Aviation pioneer Maybelle M. Fletcher began flying when she was in high school and went on to pilot 175 different aircraft and log over 30,000 flying hours. A legendary figure in Houston known for her passion for teaching, she inspired many to pursue aviation careers. In 1945 she started the first of three flying schools and certified thousands of pilots and hundreds of flight instructors. She established Fletcher Aviation in 1968 at Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, and was instrumental in developing air space solutions for the efficient flow of air traffic in and around Houston’s growing airport system.