Sandra L. Anderson

Sandra L. Anderson is a former airplane pilot with Northwest Airlines. She is known as a pioneer in the airline community and was one of the first women pilots to fly a commercial airliner.

Early life Anderson received a bachelor's degree in art at the Texas Woman's University, where she minored in music and physical education. From 1970 to 1973, she taught at the La Marque, Texas school district. Later, she worked as a graphic artist with Exxon. She married NASA engineer and skydiver Dick Anderson who died several years later in 1975 in an accident.

Flying career After the death of her husband, Anderson pursued a career in flying. In 1978, she applied to several airlines after she had earned the necessary flight certificates without success. She was the first woman at any airline to hold that position.