fuel to cover those changes."
She said that airports also vary in their level of difficulty when it comes to landing at them. San Francisco and San Diego are two examples of airports that are considered difficult to land. Nadia has landed at both. One of the most unique landings she's experienced was in northern Canada at an airport located in a remote town named Iqaluit. Its high latitude, remoteness, snow covered terrain and average temperatures of about -30 degrees, made for a memorable experience.
Nadia's soul-driven purpose, clear to her from a very young age, allows her to not only fully love what she does, but to also do it with an extremely high level of skill. The ability of Nadia's parents to identify her passion at such a young age, support it, along with Nadia's clarity and determination, allowed her to excel at her dream job.
As for the future? Nadia is flying high. She loves her job and other than seeing "where the skies take her" will continue to do what she loves the most.
SOURCE: WINDYCITYGREEK
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
25/07 23:18
Greek banks and EIB join forces to enhance access to finance for mid-cap firms
25/07 23:10
Hotel occupancy in Athens reaches 75.5% during the first half of 2024
25/07 23:01
25/07 21:07
Fifty-two municipalities throughout Greece embrace digital transformation
25/07 14:22
Bank of Greece: Loans and deposits by households and institutions rise in June
24/07 23:04
St. Irene Chrysovalantou Astoria marks its Annual Festival from July 25-28
24/07 22:46
Greek Finance Ministry enforces beach regulations after 4,500 citizen complaints
24/07 21:13
Greek president organizes reception for 50th anniversary of restoration of democracy
24/07 19:53
Guards at e-ticketed ancient sites, museums announcing work stoppage Thursday
24/07 16:08
Minister: Disbursement of €2.3 billion from the loan part of the Recovery Fund
22/07 23:29
Cyprus displays in Nicosia once-looted antiquities dating back thousands of years
22/07 23:25
Greek high school students clinch 6 medals at International Math Olympiad
22/07 21:37
Greek Climate Crisis Minister meets with visiting British Minister of State for Europe
22/07 21:33
Hellenic Parliament indowntown Athens undergoes energy upgrades
22/07 18:19
Book of condolences for Nguyen Phu Trong to open at Vietnamese embassy in Athens
21/07 18:05
Sharp hike in the viral load of SARS-CoV2 in the Greek city of Thessaloniki
21/07 15:29
Events for 50-years from democracy restoration in Greece start at the Presidential Mansion
21/07 14:14
Deputy Tourism Minister: Greece can emerge as a protagonist in diving tourism
21/07 13:24
19/07 00:18
UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation jointly support African artisans in rural areas
16/07 14:47
16/07 11:55
Very high risk of fire for nine regional units across Greece on Tuesday
15/07 23:28
AADE implements mandatory digital export notification system beginning September
15/07 23:26
Hellenic Land Cadastre to be the first Greek state service to implement AI tools
15/07 21:06
US Embassy event marking July 4th: Embracing inclusion and accessibility
15/07 19:13
Athens Municipality opens air-conditioned halls during heatwave
14/07 14:39
National Tourism Organization and Netflix ink cooperation memo to promote Greece
13/07 23:31
OECD report: Greece makes significant strides in competition strengthening
10/07 22:53
Greek-American congressmen meet Greek Prime Minister in Washington DC
10/07 22:50
Greek National Gallery's 'Democracy' looks at Southern European history and art
10/07 21:56
10/07 19:59
Cypriot President visits Athens for event on 50th anniversary of Turkish invasion
10/07 15:44
09/07 22:28
The SFGFF comes to Athens in cooperation with Feelgood Entertainment
09/07 20:34
09/07 18:30
Deal for development of Sani-Kassandra property in Chalkidiki is inked
09/07 14:57
Golf & Maritime for a Good Cause at the 10th Greek Maritime Golf Event
09/07 11:56
The Ultimate Sports Event of Santorini Experience Coming to Santorini on October 3-6
08/07 22:53
Capital Link Invest in Greece webinar series continues on July 9 and 16
08/07 22:25
08/07 20:43
New data on the burial site of Lord Byron's illegitimate daughter Allegra
08/07 15:37
German ambassador: 'To live and work in Greece has always been my dream'
05/07 22:14
Greek port of Piraeus approves distribution of highest dividend in its history
04/07 23:09
Culture Minister inaugurates renovated theater at Dion in Central Macedonia
04/07 19:17
The 43rd Thessaloniki Book Festival opens at the waterfront Friday until July 21
04/07 17:20
Piraeus Port greenlights distribution of highest dividend in its history
03/07 00:24
03/07 00:02
Hotrec reveals digital trends in tourism: Hotels, Booking.com and DMA
01/07 19:28
Higher June temperatures in Greece compared to 2010–2019 average
01/07 19:13
More firefighting aircraft to reinforce firefighting efforts in Greek island of Kos
01/07 17:26
SNF extends support for the Greek National Opera in Athens with an €11 million grant
01/07 12:31
Amendment extending duration of measures against high prices tabled in Greek Parliament
28/06 19:18
Mount Pelion steam tourist train resumes daily service beginning July 1
27/06 14:36
Minister: Mycoast app received 8,911 complaints of illegal activities on beaches
26/06 22:56
Significance of OECD anti-bribery report for Greece's good image highlighted
25/06 19:08
FTI insolvency: Operational business of hotels remains unaffected
25/06 16:19
FinMin urges Greek banks to emulate European counterparts regarding commission charges
25/06 12:12
AEGEAN elected "Best Regional Airline in Europe" at the World Airline Awards 2024
25/06 10:16
Platform for Greece's 'Thessaly & Evros Pass 2024' opens on Tuesday
23/06 14:52
State Minister: Greece is the 8th cheapest country in the European Union
22/06 22:49
Bank of Greece: Travel receipts increased by 22.0% during January-April 2024
22/06 18:11
Greek Tourism Ministry and embassies cooperate to address sector issues
22/06 18:05
Wyndham inked deal with Oikos for the first Ramada Residences in Greece
21/06 17:57
Event organized to present 'The Ilisian' - the new name of the former Athens Hilton
19/06 23:47
Greek state ten-year bond auction concluded with yield at 3.56%
19/06 23:41
Shipping Minister: Greece supports EU's efforts to modernise maritime safety rules
19/06 22:32
Culture minister reviews NSRF projects on the Greek island of Lesvos
19/06 19:41
US Ambassador to Athens applauds Greece’s comeback and investors interest
19/06 11:44
Minister: Reforms must follow investments to boost regional competitiveness
18/06 18:15
ARF 2024: US Ambassador to Athens on Greece's economic miracle
18/06 16:33
Capital Region AHEPA organizes 5th Annual Golf Outing in New York
18/06 14:58
18/06 14:24
Greek Minister refers to multiple benefits from the restoration of the Athens Riviera
18/06 13:35
Regional Governor of Attica: Greeks living abroad are the most important ambassadors
17/06 19:02
Conference focuses on Sifnos and sustainable development on Greek islands
17/06 18:56
Council of State discusses relocation of Mount Parnitha casino to Marousi again
17/06 18:56
Ministers and Super League chief talk digital tickets for upcoming soccer matches
17/06 15:59
Forecast: Very high risk of fire in two Greek regions including Attica
17/06 13:42
Passenger traffic in Greek ports records an increase of 11.1% during Q4 2023
14/06 22:58
14/06 22:03
14/06 17:58
Athens and Thessaloniki added 250 new electric buses to their urban transport networks
13/06 22:43
National Theater to perform Aristophanes at ancient Greek theaters over the summer
12/06 11:48
Athens Acropolis site closed down from 12:00 to 17:00 due to high temperatures
12/06 00:01
'Poor Things' costumes exhbition at Benaki Museum in downtown Athens
11/06 15:53
Schools in Athens to stay closed on Wednesday and Thursday due to heatwave
11/06 00:10
Greek Port Authority to acquire 11 boats for transfer of patients from remote islands
11/06 00:03
Greece's Interior Ministry issues directions for remote work during heatwave
10/06 23:45
Digital app for travellers to Greece 'mAIGreece' goes live on Monday
10/06 22:28
Greek Interior Ministry issues directions for remote work during heatwave on Tuesday-Thursday
10/06 19:38
Traffic restored on new Greek national highway leading to Corinth after truck explosion
10/06 14:42
09/06 22:47
High prices of consumer goods in Greek supermarkets are on a downward trend
09/06 11:18
UK Tourism 2024: Greece named top destination in the world with best value for money
08/06 00:22
Insolvency: FTI Touristik GmbH cancels all trips up to and including 05 July 2024
07/06 02:54
ERTFLIX International takes part in the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
07/06 02:42
NBG: Greek tourism to break record in 2024 with 35 million arrivals and €22 billion in revenue
06/06 20:50
Greece elected to UN Security Council for 2025-26 in a 'historic day'
06/06 13:57
Hellenic National Archaeological Museum presents "The last Aphrodites" exhibition
05/06 22:00
FTI provisional insolvency admin strives for fastest possible solutions for clients
Hotel occupancy in Athens reaches 75.5% during the first half of 2024
Greek banks and EIB join forces to enhance access to finance for mid-cap firms
St. Irene Chrysovalantou Astoria marks its Annual Festival from July 25-28
Greek Finance Ministry enforces beach regulations after 4,500 citizen complaints
Bank of Greece: Loans and deposits by households and institutions rise in June
Guards at e-ticketed ancient sites, museums announcing work stoppage Thursday
Fifty-two municipalities throughout Greece embrace digital transformation
Minister: Disbursement of €2.3 billion from the loan part of the Recovery Fund
Greek president organizes reception for 50th anniversary of restoration of democracy
High risk of fire for Attica, Viotia and Evia regions in Greece on Thursday
FM: Procedures underway to repatriate 149 Greeks in Israel and Palestinian territories
Greece and Turkey agree to implement or reactivate CBM activity in 2024
Greek Tourism minister meets with Swiss, Albanian ambassadors in Athens
Media report: Cheap airfares aren’t coming back according to airline execs
PM at Axia discussion: Greece offering great investment opportunities in 2023
Bill lifting restrictions for Greeks voting from abroad greenlighted by majority vote
Minister: Greece will continue to demand the return of the Parthenon Marbles
ERTFLIX International takes part in the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
The SFGFF comes to Athens in cooperation with Feelgood Entertainment
Tri-city winter luncheon unites upstate New York Philoptochos chapters