Monroe Made: Nora Cole

Monroe County Schools is proud to highlight Nora Ann Cole, a Tellico Plains native whose dreams have truly taken flight. Coming from a long line of educators, Nora grew up understanding the value of a strong education—so much so that her mom was her 4th grade teacher and her dad served as principal at Tellico Elementary. She laughs now about “getting in trouble at school and then again at home,” but those lessons in accountability and perseverance stayed with her.

From a young age, Nora was encouraged to find a dream and hold onto it—even when the journey was tough. That dream was flying. And she chased it with everything she had.

Nora shared that what she cherishes most from her Monroe County education is the strong sense of home and community. She has traveled to all 50 states and across the world, yet nothing compares to the mountains, people, and love she feels in her hometown.

Her accomplishments are truly remarkable:
-The first woman in Flexjet’s International Large Cabin Program
-The first woman in the world (outside of Gulfstream) to fly the Gulfstream G700
-Featured in Flexjet’s documentary series From the Outside In

Nora has been flying for over twenty years. Her journey began in high school, inspired long before that by watching the Broadway version of Peter Pan. From earning her pilot’s license just before starting college, to teaching others to fly, to now captaining one of the most advanced aircraft in the world, Nora has lived her dream with passion and purpose.