Photo By Sgt. Ashton Empty | Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cheyenne Krynauw, an Apache pilot assigned to the 4th Attack...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colo. — Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cheyenne Krynauw, an Apache pilot with 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, comes from an Air Force Family. At a young age, she was determined to endure the arduous journey to achieve her goal of becoming a pilot.
“When I first set my sights on becoming an Apache pilot, I wasn’t even sure if women could become one,” said Krynauw. “(I had) never heard of one before, so I had to do my research since it was before the combat military occupational specialties were open to women.”
As a young girl, Krynauw’s father took her and her siblings to air shows at Edwards Air Force Base, California, where she would watch the space shuttle or U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds do demo flights.
“Aviation has always been a big part of my life,” Krynauw said.
Krynauw attended the Young Eagles program as a child and had the opportunity to experience flight in a helicopter.
“For my flight, there was a helicopter available that no other kid wanted,” she said. “I decided to try it and was instantly hooked.”
From that moment, Krynauw was determined to get into the pilot seat of an aircraft and learn everything she could. Krynauw spent some of her summers working as an intern at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, which is located inside the National Aviation Hall of Fame near Dayton, Ohio. While there, she saw profiles of important female pilots in aviation history, such as Jackie Cochran and Bessie Coleman. These historical women inspired her, and gave her the knowledge that women have been fighting to fly airplanes since airplanes had been invented, Krynauw said.
Growing up, Krynauw thought being a pilot was exclusive to the Air Force. She considered joining the Air Force, but met an Army recruiter and learned about the High School to Flight School program, which is designed to help participants “go from street to seat.”
Krynauw became an Apache pilot through the High School to Flight School program. As a bonus to achieving a lifelong goal, Krynauw found her soulmate.
“Cheyenne (Krynauw) and I immediately had a strong connection toward why we joined and how we wanted to extend our passion for aviation,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Hugo Krynauw, Cheyenne Krynauw’s husband, and a pilot with 6th Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 4th CAB, 4th Inf. Div. “She was my rock through flight school, and we were there to support each other.”
Krynauw was excited to begin her career at Fort Carson. When she arrived at her unit, the unit was conducting aerial gunnery training. While Krynauw was unable to participate at that time, she took the opportunity to further her knowledge by reading gunnery scripts, going over flight manuals, and taking part in nonflight duties.
“Flying in an Apache helicopter brings a feeling of total liberation and responsibility, especially because it’s so difficult and complex,” she said. “But there is nothing better than knowing that I’m training to protect people who are counting on me, and I’m going to make a difference in their daily lives.”
Krynauw’s coworkers treat her like another pilot in the 4th CAB, not just a female pilot. However, this wasn’t always the case.
“It’s a lot of tiny and minor comments that add up to create a subconscious deterrent that makes it seem like getting to the goal isn’t a possibility,” she said.
She also stated that she puts a lot of pressure on herself.
“(It’s) definitely a weird feeling when you look around the room, and you’re the only person who looks like you,” Krynauw said.
She has had people doubt her capabilities because of her gender or look at her differently because she wasn’t a male pilot. Krynauw felt an added pressure because she said she represented herself and the image of every female pilot.
“I hate the idea that every time I mess up or forget something it doesn’t just cause me to look bad, but can potentially make others think the next woman they meet shouldn’t be a pilot,” Krynauw said.
However, Krynauw has earned a reputation as a hard worker by her peers.
“A rotation to the National Training Center, (Fort Irwin, California) really showcased what kind of Soldier Krynauw is,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Hopson, another pilot assigned to the same unit. “In addition to her flight duties, she always helped others carry gear, set up equipment, and monitor radios.”
Since the moment Krynauw set her sights on becoming an Apache pilot, she has been destroying the notion that women aren’t as capable as men. Her husband said he believes that while her journey is still unfolding, she’s been able to stare at every challenge straight in the face and never let the fear of failure get the best of her.
“Something, a lot of women struggle with when they’ve accomplished something, is feeling like even after everything, they don’t deserve to be there because they look around and wonder if they got there by accident or just scraped by,” she said. “But it’s important to remember that everything you’ve done in your life you did and you’ve earned it.”
| Date Taken: | 03.17.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2020 18:59 |
| Story ID: | 365409 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US |
| Hometown: | TEHACHAPI, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,778 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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