“At 10, I was going to be a veterinarian. At 17, I was going to be a coder. I never thought I’d be flying planes at 28.” We sat down with Republic Airways First Officer Lauren Harris to discuss how she’s grown as a Pilot throughout her career – and how Republic Airways is helping her continue to move onwards and upwards.
Lauren didn’t grow up with an interest in aviation, but after receiving a discovery flight as a gift at 18, she was hooked. Lauren found a flight school, graduated and flew charters in her home state of California.
It was there that she ran into an airline Captain who would eventually put her on the path to Republic. “He noticed my wings and told me he used to fly for the same charter company,” Lauren remembers. “We talked for a bit, and he turned me on to Republic Airways.”
Lauren did her research. The training facilities stood out to her right away. “The focus on state-of-the-art training told me that Republic invests in their Pilots,” Lauren explains. “In the aviation world, you can tell when someone has had strong training, and Republic Pilots are set up for success.”
It was a big leap for Lauren. “Everything was bigger, faster and more automated,” she recalls. With Republic’s resources and Lauren’s determination, it didn’t take long before she hit her stride. The training facilities that initially caught her eye became her second home. “Sometimes, we’d be sim training for four hours; then I’d be in the 24/7 computer lab at two in the morning.”
She wasn’t alone. “Even late at night, there would be other Pilots doing the exact same thing as me. I’d sit down next to them, and we’d talk about what we’re each working on. Maybe they’d be working on something I’m strong at, or maybe they’d be strong at something I was practicing. We’d always help each other. It really felt like a team, even early on in training.”
Lauren didn’t just find support through her peers. “Instructors were available almost all the time,” Lauren says. “They were always patient and understanding, even after hours.”
“Republic made it easy to train. With the brand new facilities, with the connected hotel, with the experienced instructors, I had no excuse not to succeed.”
Even now that Lauren made the switch from charter Pilot to regional airline Pilot, she’s still hungry to learn and grow. “I still take a pen and paper with me on every flight, and I’ll say to the Captain next to me, ‘Tell me everything you know,'” she says. “The Captains are always willing to share advice and stories because they know one day I’m going to be a Captain, too.”
Lauren sees the path ahead of her at Republic: “I want to bloom where I’m planted. I know Republic will train me and help me grow. I know that I’ll feel qualified.” For her, that path includes helping others get to where she is. “I used to be a Certificated Flight Instructor, I enjoy teaching and helping newbies in the same way that everyone helped me when I was a newbie.”
If you’re interested in growing as a Pilot, learn more about how Republic Airways can help.