PILOT. AUTHOR. INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER.
Tammie Jo Shults possessed an early interest in flying, but she faced various obstacles on her path to becoming a military pilot. Applying her lifelong trait of perseverance, she eventually became one of the first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots in the United States Navy. Her duties, before women were allowed into combat roles, encompassed teaching Out Of Control Flight as well as serving as a bogey/bandit against Top Gun students as well as other squadrons, ships or entire carrier groups.
After concluding her Navy career, she flew over Forrest fires one summer then became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. Tammie Jo's incredible history and talent received wide acclaim on April 17, 2018, when she successfully landed a Southwest Boeing 737 after an engine exploded at high altitude, causing multiple system failures and a rapid depressurization. The successful landing of Flight 1380 in Philadelphia saved 148 total lives including passengers and crew, as detailed in her National Best Seller book, Nerves of Steel.
Tammie Jo and her husband Dean live in Texas, and Dean also enjoys flying for Southwest Airlines. The couple has two adult children and are committed to living out their faith and serving in their community. They are active in their church and volunteer at a school focusing on at-risk youth. While Captain Shults retired from commercial flying in September 2020, she continues to dedicate herself to volunteer piloting and serves on various boards. In addition, she has received a number of aviation awards, the latest being inducted into the International Aviation Hall of Fame as well as the Wings Club of New York’s Outstanding Aviator Award for 2022.
Captain Shults captivates audiences with her life story and the adversity she faced on her path to becoming a pilot. Through her fierce determination, Captain Shults demonstrates the building blocks necessary to lead and manage a crisis even under severe pressure. Through her insight, Captain Shults has motivated thousands of individuals to transform adversity into strength, and strength into the courage to take action.
Captain Tammie Jo Shults is proud to be a part of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Master’s of Science Leadership course. Among other contributions, you can find a short leadership video recorded by Captain Shults in the course as well!
For more information, please visit the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University website.
INTERNATIONAL AIR & SPACE HALL OF FAME
Captain Shults was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame during a very special virtual gala on December 10, 2020. This distinguished honor was bestowed upon Captain Shults for her groundbreaking influence in aviation and her pioneering spirit. We congratulate Captain Shults for this incredible achievement! To read the full story, click on the link below.
BOERNE BOOK & ARTS FESTIVAL
Follow along with the Boerne Book & Arts Festival as Captain Shults leads a fascinating discussion with three authors, James Fenelon, James Hornfischer, and Alex Kershaw, who write on the subject of World War II.
WOMEN IN AVIATION ADVISORY BOARD
We are proud to announce Captain Shults’ apointal as a member of the Women In Aviation Advisory Board! Women in Aviation seeks to develop and provide independent recommendations and strategies to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to explore opportunities for encouraging and supporting female students and aviators to pursue a career in aviation. Through the organization and its initiatives, Captain Shults hopes to inspire young women on their path to becoming aviators. She is honored to be aligned with this incredible organization and looks forward to forging new opportunities for young women, much like herself, who dreamed of a career in aviation. To learn more about Women in Aviation and their work, please click on the link below.
SHOP NERVES OF STEEL
Nerves of Steel is the captivating true story of Tammie Jo Shults’ remarkable life—from growing up the daughter of humble ranchers, to breaking through gender barriers as one of the Navy’s first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots, to safely landing the severely crippled Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 and helping save the lives of 148 people.
'It is not often that one has the opportunity to be a hero and even more seldom does that opportunity come along twice. Tammie Jo Shults's inspirational story is one of service, grit, and humbling endurance in the face of discrimination and visceral danger. Her persistence paved the way for countless pilots to follow, and against all odds her composure saved the lives of 148 people on that Southwest flight. I feel honored to know her and to have read her story and am excited that others get the chance to see what true courage looks like.'
PETER BERG
Director, producer, writer, and actor
'Nerves of Steel is truly one of the most inspiring, beautifully written, and important books of my lifetime. I am an avid reader, but Tammie Jo's story resonated with me like no other. She is a champion for not only women but for all who want to be better, stronger, and more loving human beings. Her story and life lessons should be read by everyone. She is a model of faith, ferocity, and femininity. Despite her unique and extraordinary story, Nerves of Steel is so relatable--I felt I was by Tammie Jo's side marveling and cheering her on through every twist and turn of her life. And what a life she has had. I will tell everyone I know about this book. Must-read should be shouted from the rooftops.'
MARTHA RADDATZ
ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and bestselling author, The Long Road Home
'Tammie Jo Shults is one gutsy woman who didn't let the glass ceiling in a man's world keep her from shattering it and pursuing her own dream. As a pilot for almost fifty years, I am inspired and blessed to know her and her family. This riveting story profiles a remarkable lady with a sure destination and nerves of steel.'
FRANKLIN GRAHAM
President and CEO, Samaritan's Purse and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
'Most people know Tammie Jo Shults from her landing of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380. But it was quieter moments that defined her--from the work ethic she learned growing up on her family's farm to overcoming financial adversity and gender discrimination. In this deeply personal account of her life story, Tammie Jo shows us how the nerves of steel that helped her safely land the damaged aircraft had been forged from lessons learned during seasons of turbulence in her life. Tammie Jo is living proof that the real mark of heroes is not the feats they achieve but their capacity for hope, resiliency, and caring for others. Her story will certainly resonate with women who have had to swim upstream in fields traditionally dominated by men, but the lessons of perseverance she learned along the way will inspire anyone who is facing bumps on the road to achieving their own dreams.'
PENNY PENNINGTON
Managing partner, Edward Jones
'Captain Tammie Jo Shults is a hometown hero to South Texans. More than that, Tammie Jo is a hero of faith. Her nerves of steel were forged in learning to trust God in all seasons--through times of turbulence and periods of testing--and to keep Him in the center of her life. In Nerves of Steel, she reminds us that life's challenges and the choices we make equip us to face anything with confidence and that we don't face them alone.'
MAX LUCADO
Pastor and bestselling author, How Happiness Happens
'Tammie Jo Shults is a hero in every sense of the word, shown not only through her leadership and skill during the compound emergencies of Southwest Flight 1380 but with all she has accomplished during an incredible career. Tammie Jo is, however, more than a hero: she is a role model to young and old, in her community and across the country. She has an inspiring life story to tell, one that crosses decades of accomplishments while overcoming serious obstacles--ultimately leading to triumph in faith, family, and flight. Nerves of Steel gives us the real Tammie Jo and lets us understand what a truly amazing person she is in all aspects of life. It has been my distinct honor and privilege to have flown with Tammie Jo and become close personal friends. Anyone looking for inspiration, courage, and heroics will find them in this book.'
CAPTAIN DARREN ELLISOR
Southwest Flight 1380 First Officer
'Southwest Flight 1380 might have been the first time many of us heard the name Tammie Jo Shults, but it won't be the last. From a life of service to God, her family, and others--which includes navigating the rigors of the military--Tammie Jo has continually modeled how hard work and sacrifice become the building blocks of a life well-lived. Don't miss this rich, inspiring story of overcoming challenges that by their nature prepare us for what's ahead. It's proof positive that when we do what God calls us to do, He will provide the nerves of steel we need to do it.'
DR. ROBERT JEFFRESS
Senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas
STAY UP TO DATE ON CAPTAIN SHULTS
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SCHEDULED EVENTS
October 3, 2023
Salvation Army of South Central Area Command Annual Leadership Breakfast
Wichita, KS
October 27, 2023
Naval Aviation Museum – Girls in Aviation Day
Pensacola, FL
November 4, 2023
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Santa Barbara, CA
November 28, 2023
University of Texas Arlington – Oil & Gas Conference
Arlington, TX
PAST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Ventiv Tech Experience 2023 - San Antonio, TX
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Daytona Beach, FL
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Daytona Beach, FL
NBAA - Orlando, FL
NBAA - Orlando, FL
NBAA - Orlando, FL
NBAA - Orlando, FL
HMSHost - Minneapolis, MN
HMSHost - Minneapolis, MN
HMSHost - Minneapolis, MN
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association - Communicating for Safety Conference
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association - Communicating for Safety Conference
Angel Flight Gala
Walmart US Managers
AFSC Gala - Frontiers of Flight Museum
AFSC Gala - Frontiers of Flight Museum
AFSC Gala - Frontiers of Flight Museum
AFSC Gala - Frontiers of Flight Museum
Ambulatory Surgical Center Association
Ambulatory Surgical Center Association
- Gulfstream, Savannah, GA
- AFSC Gala – Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas, TX
- The National Air Traffic Controllers Association – Communicating for Safety Conference, Houston, TX
- HMSHost – Minneapolis, MN
- Epic Aircraft, Bend, OR
- NBAA, Orlando, FL
- FAA Managers, Disney Yacht Club, FL
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
- Olathe Community Prayer Breakfas, Olathe, KS
- Phil Waldrep Evangelistic Association, Hapeville, GA
- Gulfstream, Atlanta, GA
- Women in Aviation International, the Coast Guard Gathering, Long Beach, CA
- Ventiv Tech Experience 2023, San Antonio, TX
- Samaritan’s Purse OHOP (Operation Heal Our Patriots) Reunion, Orlando, FL
- San Antonio 99’s, San Antonio, TX
- Region VI VPPPA, Corpus Christi, TX
- Palm Springs Magazine, Palm Springs, CA
- Pilatus Owners & Pilots Association Conference, Austin, TX
