Because April is National Month of Hope, the life story of Captain Julie Clark, although still in progress, exemplifies hope, resilience, perseverance in the face of tragedy, and awesome talent.
In her teenage years, Julie Clark experienced a number of obstacles. In 1963, Julie’s mother died in her sleep, leaving Julie and her sisters and dad to navigate through the loss. The following year, Julie's father, who was a commercial airline pilot, tragically lost his life in a hijacking incident on board an aircraft. On May 7, 1964, as Captain Clark flew Pacific Airlines flight 773, a deranged passenger broke into the flight deck. At that time, the doors to the flight deck were unlocked. Captain Ernie Clark was shot and killed at the plane's controls, as was his co-pilot. Tragically, all 44 passengers and crew died in the subsequent crash.
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This incident resulted in a new law requiring airline flight deck doors to be locked during flight. But, with mother and father gone, at age 15, Julie Clark was an orphan. Her aunt and uncle took her in their home.
After graduation from the University of California at Santa Barbara, she travelled the world as a TWA Stewardess, today a Flight Attendant. She was grounded by the airline when her face was scarred in an auto accident. That gave Julie the time to reflect on what she knew was in her heart. Her passion was to be the pilot on the airline flight deck. In 1967 she took her first flight lesson.
(Wikipedia photo by Bzuk Julie Clark in her cockpit looking out in 2006)
In 1969, Julie earned her private pilot license. The first step in her extraordinary aviation career. She completed rating after rating. She knew she wanted an airline career but she was a woman. Repeatedly, she was told, “We are not hiring women pilots.” In fact, she applied to over 40 airlines. She even wrote “Julian” as her first name on the application and didn’t check the male/female blocks, she left them blank. Julie’s first major break came in 1976, when Golden West Airlines hired her, their first and only woman pilot. In one of the video interviews below, Julie tells the story that the guy who had the authority to hire her told her there was no door on the bathroom so he did not think her could hire her. Outraged, Julie leaned over his desk and got right in his face and said, “Hire me and I will buy the door and install it.” Somewhat startled with such a direct response, he said, “I like your spunk. You are hired.”
Ironically, in 1977, Hughes AirWest, formerly Pacific Airlines, the same airline her father flew for, hired her. Julie Clark became one of the first women to fly for a major airline. Later, Julie continued her airline career with Northwest Airlines.
Julie Clark retired from Northwest Airlines as an Airbus A320 Captain after twenty-seven accident free years as a successful airline pilot. During those years in 1980, Julie Clark began her airshow career, too. She wowed millions over 24 years as a free spirit in her T-34 Mentor and her T-28 Trojan named “Top Banana,”
She logged over 34,000 hours (which is almost four YEARS in the air) in 66 different aircraft types as the pilot over her airline and air show careers.
Beloved aerobatic performer, Captain Julie Clark, named her airplane, “Free Spirit.” (Courtesy photo Julie Clark Air Shows)
Captain Clark touches hearts of fans of all ages with her choreographed solo, aerobatic ballet called, “Serenade in Red, White and Blue,” which is perfectly timed to Lee Greenwood’s patriotic song, “God Bless the USA.” Julie releases red, white, and blue smoke from her Mentor T-34, which she bought from the surplus auction. She personally, meticulously restored it to better than new. The aerobatic precision Julie Clark demonstrated consistently for years takes incredible hours of practice and unending passion for flying.
Julie Clark is a popular public speaker. Her book, Nothing Stood in Her Way, is a flight plan on how to overcome obstacles and fly. Julie Clark is a Charter Member of the International Society of Women Airline Pilots-ISA+21 which is a strong sisterhood of women pilots in the airline industry worldwide. In 2002, Captain Julie Clark joined the other Pioneers in the Women in Aviation Hall of Fame in recognition of her significant contributions to the aviation industry. In 2006, she was named a Living Legend of Aviation. I
Watch Julie Clark perform at Sun n Fun 2019 as part of her farewell tour to her legions of Sky Star fans. (You may have to cut and paste into your browser)
Clark piloting her North American T-28 Trojan "Top Banana" named after Hughes Airwest's advertising campaign, "Top Banana of the West."
Recently, the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) named Julie Clark for the Class of 2025. Captain Clark will join this revered Hall at the NAHF Enshrinement on September 19, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas, marking the first time this event will be held in the "Air Capital of the World."
Having already been inducted into the International Council of Air Shows Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame and having received the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship award and the Sword of Excellence, Clark has already cemented herself into air show history.
Captain Clark is also the 2008 National Aeronautic Association (NAA) Katharine and Marjorie Stinson Award recipient. In 2020, NAA honored Julie with their McDonald Distinguished Statesman & Stateswoman of Aviation Award.
In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration presented aviator Clark with their Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. In 2023, NAA and the International Ninety-Nines presented the Katharine Wright Memorial Trophy to Julie.
8+ minute mini-documentary produced by the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (you may have to cut and paste into your browser)
20+ minute talk with Julie Clark about flying career
less than 8 minutes Captain Julie Clark’s last air show performance in her beloved T-34 Mentor
As the famous Amelia Earhart once said, “The most effective way to do it, is to do it!" Captain Julie Clark lives that advice and inspires the present and future generation of flyers and doers.
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Bill Hamilton had dinner with Captain Julie when they were both speakers at the North Dakota Aviation Conference. He was really impressed with her.
Nice read, Penny. Thanks for sharing.