The Lone Star Flight Museum, Houston, Texas, will host United Airlines Captain Nia Gilliam on Tuesday, Aug. 4, for the launch of her new memoir, Cleared for Takeoff: A Pilot’s Memoir of Purpose and Resilience After 9/11. The evening will include a moderated discussion, audience Q&A, and book signing. A Missouri City resident and award-winning pilot with more than 25 years of aviation experience, Gilliam recounts her journey into the flight deck, her experience on Sept. 11, 2001, and the personal and professional challenges she has faced throughout her career. According to the museum, the memoir reflects on the events of Sept. 11 from Gilliam’s perspective as a pilot, including witnessing one of the hijacked airliners strike the World Trade Center. The book also explores her path into aviation, balancing motherhood while working as a commercial pilot, and navigating a profession where women remain underrepresented.
The discussion will be moderated by Missouri City Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Clouser, who is also Gilliam’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister. During the program, Gilliam is expected to discuss the aviation pioneers who inspired her career, the experiences that shaped her life, and how she navigated a life-changing medical diagnosis. The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lone Star Flight Museum, located at 11551 Aerospace Ave. in Houston. Tickets are priced at $55 for museum members and $60 for non-members and include museum admission, a copy of Cleared for Takeoff, light appetizers and drinks, and a question-and-answer session with the author following the presentation. Additional copies of the book will also be available for purchase in the museum gift shop. For tickets, more information, and to support the Lone Star Flight Museum, click on this link: www.lonestarflight.org.
