ending ▁flight ▁school . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁she ▁held ▁positions ▁as ▁a ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁and ▁char ter ▁pilot ▁for ▁Hin son ▁Air ways . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁she ▁fle w ▁as ▁captain ▁for ▁Al leg hen y ▁Comm uter ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁when ▁she ▁went ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁People ▁Express . ▁ ▁While ▁with ▁People ▁Express , ▁Burn s ▁had ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁non - trad itional ▁duties . ▁ ▁She ▁worked ▁in ▁res erv ations ; ▁in ▁sched uling ; ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁gate ▁agent , ▁b agg age ▁handler , ▁and ▁av ion ics ▁tra iner . ▁ ▁V ary ing ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁pil ots ▁— ▁an ▁operating ▁approach ▁novel ▁to ▁the ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁— ▁required ▁the ▁company ' s ▁CE O ▁to ▁obtain ▁special ▁F AA ▁authorization , ▁an ▁action ▁that ▁facil itated ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁first s ▁in ▁the ▁industry . ▁ ▁For ▁Burn s ▁it ▁meant ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁ever ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁cert ified ▁aircraft ▁dispatch er ▁while ▁performing ▁duties ▁as ▁a ▁line ▁captain . ▁ ▁Captain ▁Burn s ▁received ▁numerous ▁awards ▁and ▁comm end ations . ▁On ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁she ▁received ▁the ▁Am elia ▁Ear hart ▁Award ▁— ▁presented ▁by ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Governor ▁Thomas ▁Ke an ▁and ▁the ▁CE O ▁of ▁People ▁Express , ▁Donald ▁B urr ▁— ▁for ▁her ▁historic ▁flight ▁as ▁captain