06/08 – A Personal View – Physical Challenges Won’t Stop Miss Iowa

06/08 – A Personal View – Physical Challenges Won’t Stop Miss Iowa

By Rose Dorcey

For her 16th birthday, Abbey Curran, current Miss Iowa USA, received a gift of flight lessons - a gift she admittedly wasn’t thrilled about. It came from her dad, who was always giving her “crazy” gifts. For aviation enthusiasts, flying lessons may not seem crazy at all, but for Abbey, who had no previous interest in aviation, it seemed unusual. Then again, Abbey said her dad would often give gifts she didn’t ask for; gifts that were meant to challenge her. Like the time she told her dad she didn’t like hockey, so he gave her hockey tickets. “Have you ever been to a hockey game?” he asked.

Abbey went ahead with the flight lessons, which may wind up leading to a new career direction for the 20-year old sophomore at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.

“I plan to get my degree in public relations but would like to be a commercial pilot - or maybe even fly in air shows,” she said. “I didn’t want the lessons at first, but I took them, and I loved it.”

Her flight training began before she was crowned Miss Iowa USA, but with her travel ond other official commitments she’s had to put flying on hold. Having been at the controls in an airplane through her training has changed how she feels about airline flying. “I have learned that I hate being a passenger,” Abbey said, but being Miss Iowa has its perks, too. When CBS’ The Early Show and Inside Edition interviewed Abbey for television appearances, her “star” quality led flight school operators to ask, “Miss Iowa, what kind of airplane would you like to fly today?” Abbey once flew a Mooney, with a flight instructor in the right seat, and a camera operator in the back.

Abbey’s road to success may appear to be paved with good fortune, but she’s had her share of challenges along the way. Abbey was born with cerebral palsy. The condition affects her balance and she walks with a noticeable limp. But Abbey has become a role model for children with cerebral palsy and other conditions. She is a spokesperson for Reaching for the Stars (www.ReachingForTheStars.org), and she speaks on behalf of the Easter Seals Society and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, to encourage continued federal funding of cerebral palsy research. Abbey has created a non-profit pageant for young girls and women with special needs and challenges. The Miss You Can Do It Pageant is now in its fifth year, and 65 girls have participated.

She’s become an inspiration for aspiring pilots of all ages. Abbey was featured in People magazine’s Heroes Among Us (April 21, 2008) column. In that story, Abbey tells of her determination to succeed at flight training. When people tell her that earning her pilot certificate may be a long shot, it only motivates her more. Abbey has been told that she may face additional requirements or restrictions for her flight test because of her condition, but with Abbey’s resolve, it’s unlikely to stop her.

This past May 24, Abbey attended the Ray Hill Memorial Flight Breakfast, an event sponsored by four central Iowa EAA Chapters at the recently restored EAA Chapter 456 Smiling Thru Hangar at Newton Municipal Airport (TNU). Huddled in a blanket on the unseasonably cold day, she cheerfully signed autographs and posed for pictures with dozens of fly-in attendees. Her frequent travels across the country as Miss Iowa leave little time for flight training, but with her medical and student pilot certificates, she plans to earn her private pilot certificate and additional ratings once her reign as Miss Iowa ends in November. She’s also considering enrolling in an aviation program at the University of Dubuque.

“People always told me to be realistic about what I wanted to do,” Abbey said, “But every day I’m learning - and especially my family is learning - I am realistic. I’m just redefining what realistic is.”

Rose Dorcey is assistant editor for EAA Publications.