Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Black Female Pilot Breaks Racial, Gender Barriers

Vernice 'Flygirl' Armour, the first African American female combat pilot, stands in front of a helicopter.
Doby Photography
Vernice 'Flygirl' Armour, the first African American female combat pilot, stands in front of a helicopter.

There is no challenge too big for former Marine Corps Captain Vernice Armour. She plays football and the trombone. She rides horses and motorcycles. She achieved her childhood dream of becoming a cop, and then became the first African-American female combat pilot.

Armour flew the meanest helicopter in the U.S. military — the Super Cobra, which earned her the nickname 'Flygirl.' Guest host Allison Keyes talks with Vernice 'Flygirl' Armour about her achievements and her new book, Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals That Matter.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Support Local News and Stories: How You Help Sustain VPM

Community members – like you – sustain VPM so we can deliver local news coverage, educational programming and inspiring stories. Your donations make it possible.

Support Now
CTA Image