User:London7308/sandbox

Early life
Patton was born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan and raised in Shelby Township, Michigan.

Patton started flying at age 16 after receiving the Mary von Mach Scholarship from the Michigan

Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, Inc. The scholarship allowed her to attend a Civil Air Patrol,

Michigan Wing Flight Encampment in Saginaw, Michigan where she had her First Solo in an

airplane. In her senior year in high school she earned her Private Pilot Certificate. She graduated

from high school in 1988. She studied Aviation Flight Technology earning an Associates in

Applied Science at Oakland Community College in Rochester, Michigan. Patton studied Aviation

Management earning a bachelor degree and a Masters Degree in Technology Studies both at

Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Career
Patton became a Certified Flight Instructor building hours and experience before becoming an airline pilot. Hired as a cargo pilot in 1991 at TransContinental Airlines, Patton then went onto Zantop International Airlines, another cargo airline. After Zantop, Patton went onto Spirit Airlines and then American Airlines.

In addition to airline flying, she owns a combined Flight School/Hot Air Balloon Ride Company

Personal Life
Patton lives in Denton, Texas. She has two children.

Publications and Media
Patton has written and as told to Patricia R. Olsen an article in the New York Times titled "Up in the Air, but Never Confused ", May 4, 2008. She also has a poem in “Beyond Haiku: Pilots Write Poetry” by Captain Linda Pauwels.

Patton has been featured in these articles:

“Moms Are Always On Call, and Many Pilots Are Too” by Allied Pilots, May 11, 2018

“Commercial pilot, daughter team up to fly hot air balloons over Denton” By Paul Bryant, Denton Record Chronically, April 9, 2021

“Light the Fire, Have You Got the Gas to Become a Hot Air Pilot?” by Jill W. Tallman in AOPA PILOT magazine, June 1, 2021 Inset: “Would you like to fly in that beautiful balloon? Here’s how to get started”