Anh-Thu Nguyen

Anh Thu Thi Nguyen, a beloved wife, daughter, mentor, and trailblazer in the world of aviation, passed away on July 30, 2025, at the age of 44, while attempting to circumnavigate the globe in her Lancair IV-P “Amelia.” The mission was a bold tribute to her passion: raising awareness for diverse women in aviation.

Born in a small village in Viet Nam without electricity or running water, Anh Thu immigrated to the United States at the age of 12, sponsored by her oldest brother, Toai Nguyen through a Family Reunification Program. Arriving with no English, she soon not only mastered the language—but became valedictorian of her high school class. Nguyen studied at Purdue University, where she was ranked in the top ten female of Mathematics undergraduates as well as earned a Classic undergraduate degree, then subsequently completed a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics.  Anh Thu Nguyen did pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech.

She forged a brilliant career at Boeing, Bombardier, and Gulfstream, each role a testament to her technical acumen and drive. She began flying lessons when she turned 18, often tutoring for 15 hours to afford one flight lesson. Her persistence paid off: she earned her private pilot certificate while working at Boeing, eventually rising to become a First Officer on the Boeing 767.

In 2018, she founded Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting underrepresented women in the industry. In 2021, with her husband, Raphael Schütz, she co-founded a flight school at KHWO, shaping countless pilots—and earning the nickname “Mom” from her students, who found not just instruction but genuine care and community in her home.

Anh Thu loved to travel—every destination an adventure, a new runway, a chance to explore. She loved fashion—the way she dressed, her signature style, and how she carried herself with elegance and confidence.

She lived urgency. She lived persistence. “Impossible” was never part of her vocabulary. Her favorite motto, from Amelia Earhart, was:
“The most effective way to do it is to do it.”

Anh-Thu was a member of Ninety-Nines, Inc., an international organization of licensed woman pilots from 44 different countries. AOPA, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, EAA, Experimental Aircraft Association, and WAI, Woman in Aviation International, and of course her very own, Asian Women in Aerospace, a non-profit organization that empowers Asian women and young girls to reach their dreams in Aerospace and Aviation.

At home and in flight school, she built a home—not just a business—by opening her heart her home and her kitchen, sharing Vietnamese meals, and welcoming students into her life as family.

Anh Thu is survived by her husband, Raphael Schütz; her father, Than Nguyen; her mother, Thang Ta; her siblings, nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, from 4:00pm-7:00pm at O’Riley Branson Funeral Service & Crematory. A Celebration of Anh-Thu’s life will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 11:00am, with one hour of visitation prior to the start of the service. Burial will immediately following at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Greenwood, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation (7201 S. Airport Road, #604, Pembrooke Pines, Florida, 33023), a non-profit organization that Anh-Thu created from the ground up, to continue the legacy she built with fearless love, persistence, and flight. (AWAA)

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, from 4:00pm-7:00pm at O’Riley Branson Funeral Service & Crematory. A Celebration of Anh-Thu’s life will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 11:00am, with one hour of visitation prior to the start of the service. Burial will immediately following at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Greenwood, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Asian Women in Aerospace and Aviation (7201 S. Airport Road, #604, Pembrooke Pines, Florida, 33023), a non-profit organization that Anh-Thu created from the ground up, to continue the legacy she built with fearless love, persistence, and flight. (AWAA)  www.awa2.org

https://awa2.org/news/in-loving-memory-of-anh-thu-nguyen

Funeral arrangements entrusted to O’Riley-Branson Funeral Service & Crematory.