She grew up in Zimbabwe and is now flying planes in Warrenton, Ore.

Published 1:00 am Tuesday, March 10, 2026

‘I just could not believe I was flying the plane’

Growing up in rural Zimbabwe, Natasha Callon never thought the Pacific Northwest was in the cards. Now, years later, she lives in Seaside and works as a flight instructor for Astoria Aviation where she gets a birds-eye view of the region almost every day.

As a child growing up, Callon had often thought of becoming a pilot, a dream which her mother heavily supported.

“She would always bake me cakes shaped like a plane or a pilot in uniform,” Callon said.

Callon moved to the United States when she was 20 to chase the dream of flight. She applied for many flight schools, and was accepted by Hillsboro Aero Academy.

The first step in any pilot’s journey is called the discovery flight, when a pilot takes you into the air and lets you take the controls for the first time.

“I was on my discovery flight and my instructor at that time took off, and he gave me (the) controls,” said Callon. “And I just could not believe I was flying the plane.”

Her instructor told her not to look outside, as some people can get motion sick from the altitude. She looked out and said that her fear left her.

“I was never scared of flying again.”

Callon’s journey wasn’t without challenges. She had to balance learning a new language, learning to fly and sustaining herself by working two jobs.

“I ended up taking longer because I had to take a step back and go learn English,” she said. In Zimbabwe, Callon grew up speaking Shona.

For five years, she worked her way through training. She received her private pilot’s license, her instrument type rating, commercial pilot’s license — and eventually became a certified flight instructor.

Callon received her C.F.I. license in August 2025 and now teaches at Astoria Aviation which flies out of Astoria Regional Airport in Warrenton.

“It’s the best experience ever,” Callon said. “The people I work with are amazing.”

To fly for any major airline, which is Callon’s goal, aspiring pilots must attain 1,500 flight hours. To hit this milestone, pilots like Callon often become flight instructors, teaching the next generation of pilots.

Callon said she doesn’t care which airline she ends up working for.

“I love flying so wherever I end up will be great,” she said.

So far, she’s only flown Cessnas and Pipers, small single-engine propeller planes, but her dream is to be able to fly a Boeing 777, a wide body jet used for international travel.

“It’s just an awesome plane,” Callon said. “It’s huge and powerful.”

When she isn’t flying, Callon and her husband, Nathan, like to explore different types of food in the area. She’s still looking for a Zimbabwean restaurant in the region.

The two also like to try out different hikes in the area. “We’re outdoor people,” she said.

But Callon feels best when she is up in the air and she encourages anyone who is thinking about becoming a pilot to do their discovery flight — and find their wings.