Welcome to Season 8 of the AVIATE podcast. This season is all about the change makers and young leaders, innovators, and builders who are reshaping aviation in bold ways. We are starting with a conversation that captures all of that.
Abingdon Mullin’s story is one I have wanted to share for a long time. Her path reflects the resilience and creativity I continue to see in people who are pushing our industry forward. I am excited for you to hear this episode and to join me for a season filled with new perspectives and meaningful conversations.
How Abingdon Mullin Rewrote the Rules
Why it matters:
For decades, aviation gear was designed for one type of pilot. Everyone else had to adapt. Abingdon Mullin decided to change that. Her journey shows how inclusive design can open new markets, strengthen recruitment and retention, and reshape who sees themselves in this industry.
Listen here:
The Big Picture
Aviation is entering a new era. Fresh ideas, shifting demographics, and unmet needs are creating space for founders who build differently. Abingdon’s path is a case study in what happens when entrepreneurship meets an overlooked user. Her story reflects where the industry is heading and what the next generation of builders can learn.
What We Cover
From free lunch to flight school:
A slice of pizza at a high school career day sends Abingdon into a 34-day sprint to earn her private pilot license and sparks the idea for a pilot watch that did not exist.
Armor on your wrist:
Why her watch became daily armor, a reminder of capability, and a quiet signal that women are not an afterthought in aviation.
Tripping your way forward:
Building a company without a roadmap, learning in public, stepping away to care for her father, and refusing to shut it down even when the numbers pointed that way.
A builder’s playbook:
The difference between products and services, creating what does not exist vs. making what exists better, and what Gen Z founders should prioritize.
The future flight deck:
How AI, drones, watchmaking, and aeromedical reform could reshape pilot health, workflow, and gear over the next decade.
By the numbers
34 days: The time it took Abingdon to earn her private pilot certificate, launching the journey that inspired her company.
2007: The year Abingdon Co. was founded to solve a clear gap in aviation gear.
1st: The first professional-grade pilot watch designed specifically for women.
2 products: The original launch lineup that proved there was real demand for women-focused aviation tools.
15+ years: How long Abingdon Co. has been designing purpose-built watches for pilots, divers, and adventure professionals.
Industry milestone: One of the few women-founded aviation brands sold at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Listen to the Episode
About AVIATE
AVIATE is hosted by me, Shaesta Waiz, the 8th woman in history to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. Along that journey, I met people everywhere who wanted to talk about the same themes that inspired this show.
AVIATE stands for Acknowledging those in our industry, Vocalizing our experiences, Inclusion, Acting on our passions, Travel, and Evolving.
Now in its eighth season and exclusively sponsored by Atlantic Aviation, AVIATE is heard in over 100 countries.
Until next time,
Shaesta