All in the Family

Fewer than 300 of the 56,000 commercial airline pilots in the U.S. are women. In that select group, Claudia Jones, 35 (left), and Cathy Jones, 25, have still another distinction: they are stepmother and daughter. Florida-raised Claudia began as an entertainer (she plays 19 instruments and sings), then learned to fly so she could barnstorm with her Vegas act. Claudia started putting in time as a flight instructor, and during one stint Cathy turned up as a student. That led to Claudia's marrying Cathy's father, Hal Jones. Now Claudia co-pilots Boeing 727s for Continental Airlines, while Cathy, though a licensed pilot, works as a flight engineer with Western Airlines. Last year's proposed merger between the two airlines might have brought the two women closer together; as it is, the Joneses have trouble keeping up with each other. Says Claudia: "We always seem to be going in different directions."

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