More than 50,000 girls and women are expected to attend events on four continents during the seventh annual Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, March 6- 12.
They will meet women who chose a career in the aviation industry, learn about past women of aviation’s contributions, visit various work environments, and try some of the activities, including flying in small aircraft at some locations.
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week is an extension of the original Fly It Forward movement launched in 2010 to celebrate the centennial of the world’s first pilot female license earned by Raymonde de Laroche on March 8, 1910.
It week aims to not only celebrate women’s accomplishments, but also address the industry’s gender gap and overall lack of gender balance, according to organizers.
Since its inception, the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW) has motivated more 140,000 girls of all ages to explore the aviation careers and hobbies. Last year, 63% of the 44,000 participants declared considering a career or hobby in the industry as a result of the positive experience, officials noted.
In 2017, iWOAW is offering $15,000 worth of prizes, trophies, and scholarships to eligible participants.
The non-profit association also is waiving application fees for organizations involved in official events who seek the iWOAW Certified Women Friendly designation.
Mireille Goyer, iWOAW’s founder and president, will attend four of the week’s official events. She will be at Del Sol Aviation in Albuquerque, March 6; at the Airbus Assembly Plant in Mobile, Alabama, on March 8; at the Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales, on March 9; and at Glacier Air in Squamish, BC on March 11.
Not ALL men are encouraging — or didn’t used to be. I was inspired by the CAP and the Powder Puff Derby back in the 70’s. When I soloed I told a local farmer I could certainly drive his dump truck since I could fly an airplane. His reply was “you think you can fly an airplane”. Dumped him.
My uncle’s response was “you’ll never see it through”. (My deceased father — his brother — had done some barnstorming in his youth and my uncles was a career military civil engineer — not a pilot.).
However, not only did I “see it through” but I quit my job and went to work for Cessna where I was added to the approved pilot’s list to be checked out in different aircraft and called to pick up visitors at the international airport. I never told my uncle. Why bother?
And a thank you, too, to “the men of aviation,” the great majority of whom, in my experience, are accepting and encouraging of women and girls, as pilots, airport administrators and other aviation professionals.
It truly is working, we now have more lady pilots in the US than previous years according to Department of Labor. Organizations like Women in Aviation and 99s need a big thank you for opening their hearts and getting the word out to all young and old women.