Linda Weiland, member of Zonta Club of Leilehua, receives award in South Africa

Linda Weiland, a member of the Zonta Club of Leilehua in Hawaii, District 9, was honored at the “Women in Aerospace” Breakfast during the 2019 Annual Conference of the Aeronautical Society of South Africa, a division of the Royal Aeronautical Society. 

The conference was held in Pretoria, South Africa, and the theme was African Aerospace: Innovation & Passion.

Linda is an associate professor of Aeronautics in the College of Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and recently became the Assistant Program Chair of the Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance degree. She developed the graduate Air Traffic Management (ATM) Specialization for the Masters in Aeronautical Science and was instrumental to the development of the ATM minor in the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics. She also teaches many of the Master of Aviation Maintenance courses.

She serves on committees throughout the university and is on the editorial staff of aviation journals. She works with high schools and colleges around the world in Robotics, and STEM endeavors. Linda is the current Outreach Coordinator of the Women in Aviation International ERAU Worldwide Virtual Chapter and is active in several organizations including the Zonta Club of Leilehua.

Linda is currently a part-time Ph.D. student at the University of the Witwatersrand in the school of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, Johannesburg, South Africa. Her topic of interest is the Resilience of communication in ATM, with a focus on aeronautical and industrial engineering methodologies and theoretical framework.

Her certifications include: Federal Aviation Administration Control Tower Operator; Defense acquisition certified; DAWIA Level II Acquisition AQD, Manufacturing, and Production; DAWIA Acquisition Professional Community APC, APM fully qualified; DAWIAI level I logistics support; and logistics maintenance.

Prior to full time employment at ERAU, she worked as a Liaison Engineer and Director of Project Management at a major airline. She is a decorated retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander with 26 years of service. She also spent ten years as an enlisted Air Traffic Controller, two years as a Manpower Specialist Officer in Aviation, and 14 years as an Aircraft Maintenance Duty Officer. She has about 40 hours in the Backseat of the TA-4 and finished her Naval career forward deployed as a Maintenance Officer with FA-18s aboard the USS Kitty Hawk.

Linda has published articles and given presentations, often with faculty and students. She is interested in global research in ATM, resilience, human factors, aeronautical and industrial engineering, airport environmental impacts, Collaborative Decision Making, academic technology and diversity, and inclusion in aviation. She has also served on several national aviation panels and committees.