Kate Ryder is an airline pilot, flight instructor, and contributor to Airline Pilot Mentor. She began her professional aviation career in 2001 as a CFI in Louisville, KY and then later in Jacksonville, FL. She transitioned to the airline industry in 2004 with ExpressJet Airlines, serving as a First Officer. She now serves as Captain on the Embraer 145 aircraft and is based in Houston, TX. Kate is a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l. Her contacts throughout the airline industry, airline pilot profession, and academic aviation institutions give her an inside perspective on airline news and pilot career development.