Celebrating Women of Aviation Worldwide Week
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — When you board a plane and take a peek inside the cockpit, you most likely expect to see male pilots. After all, that’s the norm. Aviation has traditionally been a boy’s club.
But times are changing. Monday marks the start of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. It is observed to mark the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot license.
It was earned by French aviatrix Raymonde de Laroche in March 1910. Female pilots were rare birds at the time, and remain a minority today. Less than 6% of the pilots worldwide are women.
The most famous female pilot in history- with the most recognizable household name- is Amelia Earhart. Although she set many world records, is credited for paving the way for other women in commercial aviation, and is considered a hero, Earhart is best known for her mysterious disappearance on her round-the-world flight attempt.
Aviation historians want our next generation of women pilots to know there were many successful trailblazing female flyers long before Earhart made headlines. But their records of achievements are hard to come by. This may explain why the percentages of American women in certain aerospace occupations are the lowest in the Western world.
While today more women are taking to the skies and the cosmos, they remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math fields. These occupations are often overlooked simply because most girls have had zero exposure to them.
But if she can see it, she can be it.
The organizers of Women of Aviation International aim to change the face of aviation by introducing girls to their first flight experience.
The mission of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is to help foster gender balance in the air and space industry. It’s a global awareness week centered on celebrating women’s past and present achievements. It invites girls of all ages to experience the industry’s careers and hobbies hands-on.
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