International Girls in Aviation Day Puts Spotlight on Industry Careers

Peter Wu showed off his Beech Mentor T-34A at a previous Girls in Aviation Day event at Manassas Regional Airport (KHEF). [Courtesy: WAI]

If you noticed an increase in girls and women at your airport on Saturday, it likely wasn't your imagination. September 21 marked the 10th annual Girls in Aviation Day, an event hosted by Women in Aviation International (WAI) chapters and corporate members around the world.

According to WAI, approximately 30,000 girls took part in the 185 events at airports, FBOs, and aviation museums in 33 countries, 43 states, and two U.S. territories.

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WAI boasts multiple chapters in the U.S., as well in Europe, Africa, and Asia, in addition to year-round virtual resources available for free through the Aviation for Girls (AFG) app.

The event is designed to appeal to girls ages 8-18 and show them what careers are available in aviation and meet women who hold these careers and can act as mentors. In addition to pilots, mechanics, and flight attendants, girls participating in the event have an opportunity to learn about engineering, dispatching, and the numerous technical applications that go along with aviation.

Participants had a chance to meet female role models, listen to career panels, and get up close with different aircraft. The events often also include age-appropriate, hands-on activities, such as scavenger hunts and model making.

“We know Girls in Aviation Day has been instrumental in introducing opportunities in aviation and STEM to thousands of participants all around the world,” said WAI CEO Lynda Coffman.

The first WAI International Girls in Aviation Day was held in 2015 and featured 32 events. According to WAI, the day is made possible through the support of many, including the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, PPG Foundation, Emanuel Bachmann Foundation, Sporty’s Pilot Shop, and JCL Aviation Services.

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Meg GodlewskiAuthor

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.