On Saturday, September 26, ALPA and the world’s aviation community celebrated Girls in Aviation Day, an international event sponsored by Women in Aviation International.
From Atlanta, Ga., to Ypsilanti, Mich., ALPA pilots were front and center in commemorating the day. Girls in Aviation Day is designed to give girls an opportunity to connect with other girls and women who are interested in aviation, explore careers in the aviation and aerospace industry, and experience firsthand what it’s like to be a pilot or other aviation industry professional.
As airline pilots, most of us felt the passion to fly from an early age—we knew we wanted to fly almost before we could walk. But understanding how to follow that passion required information and role models to show the way. Events like Girls in Aviation Day provide girls of all ages with the opportunity to meet pilots and other aviation professionals to learn about their real-word experiences and to ask questions in an encouraging environment.
In Minneapolis, ALPA volunteers helped celebrate Girls in Aviation Day at an event that drew more than 800 attendees including more than 500 children. A Carlsbad, Calif., gathering included an ATC tower tour led by two female professional air traffic controllers and airplane tours given by female pilots.
This year’s Girls in Aviation Day was a tremendous opportunity to showcase the airline piloting profession and encourage girls and all young people to get involved. ALPA’s participation is just one more way our union is helping to build an airline piloting profession for the future. To find out more about becoming an airline pilot, visit Cleared to Dream.