Sylvia Achter (b. 1968) has amassed over 3000 hours of commercial flying hours, including over 800 agricultural spraying hours. Born and raised in Alberta, Canada, she graduated from Lethbridge Community College in 1989, and is currently taking distance education courses from Oregon State University. From 1995 until 1997 Achter was first a flight attendant, and then a charter line pilot, with First Air / Ptarmigan Airways (Northwest Territories). From Ptarmigan Airways, Achter moved to NTair Inc. (Prince George, British Columbia), where she was a scheduled and charter line pilot. She then worked from 1998 until 2000 as a charter and medevac airline pilot for Alkan Air (Whitehorse, Yukon), and also as a charter line pilot for Centennial Flight Center (Edmonton, Alberta). From May of 2000 until June of 2002, Achter worked at ranches, feed yards and Can-Am Horse Transport before becoming employed in March of 2002 by Tri-Rotor Spray and Chemical, a Division of J & L Smith Farms, located in Ulysses, Kansas. Over her aviation career, she has flown the following aircraft: Beech Super King Air 200; De Havilland DHC-7 Twin Otter: Piper 30, PA-31-350 Navaho Chieftain, PA-44 Seminole, and PA-18 Super Cub: Cessna 340, 337 Skymaster, 206 Super Skywagon, 182P Skyland, 172 Skyhawk, 152/150, and 188A Ag Wagon; Air Tractor AT-402; and Ayres Thrush S2R 550. She is a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), and has a Kansas Pesticide Applicators License.