1975 First female Air Safety Investigator hired by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Funk earned her Airline Transport Rating in 1968. She applied to three commercial airlines but, like other qualified female pilots, was turned away because of her sex. In 1971 she went on to earn the rating of flight inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), becoming the first woman to complete the FAA's General Aviation Operations Inspector Academy course, which includes Pilot Certification and Flight Testing procedures. She worked for four years with the FAA as a field examiner, and in 1973 she was promoted to FAA SWAP (Systems Worthiness Analysis Program) as a specialist. In 1973 Wally again entered the FAA Academy to take courses involving air-taxi, charter, and aviation rental businesses. On completion, Funk was hired by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as its first female Air Safety Investigator.

Category:
Aviation - FAA

Completion Status:
yes

Patent Number:
N/A