PILOT. AUTHOR. INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER.

PILOT
AUTHOR
SPEAKER
Philanthropist

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’ incredible and uplifting novel, Nerves of Steel, tells the story of her tireless pursuit of becoming a pilot and the challenges she faced along the way, including safely landing the severely crippled Southwest Airline Flight 1380. Through her experiences, Captain Shults teaches readers how to face challenges with grace, cultivate strong habits, and turn adversity into strength.

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.

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Teaches “life lessons” (with a taste of aviation) weekly at a charter school for high risk kids, Oaks Academy, Boerne, TX.

In 2020, Captain Shults committed herself to joining a network of pilots dedicated to volunteering for the nonprofit organization, Angel Flight. The organization arranges free, non-emergency air travel for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling needs. Captain Shults will serve among many other honorable pilots who donate their aircraft, piloting skills, and flying costs to help families in need. To learn more about Angel Flight or get involved, visit Angel Flight’s website at the link below.

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SCHEDULED EVENTS

99’s Scholarship Awards Dinner

San Antonio, TX

Samaritan’s Purse, Operations Heal Our Patriots

Port Allsworth, AK

PA Association of Mutual Insurance Companies

National Harbor, MD

Kansas City Bankers

Colorado Springs, CO

Presbyterian Ladies College

Sydney, Australia

WateReuse California

San Francisco, CA

University of Northwestern-St Paul

Big Sky, MT

AWC Centers

San Antonio, TX

Airliners International 2027

Houston, TX

“Adventure is Worthwhile": A Conversation with Pilot Tammie Jo Shults (Earhart Lecture)

Tammie Jo Shults became one of the first female fighter pilots in the United States Navy before transitioning to a career with Southwest Airlines. In 2018, she made history when she safely landed Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 after it suffered uncontained engine failure. In this lecture, Shults shares why she thinks we are made for adventure and how her career from military aviator to commercial airline pilot has been the adventure of a lifetime.

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.

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Past Speaking Engagements

EAA Airventure

Oshkosh Air Show

Author’s Corner at the Oshkosh Airshow

Thomas Nelson Award

Parker University Invicta Weekend & Gala

Flying with Mike Goeke to MidAmerica Nazarene University Presidents Weekend Gala

Induction to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame

Boerne ISD Junior High Schools

GE Aerospace

Commemorative Air Force Victory Ball, Dallas, TX

Oaktree Capital, Transportation and Energy

Ventiv Tech Experience 2023 - San Antonio, TX

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University- Daytona Beach, FL

NBAA - Orlando, FL

HMSHost - Minneapolis, MN

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association - Communicating for Safety Conference

Angel Flight Gala

Walmart US Managers

AFSC Gala - Frontiers of Flight Museum

Ambulatory Surgical Center Association

North Texas Business Aviation Association, Frontier Flight Museum, Dallas, TX
Boerne ISD Junior High Schools, Boerne, 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
Horizon Community Church, Cincinnati, OH

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