December 11 is the submission deadline for Stage 1 of GoAERO—a three-year contest backed by NASA, Boeing, RTX, and other key aviation stakeholders seeking to aid the estimated 4.5 million Americans living in “ambulance deserts,” who may need to wait longer than 25 minutes for emergency services to arrive. The aircraft created by competitors could rescue people in danger and respond to disasters, medical emergencies, or humanitarian crises.

Officially launched on February 5, GoAERO (Aerial Emergency Response Operations) has been recruiting teams of university students who lack the financial backing of large corporations. But the competition is open to just about anyone over the age of 18, GoAERO founder and CEO Gwen Lighter told FLYING.

“It is a call for engineers and entrepreneurs and innovators and universities and students and professors and retirees and businesses and corporations and all of that to join us and to create these emergency response fliers,” said Lighter.

Lighter envisions GoAERO’s emergency response flyers as “another tool in the first response toolkit.” Helicopters, she said, are great for emergency response but are expensive to procure and operate, require a pilot, and struggle to operate in tight spaces.

Drones, at the other end of the spectrum, are excellent for delivering medical supplies. Drone delivery companies Zipline and Wing, for instance, have collectively transported hundreds of thousands of shipments of blood, vaccines, and equipment. But when it comes to search and rescue, drones can only complete the latter portion of the mission.

“What we are doing is we are saying, ‘OK, helicopters are one end of the spectrum, drones are the other,’ and then putting them together, molding them into something that can deliver a first responder to someone in need, rescue someone who needs help, deliver needed goods and supplies, all within the rubric of natural disasters, everyday medical emergencies, events caused by climate change, humanitarian crises,” Lighter said.

The aircraft are intended to be simple, compact, and uncrewed, flying either entirely on their own or with help from a remote pilot. They must also be easily transportable, deployable within minutes, and capable of delivering first responders, patients, or supplies in cities, rural areas, and disaster zones.

Aviation for Public Good

Lighter previously organized GoAERO’s predecessor GoFLY, which similarly sought to put groundbreaking technology into the hands of people who otherwise would not have access. But whereas GoFLY was geared toward personal, recreational flight, GoAERO is about helping others.

“GoAERO is really focused on a singular mission, which is saving lives,” Lighter said. “It is aviation for public good.”

According to Lighter, all GoFLY partners have signed on to the new initiative, and even more have joined. Boeing is the lead GoAERO sponsor, but the contest is also backed by RTX, Honeywell, Iridium, and industry groups such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS). First responders, aviation regulators, and other organizations are on board.

“We’ve had hundreds of discussions with not only aviation [firms], but first responders in a wide variety of different types of response, whether that is search and rescue, whether that is wildfire, whether that is earthquake, whether that is everyday medical emergencies and EMTs,” said Lighter.

She added: “Collectively, we have landed on these technical rules and specifications to create aircraft that really allow first responders to be first responders, rather than pilots and all of these other things.”

GoAERO will provide teams with some design guidelines. But Lighter told FLYING that the goal is for participants to produce a wide range of designs. Teams will be permitted to focus on medical needs and disaster scenarios specific to their area, for example.

“Success for us looks like in three years, at the end of the competition, that we have a multitude of different flyers that show up, and some are better in everyday medical emergencies, and some are better in urban environments, and some are better in remote environments, and some are better in wildfires,” said Lighter.

Participants will have some help from above. The competition offers what Lighter called a “full education platform,” with educational webinars, legal assistance, and one-on-one mentorship opportunities with experts from Boeing, U.S. government agencies such as the FAA or Department of Defense, and other mentors. Those relationships can help them refine design concepts, build autonomy, or raise funding.

GoAERO earlier this month, for example, signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA that will see the space agency lend its personnel to the initiative. NASA also committed $400,000 through its University Innovation Project to support U.S.-based university teams and will grant access to free or discounted software, services, and products.

“I think GoAERO represents bringing the best of aeronautics and aviation to the public space, to public good, making sure that we are bringing our capabilities, our technologies, our genius together to work for the American people and for the people across the globe that need these kind of services,” said Bob Pearce, associate administrator of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) and GoAERO mentor.

The Fly-Off

The GoAERO competition will culminate in a three-day “fly-off” beginning February 2027, during which teams will put their aircraft through a series of missions to gauge adversity, productivity, and maneuverability.

At stake are $2 million worth of prizes, including a $1 million grand prize for the winner. In addition, the top performer in each of the three fly-off missions will win $150,000. A $100,000 RTX Disruptor Award will be handed out for “disruptive advancement of the state of the art,” while a $100,000 autonomy prize will highlight the best use of automation.

All missions will be flown in a single-occupant aircraft carrying a mannequin, “Alex,” or other nonhuman payload. The contest will evaluate a range of different scenarios, testing competitors’ ability to save an injured person from under a forest canopy, douse a wildfire, rescue a drowning victim, and complete other emergency missions.

All of these must be performed under difficult conditions such as inclement weather, unknown terrain, or uncooperative air traffic control. Competitors will not have access to the mission courses or locations of obstacles until the day of the event. In addition, they should “expect the unexpected”—mission conditions and elements may not be exactly as advertised.

The FAA helped write the technical rules of the competition and will mentor teams to ensure their aircraft comply with federal rules. The agency will be “deeply involved” in the fly-off to maintain safety.

“We are closely working with the FAA in a number of their departments, and we have fully integrated our programming into today’s FAA certification process, and we will be helping our teams through that,” Lighter said.

During the contest, teams will have to dodge pylons and walls and contend with less-than-ideal takeoff and landing conditions. “The Flood” site, for example, is an 18-inch deep pool with simulated rain conditions—teams must touch or pop a balloon floating on its surface. Other locations will feature inclined slopes, sandy pits, or heavy winds.

A panel of expert judges will rank attempts by completion, speed, and payload, with bonus points awarded for one-person crew operations, quick deployment, and few operator inputs. To be eligible for the grand prize, a team needs to complete two missions, or complete one and partially complete another.

What Happens After?

Lighter emphasized that GoAERO hopes to produce not just emergency response flyers, but an ecosystem around them.

“We’re building this ecosystem so it’s not one company, it’s not one university, it’s not one entrepreneur, it’s not one regulator, it’s everybody coming together to use transformative technology to save lives,” she said.

At the end of the fly-off, the winning teams will have full control over what happens next. They will retain all intellectual property rights and do not necessarily need to commercialize their technology with a partner.

But while there are zero post-competition requirements, GoAERO aims to set teams up for success. Partners such as Boeing and RTX will be present for the fly-off, and winners will then have the option to meet with them and start a partnership.

“What we want to do is enable our teams to make the best choices for themselves at the end of the competition, whether that is licensing technology, whether that is building on their own, whether that is raising funds to commercialize, whether that is joining with a strategic partner—all are open and options for each of our teams,” Lighter said. “We certainly would never dictate to our teams how they should deploy. Rather, we will create the conditions where they have multiple options to be able to commercialize should they wish to do so.”

She added: “We all came together because we realized that there’s been a convergence of breakthrough technologies in aviation and in adjacent industries, and we now have this first moment in history that we have the ability to create new forms of emergency response aircraft.”

How to Get Involved

The deadline for GoAERO’s initial paper submission phase is December 11, which means there is plenty of time to apply.

To do so, applicants can visit goaeroprize.com to find the Stage 1 application forms, which include short biographies of each team member and legal documents covering liability and insurance, for example. Application is free, but there is a design submission fee of $250 for individuals and $500 for teams.

“Everything is on the website, from the technical rules to the schedules to the webinars to who the advisors are and who the partners are to how to engage with us,” said Lighter.

GoAERO excludes applicants under the age of 18, employees of Boeing or RTX and their families, and citizens or residents of countries subject to U.S. sanctions or export controls. But all others may apply, and the competition already includes teams from 40 countries. Entities that would prefer not to form a team but are interested in a partnership can also contact GoAERO.

Ten $10,000 winners will be selected from the Stage 1 pool, and eight Stage 2 teams will win $40,000 each. But teams can enter the competition at any time, including during the final fly-off. For that last phase, participants will need an aircraft with registration and airworthiness certification that has demonstrated, via video evidence, controlled flight with a full payload.

The stage is set. The rules are clear. All interested parties need to do is join the competition.

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The post Innovators Compete to Build Self-Flying Emergency Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Pleasance takes the controls from outgoing AOPA CEO Mark Baker, who earlier this year announced his intention to retire. Pleasance will begin his new job on January 1.

Baker said in a press release that Pleasance was “a pilot’s pilot with a genuine passion for flying.”

Pleasance began his aviation career while in his teens, doing odd jobs at the local airport in exchange for flying lessons. His aviation résumé includes more than 50 different types of aircraft and 8,000 hours logged, flying everything from “simple trainers to business jets and vintage warbirds” according to AOPA.

He has served as a corporate pilot working for celebrities, such as fellow aviator John Travolta,  flown bush charters in Alaska, and holds a CFI certificate. Pleasance also served for many years on the board of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

And while he left professional aviation to pursue a career in business, he never left aviation behind, as Pleasance continued to fly for fun, according to AOPA. He owns a Piper Meridian, Vans RV-6, and Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey. 

“I’m grateful for the privilege I’m being given to lead this incredible organization that has had such a positive impact on my life and the lives of all of us who love aviation,” Pleasance said.

He comes to AOPA from Cisco Systems Inc., where he led the acceleration center—designed to accelerate the success of mission-critical aspects of Cisco’s business transformation. He also has experience in marketing and consulting at Google and McKinsey & Company.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara, as well as a MBA in management from University of California at Los Angeles.

The post AOPA Names New President and CEO appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Those are the only aircraft configurations covered by the STC, but Swift says that’s only the beginning. The breakthrough was first reported by Aviation Week.

Swift Fuels is managing a comprehensive program targeting the global replacement for 100LL within three to five years, said Swift CEO Chris D’Acosta.

“Our 100R unleaded avgas product will be the preferred fuel to eliminate toxic lead from avgas,” D’Acosta said. “We are actively working with industry and OEMs on FAA-certifications and ASTM International specifications. Yes, the FAA recently approved a critical part of our engine and airframe (STC) certification program.  This follows a similar FAA/ ASTM approval pattern we architected for UL94 avgas over nine years ago.”

The 172s captured by the STC are the newest in the fleet. The R model was launched in 1996 as the first fuel-injected platform. It was produced through 2012, and the engine was limited to 2,400 rpm and produced 160 horsepower. The S model has the same engine, but its rpm limit is 2,600 and rated at 180 horsepower.

According to Lycoming’s service instruction, specifying approved fuels, that engine is the most flexible when it comes to what makes it go. In addition to 100LL and other 100 octane leaded aviation fuels, it can use 91 and 94UL aviation fuels and 93 AKI mogas.

D’Acosta did not specify what engine and airframe combinations might be next.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb

The post FAA Grants Swift Fuels STC for 100R Avgas appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The event takes place in the Seattle area September 28 starting at the Museum of Flight located at King County International Airport/Boeing Field (KBFI). Additional events and celebrations are planned for Magnuson Park, the location of the former Sand Point Naval Air Station, where the four highly modified Douglas World Cruisers took off on April 6, 1924.

Each of the four aircraft was named for a U.S. city—the Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, and Boston—and each was manned by two U.S. Army Air Service aviators. Since aircraft lacked modern day avionics, navigation was done by pilotage and dead reckoning.

The Chicago and the New Orleans were the only aircraft to complete the itinerary, landing at Sand Point Naval Air Station on September 28, 1924. The crew was awarded the National Aeronautic Association’s Mackay Trophy.

Celebrating the Centennial

Weather permitting Saturday, aircraft will launch from KBFI around 2 p.m. PST, heading east to overfly Magnuson Park. In the 1940s the property was known as Sand Point Naval Air Station and utilized as a training and supply facility until it was decommissioned in 1970. The runways and several buildings were demolished.

In 1975 a large portion of the property was given to the city of Seattle and named for U.S. Senator Warren Magnuson, a former naval officer from Seattle. When overflying the park, outlines of the runways are still visible.

Although it is no longer an airport, a celebration of the world flight centennial is also scheduled  Saturday at Magnuson Park. 

Participating Aircraft

The majority of the aircraft taking part in the flyover celebration have also completed around-the-world flights, said Museum of Flight spokesperson Ted Huetter. Those aircraft include:

• Gulfstream Turbo Commander 900, piloted by Robert DeLaurentis, who in 2020 flew pole-to-pole around the world. On September 29 there will be a screening of Peace Pilot, a documentary about DeLaurentis’ journey, with the aviator on hand to answer questions.
• Bonanza P35 V-tail, flown by Adrian Eichhorn, who made the trip around the world flying eastbound and performed a solo flight over the North Pole.
• Homebuilt Lancair IV flown by Bill Harrelson, who set a speed record in class C-1/D, a world record for distance 8,114 sm, solo circumnavigated over the North and South poles, and flew westbound around the world.
• Lancair Columbia 300, piloted by Harry Anderson, who has flown around the world twice —once heading west, once heading eastbound—and flown solo over the North Pole as well as to all seven continents.
• Homebuilt Long E-Z of Patrick Elliot and Linda Walker. The pair have flown to six continents.
• Mooney M20J flown by CarolAnn Garratt and Carol Foy, who have made the around-the-world flight three times and set a speed record for this class of airplane.
• Homebuilder RV-9A flown by John Koehler, who made the trip around the world eastbound.
• Cessna 210 Centurion flown by Ed Galkin, who has made the journey around the world four times.

A fair amount of vintage aircraft will be taking part in the flyover. They include:

• Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket Miss Veedol flown by Tim Moomaw and Greg Brizendine. In 1931, pilot Clyde Pangborn and copilot Hugh Herndon were the first to cross the Pacific nonstop. The pair flew the Miss Veedol from Misawa, Japan, to Wenatchee, Washington.
• Cessna 180, like the one used by Jerrie Mack in 1964 when she became the first woman to fly around in the world.
• Piper Apache. In 1964,  Joan Merriam Smith flew a Piper Twin equatorially, and solo, around the world.
• Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser. In 1947, pilots Clifford Evans and Geroge Truman circled the earth twice in their Piper Super Cruisers, covering 22,436 miles and becoming the first pilots of light aircraft to make the journey.

The Commemorative Air Force B-29, FIFI, which is one of two airworthy Superfortresses left in the world, will also be participating in the flyover. The large bomber has been visiting Seattle this week.

It is a homecoming of sorts for this particular B-29 as it rolled out of the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington—justy over the hill from Boeing Field—in 1945.

The post Around-the-World Flight Centennial Celebrations Planned appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But headquartered in the same region is Oshkosh Corp., which—among other functions—is a major player in fire truck manufacturing. The firm also specializes in aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equipment with its line of specialized trucks.

Oshkosh Corp. has carved a niche in the firefighting industry with its line of airport fire trucks. These specialized vehicles are designed to handle the unique challenges posed by aviation accidents, offering a level of capability that sets them apart.

Among these are water tanks that are significantly larger than those of traditional municipal fire trucks, ensuring that firefighters have ample water to combat large-scale fires without needing frequent refills. The fire trucks boast powerful pumps capable of delivering high-pressure water streams, essential for penetrating the outer skin of aircraft and reaching internal fires. Many of these vehicles are also outfitted with advanced foam systems that can create a blanket over fires, helping to suppress flames and reduce the spread of smoke.

The company’s Striker 8×8 model can hold up to 4,500 gallons of water and 630 gallons of foam at a time. In comparison, a normal municipal fire truck can hold around 1,500 gallons of water alone.

In addition to their water capacity and firefighting capabilities, these vehicles are designed to handle various terrain, including runways, taxiways, and grassy areas. Some of Oshkosh’s Striker models can go from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 35 seconds.

Over 5,000 Oshkosh Striker vehicles have been made and shipped to airports around the globe. The company is also rolling out an electric fire truck called Volterra, which has already been adopted by some airports.

AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to visit Oshkosh’s manufacturing facility in its namesake city. A video from the tour is below:

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Why Airport Fire Trucks Are So Unique appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The one-and-one is the minimum required per FAR 61.56, and when you add in the time for brief, debrief, and logbook endorsement, you often go beyond an hour, which makes the CFI late for their next client. It is much better to set aside three hours so you aren’t late—and more importantly—aren’t rushed.

• READ MORE: The One-Time Water Landing

Yet many pilots insist that one hour on the ground and one in the air is all they need, or are willing to pay for. Some pilots expect to be automatically signed off for the flight review, even if they don’t demonstrate the requisite knowledge or fly to the level of their certificate.

It doesn’t work that way. Find a CFI who is up-front about this as the Airman Certification Standards for the certificate you hold are what you should be using.

This particular client had held a private pilot certificate for more than 20 years and flew several times a month. Over the years, he had owned airplanes, but at that time, his aircraft was down for its annual, so he was renting a Cessna 172. He didn’t want to rush the flight review. As he put it, he often flew with his grandchildren and was adamant to take his time in the name of safety.

He was more than 25 minutes late. He apologized—traffic was worse than expected when he left work. As we settled into the classroom for the ground portion of the flight review, he discovered he had left his headset at home. He put new ear seals on it the night before and had left it on the kitchen table.

• READ MORE: The Importance of Following Checklists

I offered to let him borrow a spare headset. Instead, he looked at me apologetically and asked if we could stay on the ground rather than fly because his brain, he said, would not be in the airplane. 

He then told me about a rule he had for himself—the rule of three. If three things delaying the flight were distractions, he made it a rule to cancel. I have heard this so-called rule from many other pilots. Three is a cosmic number, one told me, adding that “things happen in threes” is a cliche for a reason. 

I am a student of the accident reports published by the National Transportation Safety Board. When you read them, the bad decisions are clear as day. Often the pilot is rushed or distracted.  Accidents, especially the fatalities, are often a chain of poor decisions.

Distracted = Dangerous

Flying is one of those things that demands our undivided attention. Any distraction can be detrimental to safety. When and if you are in the cockpit of a jet getting paid the big bucks, we hope you’ve learned how to compartmentalize or recognize your own limitations. There will be some days when you are too distracted to fly.

When you fly as a hobby, the stakes aren’t as high. This is not the last chopper out of Saigon, as my first CFI used to remind me. Yet even student pilots can face a lot of pressure to fly, and it comes from all directions. 

It can be a challenge for a student pilot to cancel a flight, especially when the CFI is pressing for it to happen. As a commercial candidate, I encountered a CFI who argued we could “dodge” the thunderstorms that were approaching the airport. The commercial certificate requires more knowledge of weather than the private certificate, and I had embraced this with gusto. The idea of dodging anything didn’t sit well with me.

• READ MORE: What You Need to Know About Tires When Learning to Fly

I had obtained three weather briefings—one the night before, the morning of the flight, and the last one an hour prior to the flight. On that last one the briefer remarked the cold front that was bringing the storms had “moved much faster” than the weather models had anticipated. Based on this available information, I canceled the flight. 

Dark clouds were approaching from the southwest while the CFI somewhat grudgingly helped me put the cover back on the airplane. As we were draping the cover over the fuselage the temperature dropped like someone had opened a window on a cold day. It started to hail. It came down so hard and fast a line boy ran onto the ramp to help us. I felt good about my decision.

Make It Fair

At all times it should be remembered that flight instruction is not compulsory education, but it is a business. For this reason many schools and independent CFIs have a no-show or late cancellation penalty.

This usually takes the form of a signed contract between the school, or CFI and the learner. This policy should be discussed at the first meeting and expectations established. There is often one “free pass” then after that a penalty is levied, such as the cost of one hour of aircraft rental or an hour of the instructor’s time. If the CFI does not show or is late, they owe the flight student a free hour of instruction.

• READ MORE: Don’t Skimp on Ground Instruction in Flight Training

If the learner at least makes an effort to let the CFI or school know they can’t make it, that goes a long way. One of my mentors who ran a flying club for many years took a very hard stance on this, saying if the learner was not responsible enough to make a phone call or at least send a text letting us know they were going to be late, or were not going to be there at all, they were not responsible enough to be a pilot.

When late cancellations or no-shows become a habit, the CFI and/or the flight school may stop scheduling the student altogether. If you have to consistently cancel lessons, perhaps this is not the time for you to pursue flight training.

You are paying a lot of money and investing a lot of energy in your aviation education, so do your best not to get in your own way. If the deck appears to be stacked against you, such as in the form of “the rule of three,” ask yourself if this is the day for you to be in the air.

As for the client who was there for the flight review, a quick text canceled the aircraft reservation. I assured him I was not angry with his decision not to fly, because when a pilot demonstrates good aeronautical decision making—such as recognizing that their head won’t be in the game —I say learning has taken place.  

The post Do You Have the Rule for a No-Go? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2012 Tecnam P2006T Very Light Twin.

Tecnam’s P2006T is an unusual twin, using 100 hp Rotax engines more commonly found on light sport and experimental aircraft. 

The aircraft is not designed for pilots who think of a second engine as a performance feature. This small, lightweight twin is aimed at flight schools and those in the personal-use market who seek the redundancy of two engines.

We have heard people describe the P2006T as flying like a Cessna 172 that happens to have an extra engine and retractable landing gear. While it is not especially fast by light twin standards, we would not call it slow either, especially given its modest power. It can carry four people and could make an ideal family airplane for many pilots.

This 2012 Tecnam P2006T has 2,430 hours on the airframe and 56 hours since overhaul on each of its 100 hp Rotax 912S engines. The engines have liquid-cooled cylinder heads and air-cooled cylinders, and together burn a total of nine gallons per hour.

The IFR panel features a Garmin GDU 1050 10-inch PFD and GDU 1054 10-inch MFD, Dual GEA 71B engine and airframe unit, dual GIA 63 GPS/nav/coms with localizer and glideslope, GMA 1360 audio panel, GMU 44 magnetometer, GRS 77 AHRS, GDC 74A air data computer, GTX 345R Mode S transponder with ADS-B In and Out, King N 63 DME, King KR 87 ADF, and S-Tec 55 autopilot.

Pilots who want to build multiengine time economically or simply prefer having two engines for safety and flexibility should consider this 2012 Tecnam P2006T, which is available for $499,900 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Tecnam Unveils P2006T NG at AERO 2024
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• Plane & Pilot: Second Tecnam P2006T Goes Electric
• Plane & Pilot: Madrid’s Quality Fly Soars With New Tecnams
• AVweb: NASA Receives Tecnam P2006T for X-Plane Research

The post This 2012 Tecnam P2006T Very Light Twin Is a Stable, Redundant ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The new route, which begins on November 4, will offer up to three daily round-trip flights between the two airports. This marks a significant expansion for Harbour Air, as it has traditionally only operated seaplanes.

“We’re very excited to launch our first-ever wheeled flights between YVR’s South Terminal and YYJ Victoria International Airport and provide passengers with new flexible early morning and late evening commuting options,” said Chris Fordyce, Harbour Air Group’s commercial chief, in a news release.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Seaplane Operator Gets Wheels appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

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.

• READ MORE: Frontier of Flight Museum Event to Celebrate Women in Aerospace

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.

The post International Girls in Aviation Day Puts Spotlight on Industry Careers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Wyche is set to speak at the “Women Take Flight: Fashion to Fission” luncheon at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas on October 1. The event is sponsored by JSX, a private jet service, and scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. CST.

As part of her anticipated keynote presentation, Wyche, who has been part of NASA’s leadership team for the past 20 years, is expected to discuss her professional journey and how STEM made it possible for her to pursue the career she enjoys.

“The Frontiers of Flight Museum is truly honored to have Vanessa Wyche as our phenomenal keynote speaker for our inaugural ‘Women Take Flight: Fashion to Fission’ luncheon,” said Abigail Erickson-Torres, president and CEO of the museum. 

The event includes a panel discussion featuring women who are leaders in the aerospace industry, including:

• Leanne Caret, retired president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security
• Dyan Medina Gibbens, pilot, SpaceWERX, and U.S. Space Force adviser
• Caeley Looney, CEO and founder of Reinvented Inc. and flight director at Firefly Aerospace
• Amy Spowart, CEO of the National Aeronautic Association

The panelists will be discussing the paths they took to achieve their successes in aerospace and offer suggestions on ways to support more girls and women with an interest in STEM.

Tickets for the lunch start at $185 and may be purchased here. Proceeds will go toward supporting future STEM programs at the museum, as well as creating a new permanent exhibit to honor women in aerospace.

The post Frontier of Flight Museum Event to Celebrate Women in Aerospace appeared first on FLYING Magazine.