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CELEBRATING HISTORY * RAISING AWARENESS * SHAPING THE FUTURE
Women of Aviation Week
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4/13/2012
Mark your calendars!
The Women Fly it Forward essay contest winners will be announced Monday!
4/12/2012
Check out the Fly it Forward Podcast on AVWeb
April 9, 2012
Podcast: Female-Pilot-Friendly Yellowknife
By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief
The second Women of Aviation Worldwide Week competition to see which airport community can give the most women and girls their first flight in a small aircraft was held a month ago, and the results are in. Organizer Mireille Goyer explains to AVweb's Russ Niles how Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territories, unseated Frederick, Maryland for the title — and what it all means for aviation.
4/11/2012
Women Fly it Forward - The Video!
4/4/2012
FDK Airport: The Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the US!
In 1912, Harriet Quimby became the first woman pilot to fly across
the English Channel and Hélène Dutrieu became the first woman to pilot a
seaplane. To celebrate the centennial of these ground breaking
achievements, a ground breaking aviation event was held on March 10,
2012.
In Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, 27 local businesses as
well as the Canadian military rallied around helicopter bush pilot,
Kirsten Brazier, to provide static displays as well as funds and
logistics to allow four of Trinity Helicopters’ pilots – Kirsten
Brazier, Megan Tyler, Derrick Robinson, and Robert Ferlisi – to take
over 400 local girls and women on their first small aircraft flight and,
in doing so, earned the Yellowknife Airport the coveted “Most
Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport Worldwide” title.
The four pilots also took top positions in the “Most Dedicated Woman
Pilot Worldwide” and “Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide” categories.
These categories were a Canadian sweep with Lesley Page of Oshawa,
Ontario, earning the second runner up position of the women category
while Hubert Wren and Ron Hasman of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, tie
in the second runner up position of the male category.
In Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Cathy Montgomery, an ultra light
flight instructor, hosted a Fly It Forward event. Pilots from around
Southern Ontario introduced 213 girls and women to flying placing
Peterborough in the second runner up position of the Most
Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport Worldwide category. Peterborough was also
home to two women friendly flight instructors, Cathy Montgomery and
Leigh Ehrmann.
4/2/2012
SMAC Episode 21 with a Fly it Forward Recap!
3/30/2012
Flight Training Essay Contest: Tomorrow is the last day!
3/27/2012
$ for Flight Training at KFDK is still up for grabs!
3/21/12
Essay Contest Ends March 31st!
3/16/12
Fly it Forward Essay Submissions
3/15/12
Flying, it’s not a 'boy thing'
3/14/12
There was a Fly it Forward Count Error!
...for the better! We flew 244!
3/13/12
The Women Fly it Forward Frederick Recap
Although her parents always told her she could do anything
she put her mind to, Madeleine, age seven, told her father that she didn’t
think she could become a pilot because “it was a boy thing”. So Madeleine’s family came out to Frederick Municipal Airport
for the 2nd annual Women Fly it Forward event aimed at introducing women
to aviation. In 2011, 185 women took to
the skies and the word spread like wildfire.
This year, registration had to close due to high demand almost three
weeks early and the waiting list reached into the 80s. At the end of the great event on Saturday,
March 10th, a grand total of 242 women received free flights, and
over 500 individuals enjoyed festivities at the airport.
The day started out blustery and cold, causing the tethered
hot air balloon rides to be cancelled, however, this did not stop people from
flocking to the airport! The balloon
basket was set up along with the burners and both children and adults enjoyed
taking their pictures in the basket and watching the burners light throughout
the day. Kids and adults not only got to
pose in the balloon basket, but a Lancair Columbia aircraft as well! Headsets were on hand and many people took
the chance to look like a pilot. The
remaining aircraft had the common theme as they all were yellow! A Navy T-34, a Pitts S1 and a Stearman, dubbed
Aurora from Jane Wicker Airshows, were also on display.
Sarah
Fraher from the Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska
jumped at the opportunity to fly all the way from Alaska to introduce
women to aviation. She had never attended an event like this
before and was a huge hit with pilots present and future. When she
started flying, she didn’t know any
women pilots. Many people were lining up
to take pictures and asking what it was like to fly in Alaska.
She eagerly spoke about how she became a pilot, encouraged all the women
surrounding her to fly, and even asked questions like “have you ever
flown a
lizard before?” (yes!) and “have you seen Bigfoot in Alaska?” (no). A
thirteen year old by the
same name has wanted to become a professional pilot since her first
flight in a
general aviation aircraft over the past summer.
Talking with Sarah Fraher in person and on TV as a successful female
pilot helped encourage her even more.
Across the ramp, was a meet and greet with the 1st
Helicopter squadron and the 79th Medical Wing of the US Air Force
who flew in with a UH-1 Huey helicopter.
The Maryland State Police also came out to chat with participants next
to their Dauphine
chopper. One participant was so ecstatic
when they let her lay on the stretcher!
Everyone was welcome to take free shuttles to the opposite
side of the airport to tour Frederick
Airport’s new state of
the art air traffic control tower. Both
shuttles were full for every trip to the tower, allowing for the airport
manager to guide 30 people through the tour at a time.
Barbara can’t wait to volunteer next year, “Everyone I meet
was so nice and interesting. The people who came for the flights were excited
before and even more so after their first flight!”
“This has been one of the grandest days of my life,” wrote
Sheila.
3/13/12
AOPA Blog: Women Fly it Forward
My first passenger was Martine, whose curiosity in airplanes and my
piloting credentials kept me on my toes for answers and explanations.
I let Martine know that I was a flight instructor before loading her
into the left seat. Even though Martine knew many aviation terms, much
of the experience was new, including learning that a Cessna 172 is
steered on the ground by our feet. With so many people in the traffic
pattern, it gave us the perfect opportunity to discuss radio
communications and point out aircraft in the sky.
3/12/12
Frederick's Fly it Forward count is in!!!
3/11/12
Fly it Forward News Report
Check out the video HERE.
FREDERICK, MD - Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot? Or how about walking along the wings of a plane in flight? These women have made a career of it.
Sarah Fraher, a pilot in Era Alaska, says that she "flew down here all the way from Alaska, because (she's) never heard of an event just for young women."
About six out of 100 pilots are female. In honor of aviation week the Frederick Municipal Airport is working to change that by exposing girls of all ages to the career opportunities in flight.
"When I started flying, I didn't know any women pilots," remarked Sarah.
Sarah is a pilot featured in Discovery Channel's show, "Flying Wild Alaska," and says this is a great event to broaden young girls' career sights.
Sarah said, "it's always a shocker to people when I hop out of the plane instead of a guy. I always have the kids saying, 'you're the driver?'"
But even more people can't believe what pilot and wing-walker, Jane Wicker, does for a living.
"The airplane takes off and you climb out, and you climb along the wing of the airplane while it's in flight, right in front of the crowd," said Jane.
Jane says she's one of the few wing-walkers in the world who doesn't use a safety line for the entire flight: "we flip the airplane upside-down and i'm sitting on the bottom of the wing."
An organization called "Pilots 'N Paws" was also represented. Pilots will transport rescued dogs from high-kill shelters via airplane.
Jane stated, "don't let anything stop you--if somebody says 'don't do it,' then just find a way to do it. There's always a way, even if you think there's a lot of hurdles."
Pilots here gave more than 230 girls a free flight. The hope is that those girls will now spread their own wings and fly.
3/11/12
Fly it Forward - Lofty Pursuits
3/10/12
Over 200 ladies flown!
More details and pictures to come. Need sleep!
3/8/12
A Fly it Forward NOTAM
Oh look! Why would there be a NOTAM out for Frederick Airport on Saturday? :)
FDK 03/003 FDK (O) HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC/FLY IN WEF 1203101500-1203101900
3/8/12
AVWeb talks about Fly it Forward!
Related Content:
3/7/12
Just 3 days until Fly it Forward in Frederick!
3/4/12
Happy Women of Aviation Week!
3/3/12
An extra participant at Fly it Forward...
3/2/12
Check out the Fly it Forward Proclamation!
3/1/12
March 10th Proclaimed Women Fly it Forward Weekend in Frederick, MD!
2/28/12
Women Fly it Forward - Frederick, MD Stats
2/21/12
Registration is closed for Frederick Fly it Forward!
Registration is closed for the Frederick Women Fly it Forward event! The excitement about has been overflowing, barely any publicity has been done but the news has been infectious! Registration is now closed for the March 10th event in Frederick, but a waiting list is now available. We have been getting many notes of thanks from participants and even a few messages along the lines of, "OMG I can't wait!" Either can I. I look forward to seeing you all on the 10th! Just 18 days to go!
2/20/12
250 women and girls are now registered for Women Fly it Forward in Frederick, MD!
2/16/12
Registration will close Tuesday for Women Fly it Forward FDK
2/15/12
Fly it Forward FDK Surpassed 200 Registered Women!
2/13/12
FDK Fly it Forward Needs Your Help!
2/10/12
First time flyer at Fly it Forward FDK '11 Wins Video Contest
In 1910, Raymonde de Laroche became the first woman to earn a pilot license; in 1911, Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; in 1912, Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel and Hélène Dutrieu the first woman to pilot a seaplane.
Today’s women are equally adventurous and passionate.
In December, we announce a video contest for American women. The prize? An all expenses paid trip to represent the next generation of American women pilots at the “Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations” event taking place simultaneously at the England’s Headcorn Aerodrome and France’s Le Touquet Airport on March 10, 2012.
The videos were amazing and two finalists, Esther from Maryland and Elizabeth from Florida, emerged. Then it was time to vote for the winner. If doubts existed about how motivated the finalists were, there are erased by the unbelievable website traffic that they generated by encouraging people to vote for them.
After carefully reviewing all available statistics and ensuring that nobody voted more than once, Esther French, a young journalist from Silver Spring, MD, who discovered flying at last’s year record setting “Fly It Forward” event at the Frederick Airport, MD, edged ahead of Elizabeth Williamson, a TV production technician from Altamonte Springs, FL.
We are therefore pleased to announce that Esther is the winner of the video contest and will serve as the official representative for the next generation of American women pilots at the event as well as the American reporter at the event. You will be able to follow her adventures by clicking on “Daily Trip Report” in this website.
More than 13,000 visitors trying to vote caused some technical issues and a lot of frustrations. We did our best to maintain the integrity of the contest in the face of adversity.
Taking into account this occurrence, we offered to our runner up, Elizabeth, a choice of prizes: the flight lesson as listed in the original prize description or accommodations during the event and a flight across the channel during the “Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations” event on March 10. We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth has chosen to travel to Europe and will take part of the event. Europe will be delighted to welcome more American guests.
2/9/12
What is there to see and do at Fly it Forward?
The 2012 Women Fly it Forward event on March 10th at Frederick Municipal Airport keeps getting bigger and better! What will you be checking out first?
Rides!
2/8/12
Women DO WANT to Fly!
2/6/12
Women of Aviation Week Video Contest Finalists
http://www.
2/3/12
Women of Aviation Week News
OUR TURN
The beginning of the 2012 Women Of Aviation Worldwide is just 30 days away. From 62° of latitude North in Yellowknife, Canada, to 38° of latitude South in Geelong, Australia, and within hundreds of degrees of longitude, girls and women are about to discover that aviation is for them too, thanks to you. There is so much excitement building. Victoria, who is heading the Frederick Airport community and intends to make sure that the Frederick Airport community retains the title of "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide" in 2012 has managed to motivate over 130 girls and women to sign up for a flight. Other airport communities have their eyes on the trophy and some very strong challengers are emerging.
CELEBRATE 100 YEARS
A SPECIAL GIFT TO EVENT ORGANIZERS FROM AIRBUS
WHO WILL REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN WOMEN PILOTS IN EUROPE? VOTE
TEMPORARY TATTOOS & WOAW CLOTHING GEAR
Intl Team Leader
www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org
1/31/12
Fly it Forward Featured in Airplanista!
Editor's note: Everyone who reads this blog – and my former
digital magazine by the same name – knows I have always been a big
proponent of anyone who works towards a goal of interesting more girls
and women in GA in hopes that they can increase the female pilot
population. Rarely do I meet someone with the verve and motivation of
Victoria Neuville, who presents a guest post below. I met Toria at the
Podcaster's party at last year's AirVenture, and in that tiny moment, I
could just tell she was one of us...a true “Airplanista”...the epitome
of what it means to “fly it forward.”
By Victoria Neuville,
for Airplanista Aviation Blog
Last year, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first female pilot earning her license. It was around this time that I learned that only 6% of the pilots in the world are women. The number of women in aviation was never something I thought about much. I was so preoccupied in my flight training to care about the genders of the people around me.
Hearing this fact got me thinking that my journey may have been a lot easier with female pilot support. How many woman pilots did I come across in my training? How many of my girlfriends did I have study sessions with? How many women did I see at the airport that I could share flying stories with or go to for advice? The answer was three. Just three women. These three women I only saw in passing and was never able to share any flying experiences with. That number stuck with me.
I was relatively new to the Frederick, Maryland area when I organized
our local Fly it Forward event last year, and I don’t think I've ever
been so worried or so stressed about the possible outcome. I had lined
up 26 airplane pilots, EAA ground crew to marshal them, arranged
catering donations and exhibits, even a visit by an all-female Air Force
Huey squadron. Some pilots flew hundreds of miles to take part, we even
had a woman fly her R44 helicopter down from Pennsylvania to introduce
other women to her favorite way to fly.
It turned out that I had nothing to fear. Women and girls flocked to the airport. At the end of the day, 185 had received free flights. The event won my home base of KFDK the “Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide” title for 2011. I know of two women who are actively pursuing their pilot certificates because of the event.
It’s 2012 and naturally I have to outdo myself. This year’s event on March 10th at Frederick Municipal Airport will have many pilots willing and eager to introduce women to aviation. We’ll have tethered hot air balloon rides donated by Tailwinds Over Frederick, and special guests such as Sarah Fraher from Flying Wild Alaska, wing walking airshow performer and Stearman pilot Jane Wicker, and female members from the United States Air Force. It is an event where girls and women who have never been in small aircraft before receive free plane rides, but the whole family is welcome for a day of fun at the airport- that includes the free balloon rides, too!
There is just over a month until the event and I am always welcoming
more sponsors, ground volunteers, and pilots. This event wouldn’t be
possible without all of their enthusiastic support. Enthusiasm is
contagious, especially in a world today where it seems so much harder
for GA and where the total pilot population, not just the women, seems
to be dwindling. Someone once told me that he believed that women could
be “GA’s secret weapon” and I believe we are. It can all start with one
event that could start a chain reaction. So Fly it Forward with me
during March 10th!
If you can’t make it to mine, find one in your area or start your own! Make sure that all women you know can say that during their flight training, they knew more than three women who were with them along the way.
For more about the Frederick event visit: www.WomenFlyItForward.com or email me at WomenFlyItForward@gmail.com. To learn more about the global Women of Aviation Week visit www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org.
A video explaining the Frederick Airport Fly it Forward event was produced by Len Costa of The Pilot Report and is available here.
1/26/12
USAF Returns to Fly it Forward!
It has been confirmed-the Huey from the 1st Helicopter Squadron at the Andrews Air Force base will be flying in with female crew once again! What great news and a awesome aircraft for participants to check out! I wonder how many of our participants could be future USAF pilots?
1/25/12
Breaking News For Fly it Forward
With over a month to go, we already have over 100 ladies ready to take their first flight! How many of these girls and women will be pilots someday? In addition to this news today, we are welcoming back members of the 79th Medical Wing of the USAF once again! One has flown over 75 combat missions, now that is a great role model!
1/20/12
We're Flying Forward!!!
1/19/12
1/18/12
As
I kick off my 2012 airshow season, my first stop will be “Women Fly it
Forward 2012” in Frederick, MD. I’m very excited about this event. I
was there last year and simply amazed at the turnout. It was such a
success that I was not surprised when Frederick was named the most
female friendly airport. This is all thanks to the hard work and
dedication of Victoria Neuville. She is responsible for this great
event and at the helm once again. I have no doubts that this year will
be even bigger and better.
I am looking forward to meeting everyone there and sharing my own passion. It is one of my greatest pleasures to share this love of aviation and inspire others to become pilots, especially women. We are every bit, if not more, capable then men to fly. There is nothing else that can compare to soaring through the sky in a machine that is under your control. I hope everyone will join us on March 10. Stop by, say hello and feel free to check out Aurora up close. It’s one of the few times that others can get a breath away as she’s typically behind the fence line at an airshow. I will be there to answer any questions that come up about my flying, the airplane, and even the wing walking. Let’s all make this a record breaking year and start changing the world, one female pilot at a time.
1/17/12
ANNOUNCING: A Special Guest at Fly it Forward!
1/16/12
1/16/12
Women Fly it Forward Promo Video!
1/16/12
Wait...there's more?!
Last week I was happy to announce how great our flight award was coming along, one lucky essay contest winner will win a monetary award to go towards flight training, free ground school, and 10% aircraft rental. As if that is not great enough, I am pleased to announce another essay contest! This one is for the teenaged gals, and this essay contest winner will win a free flight lesson and a Sporty's private pilot training course! Thanks for the Sugarloaf chapter of the Ninety-Nines for bringing in this additional contest! Visit the Women Fly it Forward website to find out how to qualify! Reminder, we still need more sponsors, the more we get, the bigger these awards will be and the farther our future female pilots will go in their training!
1/15/12
Yesterday's Promo Video
1/13/12
The Women Fly it Forward Essay Contest Just Got Better!
1/11/12
Got the Jacket!
12/23/11
Happy Holidays from the Women Of Aviation Worldwide
Most women are just not interested in aviation?!
11/16/11
Fly it Forward Announced on AOPA Online
2011 Event:
5/6/11
Fly it Forward Awards Ceremony
Today we celebrated KFDK winning the title of "The World's Most Female Friendly Airport in the World" the way we know best, by barbecuing out at a hangar! Aviation Insurance Resources sponsored the BBQ where over 25 individuals were in attendance enjoying a smorgasbord of food, including an airport theme cake I had made (Bob added a control tower for me, complete with "z"s coming out of the window!). Our backdrops for the event were not only the Cessna 180 and the Pitts in the hangar, a "Most Female Friendly Airport" banner donated by AOPA decorated the walls as well. Outside, we had an even better ambiance, storms were all around us, but only a small shower greeted us for a small period of time. Fascinating lightening lit the skies just miles away and we were greeted by a double rainbow and some very unique mamatus clouds. After the guests had munched for awhile I made a quick thank you announcement and awarded Lin Caywood the "Most Dedicated Female Pilot" runner up trophy and then the "Most Female Friendly Airport" trophy to airport manager Keven Daugherty and the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, Josh Russin.
All in all, the BBQ was a great event, with great people, celebrating a great achievement. Great! Too see more photos from this great (did I say that already) time visit the photo gallery. Thanks to ThePilotReport for being my paparazzi for the day!
4/11/11
Frederick, Md., airport dubbed "most female-friendly"
4/8/11
Frederick dubbed most female-friendly airport
Originally published April 08, 2011
By Ike Wilson
Frederick Municipal Airport received the "Most Female-Friendly Airport" designation following the Women Fly it Forward event on March 12.
The airport got the award for introducing the most women to aviation during "Women of Aviation Week" -- March 7 to 13.
"We broke the world record for the most women introduced to aviation during one day at one location," event organizer Victoria Neuville said.
The award stemmed from an original challenge in 2010 to celebrate the centennial of the first licensed woman pilot by holding events at airports to fly women who had never been in a small airplane to expose them to general aviation.
The 2010 events were so successful the challenge was reissued for 2011. One of the specific components of the challenge was to fly as many women during a single day to earn the most female-friendly airport designation. Frederick's 185 passengers surpassed the previous record of 171.
The trophy, donated by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, will be presented to the airport community at an award ceremony and barbecue in May. Frederick Mayor Randy McClement and volunteers and pilots who helped make the event possible will be invited.
Women of Aviation Week -- a community of people who believe the aviation industry would be better off with more women involved -- will present the award.
The airport also won a Global Positioning System safety seminar valued at $149, which will be awarded to the pilots who volunteered for the event.
In addition to the airport award, Frederick pilot Lin Caywood won the first runner-up trophy for the "Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World" for flying 15 women during the event.
"It was so much fun being able to share my passion for flight with these ladies, who ranged from teenagers to grandmothers," Caywood said. "All had a great interest in experiencing flight -- maybe some just to check it off their life events list, but a few because they wanted to pursue flying for pleasure or for a career."
Caywood has reconnected with one of her passengers who has started studying for her private pilot training and will be taking her first lesson in a few weeks, she said.
"My passengers all were very excited to be able to fly with me, they asked lots of great questions and were appreciative of having an event dedicated to women," Caywood said.
The event offered 20 planes and one helicopter that spent five hours introducing the 185 women to aviation. Each ride was about 20 minutes long and gave the participants a quick glimpse of how the world looked below.
After their flight, the Experimental Aircraft Association provided participants the opportunity to see the engine of an aircraft, and to perform a pre-flight check.
The air traffic manager from Andrews Air Force Base and a helicopter squadron commander talked about aviation.
Neuville said she's eager to organize another event next year. All the volunteers have agreed to do it again and several girls signed up for their discovery flight.
"I like Frederick airport because although I am relatively new to the area it didn't take long to feel like home," Neuville said. "All the pilots and other people I met around the airport were more than willing to help out with the event and give me their support. It's a really great community."
4/6/11
4/4/11
2011 Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week winners announced
April 4, 2011
in Headlines, Latest News by Intl Team Leader
“Smiles for miles” was the title of an article describing the amazing event organized by Victoria Neuville in Frederick, Maryland, USA. With 185 flights, the Frederick Airport Aviation Community wins the coveted “Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the World” title.
In the pilot categories, Dianna Stanger of Port Lavaca, TX, introduced 98 girls and women to flying in her Eurocopter EC120 and wins the “Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World” title and AOPA’s exclusive watch while Laith Barnhill of Arlington, WA, USA wins the “Most Supportive Male Pilot in the World” title and AOPA’s Zulu watch.
Cathy Montgomery of Peterborough, ON, CANADA, flew her open cockpit Trike in -2 Celsius temperature 19 times to earn the “Most Dedicated Female Flight Instructor in the World” title. In Arlington, WA, USA, Casey Cowan braved the rainy weather and introduced 23 girls and women to flying to win the “Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor in the World” title.
Jasmine Gordon of Port Lavaca, TX, USA, chose to give back to the people who give so much to the local community. She invited volunteers of local non-profit organizations to come to the airport for a flight. She wins the “Most Creative Aviation Advocate” title.
View the full list of award winners here.
“Why I Want To Fly” was the question for the Karlene Petitt’s writing contest. Ciara Thompson of GHANA, is the worldwide winner of the contest. Sarah Higgins of the USA sent the winning art titled “Flying Free From the Chains of the Earth” and Terri Donner of the USA sent the winning photo.
View the full list of contest winners here.
Thanks to the support of our Gold sponsor, Direct-to Savvy GPS Pilot, our Silver sponsors AOPA and Out of Blue Aviation, and our Bonze Sponsors, Flyabout, Windtee, Aircraft Spruce, Breaking Through The Clouds, Flight to Success, Powder Puff Pilot, Galvin Flying Services, myPilotSupplies.com, myFlightCoach.com, Girls With Wings, Atlantic Aviation and Flight Center, SeaplaneForums.com, Aviation World, Pacific Skies Aviation, and REMOS Aircraft, many prizes were awarded to pilots, first flight candidates, and event volunteers. Random drawings were done using the unbiased www.random.org.
View the names of the prize winners:
Over seven hundred girls and women introduced to flying and several thousandths more aware of the opportunities available to them in aviation are the true winners of this event.
“It was a lot of fun – I have signed up for my first lesson/flight encounter at the Gaithersburg Airpark,” said Carol of Maryland, USA.
There are many more comments and thank you’s for each organizer, pilot, and volunteer. Your generosity and kindness were noticed. Each and everyone of you is an amazing ambassador of aviation. Thank you.
3/26/11
Frederick Women Fly Higher
3/23/11
The world’s first licensed female pilot, a French socialite named Raymonde de Laroche, declared in 1910 that flying was ideal for women because it didn’t rely on strength as much as on physical and mental coordination.
No doubt Laroche and the pioneering women pilots who came after her hoped that others would follow their lead and flood the ranks of aviation.
More than 100 years later, it hasn’t happened. Here in the United States, women are in the House and in the Senate, the boardrooms of major businesses, and in the armed forces. And while they’re also at the airports, women represent a paltry 6 percent of the pilot population. What’s more, the number of women pilots has decreased in the last 15 years—keeping pace with the general decline in the pilot population—in spite of the fact that the number of women living in the United States increased by 30 percent during the same period.
A grassroots effort launched in 2010 seeks to reverse that trend. Getting women to the airport and introducing them to aviation was the goal of the 2010 Women Pilot Centennial. By the end of the year, pilots around the world had carried more than 1,600 girls and women aloft in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Laroche’s achievement. The effort became a yearlong competition to see which airport would be designated most “women friendly.” The winner was Oshawa Airport in Ontario, Canada, where pilots racked up 475 introductory flights. A close second was Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Washington, where 407 women and girls received introductory flights—173 of which were conducted in a single day.
International organizer Mireille Goyer had planned to celebrate the centennial by introducing women and girls to flying in France, the United States, and Canada. She broadened her approach to invite pilots everywhere to take up the cause.
The centennial has come and gone, but the goal continues in 2011. The week of March 7 through 13 was designated Women of Aviation Week as a part of the one-hundredth anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8). Once again, pilots are urged to put out the welcome mat by introducing girls and women to the world of flight.
There were prizes and recognition for categories such as Most Unusual Introductory Flight, Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor, and Most Dedicated Female Pilot. Some museums and flight schools are offering special programs. More details can be found at the website (www.womenofaviationweek.org), which includes a detailed list of events planned in the United States, Canada, France, Ghana, and the United Kingdom. AOPA is a sponsor, along with Aircraft Spruce, SavvyGPS Pilot, and Windtee. Also on board are the producers of documentaries Breaking Through the Clouds, which tells the story of the 1929 Women’s Transcontinental Air Race, and Flyabout, a pilot’s story of her aviation-oriented “walkabout” in Australia.
“I didn’t have much support when I was getting my ratings,” says Neuville. Her father and grandfathers were pilots—her great uncle was a World War II ace—and so she had plenty of role models, but not the emotional support she wanted. “I knew a lot of guys but I did not meet a single girl in my training. Girls need other girls for support. Since I had none of that, I wanted to make sure that other girls weren’t afraid to start, or quit early from lack of support.”
Neuville hopes to draw 300 women and girls to FDK, and she has put together a slate of activities, including prize drawings and speakers such as an air traffic controller, a wing walker, and a squadron from Andrews Air Force Base. There are incentives for the pilots, too: Neuville negotiated a 50-cent-per-gallon discount on aviation fuel from Landmark Aviation, the local FBO. Everyone who takes an introductory flight will be able to download a photo from a website to post on Facebook—and Neuville is aiming to see hundreds of profile pictures of smiling faces in airplanes.
“If one woman will fly, more will,” she says. “Aviation is such a great community. Every pilot I’ve met is so helpful and willing to share their aviation stories. I think women would, too. If they hear about more women in aviation, more women will come.”
Neuville works with Jon Harden of Aviation Insurance Resources in Frederick and says she is thrilled to have a job in aviation as well as the chance to fly Harden’s Cessna 172.
Neuville and Goyer share the desire to pay forward—or fly forward, if you will—their opportunities. “I believe the best way to thank a role model is to pay it forward by putting into application what you have learned from them,” Goyer says.
If you didn’t make it to the airport on March 12, the opportunity to take someone flying is as close as the next sunny day. Aviation has the reputation of being a boys’ club. We know it’s open to everyone. Invite a friend to share the sky with you.
E-mail the author at jill.tallman@aopa.org. Photography by Chris Rose.
3/23/11
One Person Can Make a Difference
3/22/11
Joint Base Andrew's Women 'Fly it Forward' during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week
by Airman 1st Class Bahja J. Jones
11th Wing Public Affairs
3/16/2011 - Frederick, Md. -- In the month of March, people take the time to observe Women's History Month and recognize the many contributions and accomplishments of women worldwide. In celebration of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, March 7-13, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association sponsored 'Women Fly it Forward' at the Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md., March 12.
Joint Base Andrew's own Lt. Col. Julie Grundahl, 1st Helicopter Squadron commander, along with other female representatives of the 1 HS, the 79th Medical group as well as the Andrews Air Traffic Control Tower, were invited to showcase their work as women in aviation career fields.
"The purpose of the event is to get women involved in aviation based professions to come speak about their specific aviation geared jobs," said Colonel Grundahl. "Women and children of all ages are able to find out how they can get involved in civilian, military and government aviation careers."
Norma Ely, Federal Aviation Administration Andrews Tower Air Traffic manager here, had a table set up and educated approximately 250 "young aspiring pilots and aviators" about air traffic, the FAA as well as future careers within the FAA.
The Joint Base Andrews women flew to the site in a UH-1N Huey helicopter and set up a static display. Visitors were able to enter the aircraft, look around, and even sit down in the pilot's seats as they were educated by the Andrews women.
First Lt. Danielle Caretti, 1 HS special mission's pilot, assisted Abbie Greer, 16, into the pilot's seat and allowed her to try on the helmet as she answered questions about the buttons and features on the aircraft.
They also explained to the visitors that aviation careers involve more than just flying planes. Maj. Jennifer Walters, 79 MDG critical nursing care director at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., brought her critical transport and Air Evacuation display charts that depict the transfer of injured soldiers from overseas.
"My job focuses on brining the guys back home," said Major Walters.
Also in attendance was 1st Lt. Danielle Gleason, 779th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace physiologist, who works with the pilots of several different types of aircraft to analyze the many flying variables and risk factors relating to altitude, oxygen levels, etc. and trains the pilots accordingly.
"I think it's important that we are here to advertise the opportunities that women have to take part various aviation career fields. Also we are creating awareness that these opportunities are available to women," said Colonel Grundahl.
3/17/11
Maryland Newsline
3/17/11
3/17/11
3/16/11
‘Smiles for miles’: Maryland event takes 185 women aloft
TJ Shembekar, an information technology executive and instrument-rated private pilot based out of Tampa Executive Airport in Florida, flew his Cirrus SR22 Turbo G3 more than 800 miles to help introduce women and girls to flying.
Shembekar, who loves to share his aviation adventures in his blog, learned about the event from organizer Victoria Neuville’s aviation blog. He had stopped at Frederick once before, as part of an effort to fly to all 50 states—he’s reached 33 so far, he said—and decided to make the trip again. He said he enjoyed the experience of introducing people to general aviation for the first time.
“A lot of them don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I was impressed with the enthusiasm, and … how inquisitive they were.” As they flew over the rolling hills of Maryland, Shembekar said, the passengers got to notice landscape features they never paid attention to on the ground and experience the freedom of flying GA.
“Hopefully I’ll contribute to them catching the bug.”
—Sarah Brown
3/15/11
Fly it Forward Feedback
I thought I was finished getting flooded with emails because the day of Fly it Forward in Frederick had come and gone; I was wrong. I have been overwhelmed with such positive thanks from volunteers, pilots and participants alike. What an impact this event has had! Thank you to all who made it possible, you really made a difference in each of these ladies' lives!
"I remember one specific individual - a young woman in her early twenties - who was a true natural. I let her take the stick and she was able to hold altitude and heading within commercial standards. I told her it would be a shame if she didn't capitalize on this gift and pursue her dream of aviation. So many great questions and such incredible interest. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. The weather was excellent and, despite the winds, the air was relatively smooth." Frank, pilot
"That was SO fun.. I wanna buy a plane now... lol...Thanks so much for doing that for all of us!" Monica, participant
"
"What an awesome time! There were smiles for miles including my own. I had a blast watching all the ladies go and return from the free flight." Paula, participant
"Awesome, awesome event!" Jamie, participant
"This would have been a great success even if it wasn't the first time out." David, pilot
"Congratulations to Victoria, Sugarloaf, the 99s, and everyone who made Women Fly It Forward such a huge success! Volunteers who stuck it out in the cold breeze were rewarded with a great BBQ afterwards that really hit the spot. Thanks everyone - I think we all had a great time!" Debi, volunteer
"Congrats to Victoria and many thanks to her and the rest of the 99's and other fliers that helped make the day an incredible success. I was so impressed with how the day progressed and the positive experiences received by all participants. Looking forward to future events like this in Frederick." Lin, pilot
"Pretty amazing event from what I saw." John, transient pilot
The couple dozen pilots who were ready to go, rose to the occasion and were able to take all 181 passengers up for what I am sure was a memorable experience! (Hopefully, at least one of them will have been inspired to begin flight training of their own!)" TJ, pilot
3/14/11
3/14/11
3/14/11
"Women Fly it Forward" Draws Hundreds of Potential Female Pilots
3/13/11
185 Women Introduced to Aviation at KFDK
I used to think that I had to get all my ratings and become a successful professional pilot before I could make a difference in aviation. I have had countless hurdles and delays in my pursuing my aviation career from monetary issues to a medical scare. I have recently learned, however, that I can make an impact regardless of my piloting title. I have never truly felt a "part" of aviation until this year, when it came to sharing aviation with others despite my frustration of where I am at with my pilot training.
In December of 2010 I decided I wanted to put on a Fly it Forward event introducing non-pilot women to aviation at my new home base, Frederick Municipal Airport. Frederick airport is home to the largest general aviation advocate organization and aviation magazine, AOPA as well as two flight schools and a wealth of eclectic pilots. I thought what a better way to get connected in my new aviation community then hosting an event where everyone can get involved?
While the event was a definite challenge to put together, it couldn't have gone more smoothly. We had over 30 volunteers willing and eager to help out. This event also would not have been possible that without the great support of all of our sponsors: Frederick Flight Center, EAA Chapter 524, Sugarloaf Ninety Nines, Girls with Wings, DC Metro Aviation Club, The Spin Offs Aviation Club, Powder Puff Pilot, Paula Paiva Photography, The Seaplane Pilot Network, Patty Wagstaff Airshows, Morgan Stanley, The Savory Spoon, Landmark Aviation, Giant, AOPA and Aviation Insurance Resources.
20 planes and one helicopter spent five hours introducing 185 women to aviation. Each ride was about 20 minutes long and gave the girls and women a quick glimpse of how the world looked below. After their flight the participants went over to the education center where the EAA provided them time to see what the engine of an aircraft looks like and how to perform a pre-flight. The Air Traffic Manager from Andrews Air Force Base, Norma Ely was there to talk to the participants as well as the Andrews Air Force Base 1st Helicopter Squadron commanded by Lt Col Julie Grundahl. The helicopter squadron flew a Huey in for display at the event and the MD State Police got to bring theirs over last minute as well! Jennifer Reineck a First Officer from Air Wisconsin Airlines, Jane Wicker from Jane Wicker Airshows and the Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines completed the impressive list of individuals prepared to answer any participants questions and to inspire them into future careers.
There was not a frown to be seen at KFDK on Saturday. Each participant came out of the plane excited and smiling! One was so eager and had no fear that she got to experience a roll in an aerobatic aircraft! Others were allowed to take the controls and see what flying an airplane felt like. Several went out of the doors of the aircraft and into the doors of the flight school to purchase their discounted discovery flight!
Our oldest participant was in her 70's the youngest, merely six months old! They came from all walks of life and from all over the DC, MD, VA area. One individual, Mary, has worked for the FAA creating instrument approach charts for 27 years and had never been in a small aircraft before. Saturday we gave her the experience and showed her just how her work keeps pilots safe in the clouds. A 12 year old, Summer, was very nervous when about to go up in a Cessna 180. When she finally got in and they took off she exclaimed, "This plane is slow!"
I was exhausted spending about 11 hours at the airport on Saturday, but couldn't have been more thrilled. Saturday we inspired a future generation of pilots and for those who are not going to sign up for their next flight, we provided them with a unique view not seen by many and a day at the airport full of fun, food and smiles!
03/12/11
Today is the Day!
Today is Women Fly it Forward at KFDK! We have many challenges ahead of us today, we have less pilots due to family emergencies, house emergencies and a few who decided that the gusty winds expected is over their minimums. I'm very thankful to those pilots for being honesty with me about what they felt comfortable flying in, for safety is our first priority. It's supposed to be clear, sunny and 60 degrees today, however, the winds are at 18 knots and gusty. Let's hope it decides to go right down the runway! Either way, no matter how many girls get to go for a free ride, I am just happy at how many people, male and female, are coming out to spend time at the airport today!
03/11/10
Women Get Chance in Frederick to Take to the Skies for Free
03/10/11
We're up to 230!
03/08/11
Over 200 Ladies Registered for WFIF KFDK!
03/06/11
Happy Women of Aviation Week!
03/03/11
150 participants signed up for Fly it Forward!
03/01/11
WFIF in the Village Connector
by: Rachel Kingstrom FREDERICK, MD
The world of aviation has greatly enriched Neuville’s life and she hopes it will have the same impact on other women. In an effort to make Frederick Municipal Airport the “most female-friendly” airport and to increase interest in aviation among women, Neuville is hosting Women Fly it Forward on Sat., March 12, 2011. The event takes place on March 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Frederick Municipal Airport. Despite some gains over the past century, the number of female pilots has decreased in the past 15 years. Neuville, age 25, attributes the decline to the difference in the way men and women communicate. “As [the number of female pilots] dropped, future women pilots lost that female support,” said Neuville. “Hopefully, with more women entering the field it can start building like a snowball and get that number up.”
02/26/11
As of 7 pm tonight these are the numbers registered for Women Fly it Forward
We have 25 pilots eagerly awaiting to introduce many to aviation!
If we have all airplanes in the sky at once, we would have 49 ladies in the air every 1/2 hour!
We have planes made by 10 different companies! To include:
1 Glasair, 2 Cirrus (SR20 & SR22 GTS), 9 Cessnas (140, 170, 5 172s, 180 & 182),
1 Decathalon, 1 RV6, 1 Diamond,
5 Pipers (Archer, Cherokee Six, Arrow, Saratoga & PiperSport),
1 Mooney, 1 Allegro, 1 Aircam &1 R44 helicopter!
Who will be the passengers? 132 excited women!
Who will help out? 30 amazing volunteers and 7 inspiring presenters!
The countdown has begun!
02/25/11
WFIF in AOPA ePilot
No wonder I got bombarded with 13 emails about the event first thing this morning!
02/23/11
BBQ After WFIF
There will be a thank you BBQ to all pilots and volunteers at the Aviation Insurance Resources hangar after Women Fly it Forward on March 12th!
02/22/11
We now have an R44 helicopter flying the event!
02/21/11
100 registered for Fly it Forward!
02/18/11
Click the link below to watch the video:
FREDERICK, MD - Frederick resident, Victoria Neuville, slid into her first pilot seat at age 16 and now she's hoping to get other women to do the same.
02/17/11
02/15/11
Local pilot works to introduce women to aviation
Originally published February 15, 2011
By Ike Wilson
New Post Staff
Only 6 percent of 600,000 active U.S. pilots are women. Victoria Neuville is working to increase that number.Neuville said her dream is to inspire new pilots, share the love of aviation and navigate the aviation profession to a promising future.
"My goal is to introduce as many women as possible to the wonders of aviation," the Frederick resident said.
Neuville, an instrument-rated pilot, describes herself as eclectic and passionate, someone who is always dreaming and an avid crocheter.
"I'm a girl who loves to be on a mission, whether it's organizing a fundraiser or seeing how many turtles I can catch in the lake in a day," she said.
A member of the Centennial of Women Pilots, Neuville will join a friendly competition aimed at designating the "Most Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport in the World."
The contest takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 12 at Frederick Municipal Airport during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week.
The first woman pilot, Raymonde de Laroche, earned her pilot's license in 1910.
At that time, 3 percent of all pilots were women. Today, 101 years later, 6 percent of all pilots are women, Neuville said.
"We're inviting all nonpilot women -- young and old -- for a free flight to see all the amazing opportunities aviation has to offer," Neuville said.
Sponsored by the Centennial of Women Pilots, the competition logs the number of women who attend the contest. The airport with the largest number of attendees wins the title, which is now held by Oshawa, Canada.
Oshawa, Canada, introduced 262 women to the skies last year for the title but Neuville believes Frederick has the potential to top that number.
"While that number is staggering and could be hard to beat, I believe Frederick has a community that knows how to make a difference," Neuville said.
Laroche said, "Flying is the best possible thing for women, and I need help to introduce women to this best possible experience and in turn, create the world's most-female friendly airport," Neuville said. To accomplish her goal, Neuville is asking local aviation businesses and pilots to donate their time, aircraft, facilities, food or other services to help make the event a success.
The event also needs volunteers and sponsors. Donors will have their names printed in the program.
After their flight, people can explore the Aviation Education Center operated by the Experimental Aircraft Association and talk with successful women in the aviation industry, including a wing walker, aerobatic performer, air traffic controller and United States Air Force pilots.
02/14/11
I'm going to be in the Frederick News Post tomorrow for the "Slice of Life" column! Great promo for Fly it Forward! :)
02/10/11
AOPA Article
02/09/11
02/07/11
Volunteers Needed
02/06/11
First Flight
My first flight was when I was a newly licensed driver, I had just completed ground school with my father and signed up for my discovery flight. I was nervous and excited, to make matters worse, my flight instructor was cute AND had a great accent! That was a combination that proved overwhelming for a teenage girl. I remember being in awe at the fact that he let me take off all by myself; it proved to be a steep climb in which my father recalls almost loosing his stomach in the back seat. We did some turns to practice handling the airplane and the instructor commented on how smooth I was at the controls. "The cute pilot complimented me! Eeek!" I most likely turned a great shade of tomato. I landed with assistance and ran off the next morning to tell all my classmates how I was going to be a pilot!
What was your first general aviation flight like? Share in a comment below, give our Fly it Forward participants a look into all the exhilaration they are in for!
02/05/11
201st Post!
Woman Fly it Forward is doing great, people are sharing the news of our event and others in the US all over social media. I have yet to go through all the RSVPs of participants I received while on vacation. The days are ticking away and the numbers are getting bigger!
01/25/11
1. Click on the flier below
2. Save it to your desktop
3. Email it to all your family and friends
Good job!
We have 14 planes with pilots and 40+ ladies ready to fly and counting!
01/20/11
THIS JUST IN!
$.50 off per gallon of gas for all pilots flying for Woman Fly it Forward!!! Now if that's not a reason to volunteer, what is? :)
12/28/10
CELEBRATING HISTORY * RAISING AWARENESS * SHAPING THE FUTURE
Women of Aviation Week
---------------------------------------------------
Frederick Event: March 10th, 2012
2012 Event:Last year Frederick Municipal Airport became the "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the World" through Women of Aviation Week, an organization whose aim is to promote and support women who are entering and already involved in the aviation community. The event's aim was to introduce as many women who have never been in small aircraft before to flight in one day as possible. In only five hours, 185 women took flight on March 12, 2011, breaking records.Women of Aviation Week is back again in 2012, with the Frederick event being March 10th, hoping to outdo the last Frederick event while celebrating 101 years of the first licensed female pilot. The goal of this year’s event is to not only introduce many women to aviation, but ensure that one lucky girl continues her aviation dream through a flight training monetary award. First time flyers who had participated in the 2011 or 2012 event can apply by writing an essay expressing their dedication and commitment towards obtaining a pilot certificate. The winner will be selected by a panel from the local Ninety-Nines chapter.Also new for this year we will have tethered hot air balloon flights for all interested individuals from Tailwinds Over Frederick, so there is definitely something for everyone!I am reaching out to local businesses to donate towards this scholarship to make a difference in someone’s life. In addition, this is a great opportunity for your company to be promoted to the community. All sponsors will be featured on the Frederick Fly it Forward event webpage and thanked in the event program. Sponsors who donate $500 or more will be considered gold sponsors, those who contribute $200 or more, silver, and those who donate $50 or more, bronze.
I understand volunteering at this event takes a lot of commitment, but I would be honored if those who helped out last year would be willing to donate their time and aircraft again this year. I would love to see many familiar faces as well as new ones at this year’s event. Once again, I will promise many smiling women and an awesome BBQ once again sponsored by Aviation Insurance Resources!How will you be involved this year? A sponsor? Pilot? Ground volunteer?
To the date, only 6% of pilots are female. You can an active part in making that number grow. The first licensed women pilot, Baroness de Laroche once said, “Flying is the best possible thing for women.” Help me to introduce women to this “best possible” experience and in turn, create the world’s most female pilot friendly airport for the second year running!Check out the NEW webpage for Frederick's event: www.WomenFlyitForward.com.Thanks for your time! Let's do this!!!
4/13/2012
Mark your calendars!
The Women Fly it Forward essay contest winners will be announced Monday!
4/12/2012
Check out the Fly it Forward Podcast on AVWeb
April 9, 2012
Podcast: Female-Pilot-Friendly Yellowknife
By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief
The second Women of Aviation Worldwide Week competition to see which airport community can give the most women and girls their first flight in a small aircraft was held a month ago, and the results are in. Organizer Mireille Goyer explains to AVweb's Russ Niles how Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territories, unseated Frederick, Maryland for the title — and what it all means for aviation.
4/11/2012
Women Fly it Forward - The Video!
It is finally here - the Frederick Airport's Women Fly it Forward 2012 compilation video! If you have 10 minutes to spare, or even if you don't, it is worth a watch! Note: Feel free to donate a new computer for my future video editing needs. Thank you :o)
4/4/2012
FDK Airport: The Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the US!
More than 1,100 girls and women take flight for the first time during the 2012 WOAW week
April 4, 2012 in Latest News by Intl Team Leader
Pilots from 7 countries piloted ultra lights, homebuilts, single and
multi-engine airplanes, as well as helicopters to introduce a total of
1,104 girls and women to the joys of flying during the second annual
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week held from March 5 to 11, 2012 – a 40%
increase of flights over the preceding year.
In 1912, Harriet Quimby became the first woman pilot to fly across
the English Channel and Hélène Dutrieu became the first woman to pilot a
seaplane. To celebrate the centennial of these ground breaking
achievements, a ground breaking aviation event was held on March 10,
2012.
he commemoration event involved simultaneous celebrations at two
airports in two countries located in two time zones and pilots from
multiple countries introducing girls and women to flying above the
English Channel using aircraft of various categories. More than 100
pilots and female passengers took part of celebrations at England’s
Headcorn Aerodrome and France’s Le Touquet Airport.
Meanwhile, all across North America, pilots joined in the celebration
by taking girls and women from their community for their first flight
in a small aircraft. 1,063 flight introductions were documented on March 10, 2012 alone.
In Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, 27 local businesses as
well as the Canadian military rallied around helicopter bush pilot,
Kirsten Brazier, to provide static displays as well as funds and
logistics to allow four of Trinity Helicopters’ pilots – Kirsten
Brazier, Megan Tyler, Derrick Robinson, and Robert Ferlisi – to take
over 400 local girls and women on their first small aircraft flight and,
in doing so, earned the Yellowknife Airport the coveted “Most
Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport Worldwide” title.The four pilots also took top positions in the “Most Dedicated Woman
Pilot Worldwide” and “Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide” categories.
These categories were a Canadian sweep with Lesley Page of Oshawa,
Ontario, earning the second runner up position of the women category
while Hubert Wren and Ron Hasman of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, tie
in the second runner up position of the male category.
Making a difference in one’s own community is an essential
characteristic of Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week activities. In
Frederick, Maryland, USA, pilot Victoria Neuville had to put pilots and
passengers on a waiting list due to the overwhelming enthusiasm.
Nearly 60 more girls and women flew for the first time than did in
2011. The total, 244 introduction flights, help Frederick reestablish
itself as Most Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport in the United States and
earned it the first runner up position worldwide. Frederick was also
home to the Most Supportive Flight Instructor Worldwide and first runner
up in the category, Ron Herold and Richard Finati, respectively.
In Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Cathy Montgomery, an ultra light
flight instructor, hosted a Fly It Forward event. Pilots from around
Southern Ontario introduced 213 girls and women to flying placing
Peterborough in the second runner up position of the Most
Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport Worldwide category. Peterborough was also
home to two women friendly flight instructors, Cathy Montgomery and
Leigh Ehrmann.
Overall, no airport had more women friendly flight instructors than
Boise, Idaho, USA, did. Three of Ponderosa Aeroclub’s instructors,
Jennifer Christiano, Tanis Partee, and Rick Laytham, earned a position
on the podium in their respective women friendly flight instructor
categories. Meanwhile, Worland, Wyoming, was home to the Most Dedicated
Female Flight Instructor Worldwide, Mary Ann Dach.
The Spirit of the Women Of Aviation Worldwide award that rewards the
woman that undertook the most women of aviation activities within the
year was awarded to Lesley Page of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, who not only
personally offered many flights to girls and women throughout the year
but also gave speeches in her community about Women Of Aviation and
mentored several event organizers.
An early extreme weather season whipping lines of thunderstorms
across southern Texas prevented Calhoun Flight Center from defending its
various titles on both days of their 2-day planned event while seasonal
weather kept Oregon grounded.
In partnership with Airbus and with the support of our generous
sponsors, many prizes were awarded to participants. Four pilots each won
a Sennheiser S1 Digital headset. One pilot won a one year subscription
to Baron’s Quicklink Wings Elite Plan, while another won Barry Schiff’s
entire collection of books. Other prizes included Aircraft Spruce gift
cards, OSRM courses, Powder Puff t-shirts, and Windtee books. The
winners of the FFPLUM flight coupons will soon take their first flight
lesson in ultra lights while the winners of the writing and art contests
will select a flight school and type of aircraft their first lesson.
“I so enjoyed the experience….I can’t wait to fly again,” said Karen,
Frederick, Maryland, USA. In fact, 92% of our feedback survey
respondents said that they would consider becoming involved in aviation
as a result of the experience.
Congratulations to everyone who participated!
The 2013 Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week will take place from March 4
to March 10, 2013. The 2013 theme will be “Women and Space” as the
world will celebrate 50 years of women in space.
4/2/2012
SMAC Episode 21 with a Fly it Forward Recap!
In this episode of the Stuck Mic AvCast, we talked about a
quick recap of the Women Fly It Forward event back on March 10th, 2012.
Carl was attending the Planes, Trains, & Automobiles event at Plant
City Airport, Florida during recording so you’ll enjoy a fun airplane
sound seeing tour as airplanes takeoff in the background. Then Len
finally got to share his Super Cub Alaska bush flying adventure stories
from Summer 2010 and Winter 2012. Special thanks of our sponsor, Keel & Curley Winery for lending us their hangar at Plant City!
Listen now :)
3/30/2012
Flight Training Essay Contest: Tomorrow is the last day!
Tomorrow is the final day to submit your essays for the Frederick Women Fly it Forward essay contests! Free flight lessons are up for grabs and I guarantee it is an opportunity you do not want to miss out on! I wish I could apply for it! Click here for more information!
3/27/2012
$ for Flight Training at KFDK is still up for grabs!
If you knew anyone who flew for the
first time at the 2011 or 2012 Frederick Women Fly it Forward event
please encourage them to enter the essay contest for FREE money towards
flight training! It ends March 31st!!! Go to www.womenflyitforward.com under the "flight award" tab for more information!
3/21/12
Essay Contest Ends March 31st!
Time is flying, especially if you
took your first flight at the Women Fly it Forward event in 2011 or
2012. If so, you could qualify to enter an essay contest to win FREE
FLIGHT TRAINING! Do not let this opportunity pass you by! Check out
the Women Fly it Forward webpage for more details under the "Flight Award" tab.
Did
you stop by the Cookie Lee or Rendi displays at the show? Did you see
something you like? If you place an order from either company by March
24th, 20% of the proceeds will go towards the flight award essay
contest! So get a new bracelet or picture frame for yourself, well
helping a future flyer! When ordering from Cookie Lee, be sure to put "FIF" in the hostess box, and use party ID#906 for Rendi.
So let the words flow and shop away!
3/16/12
Fly it Forward Essay Submissions
3/15/12
Flying, it’s not a 'boy thing'
Flying, it’s not a 'boy thing'
By Alyssa J. Miller
With a 360-degree view of the airport environment, tower tourists
could imagine directing a conga line of general aviation aircraft making
10-mile circuits at Maryland’s Frederick Municipal Airport. Others took
control of aircraft for the first time in that conga line.
The field transformed into a hub of activity on March 10 for Women of
Aviation Worldwide Week’s Fly it Forward Day with 27 aviators and
aviatrixes alike volunteering to take 242 girls and women aloft for free
20-minute flights. The day shattered the previous year’s record of 185.
High-performance aircraft provided flights over scenic Harper’s
Ferry, W.Va., to the west while other aircraft departed to the northeast
over a patchwork of farmland. Two curious teenagers who flew with a
male pilot asked afterward if any women were flying; they were quickly
introduced to one of the female flight instructors giving rides that
day.
Word of the event spread throughout the community, attracting every age
from toddler to retiree, pairs of mothers and daughters, groups of
friends, and Brownie Troop members looking for adventure. It also drew
dads, grandfathers, husbands, and brothers, but they remained
earth-bound, manning cameras and taking in other festivities. In all,
more than 500 people took part in the event, according to organizer
Victoria Neuville. The local pilot community and businesses provided
royal treatment, including free fixed-wing and helicopter flights, tours
of the fully equipped but not-yet-operational air traffic control
tower, an aircraft display, flight lesson information packets, free
food, and more.
One girl learned for the first time that becoming a pilot was an option
for her: She had “told her father that she didn’t think she could become
a pilot because ‘it was a boy thing,’” Neuville wrote in her blog
shortly after the event. Attendees also learned about many aspects of
aviation, including the Air Force flying, air traffic control, hot air
balloons, and even wing walking. “Children were in awe as Jane Wicker
demonstrated how she gets out of her biplane in flight and proceeds to
walk—without harness or wire—out onto the wing of the aircraft,”
Neuville wrote. Wicker’s Stearman was a popular part of the aircraft
display, as was a hot air balloon basket and burners, and Flying Wild Alaska cast member Sarah Fraher.
Many walked away with an interest in learning to fly. One of the flight
schools on the field sold six discovery flights, according to Neuville.
Volunteer pilots talked about how some of those they took flying were
interested in flight training. David Kenny, the AOPA Foundation’s Air
Safety Institute safety database manager, was one such volunteer. He
flew 12 people in his Arrow, and by his calculations, if the one
teenager who expressed interest in learning to fly follows through,
he’ll consider it a good return on investment.
3/14/12
There was a Fly it Forward Count Error!
...for the better! We flew 244!
3/13/12
The Women Fly it Forward Frederick Recap
Although her parents always told her she could do anything
she put her mind to, Madeleine, age seven, told her father that she didn’t
think she could become a pilot because “it was a boy thing”. So Madeleine’s family came out to Frederick Municipal Airport
for the 2nd annual Women Fly it Forward event aimed at introducing women
to aviation. In 2011, 185 women took to
the skies and the word spread like wildfire.
This year, registration had to close due to high demand almost three
weeks early and the waiting list reached into the 80s. At the end of the great event on Saturday,
March 10th, a grand total of 242 women received free flights, and
over 500 individuals enjoyed festivities at the airport.
The day started out blustery and cold, causing the tethered
hot air balloon rides to be cancelled, however, this did not stop people from
flocking to the airport! The balloon
basket was set up along with the burners and both children and adults enjoyed
taking their pictures in the basket and watching the burners light throughout
the day. Kids and adults not only got to
pose in the balloon basket, but a Lancair Columbia aircraft as well! Headsets were on hand and many people took
the chance to look like a pilot. The
remaining aircraft had the common theme as they all were yellow! A Navy T-34, a Pitts S1 and a Stearman, dubbed
Aurora from Jane Wicker Airshows, were also on display.
Children were in awe as Jane Wicker demonstrated how she
gets out of her biplane in flight and proceeds to walk- without harness or
wire- out onto the wing of the aircraft.
They were amazed to learn that she became a wing walker after reading a
wanted ad for the position in a local newspaper. Jane had no problem sharing her initial fears
and excitement about her early years of wing walking.
Sarah
Fraher from the Discovery Channel’s Flying Wild Alaska
jumped at the opportunity to fly all the way from Alaska to introduce
women to aviation. She had never attended an event like this
before and was a huge hit with pilots present and future. When she
started flying, she didn’t know any
women pilots. Many people were lining up
to take pictures and asking what it was like to fly in Alaska.
She eagerly spoke about how she became a pilot, encouraged all the women
surrounding her to fly, and even asked questions like “have you ever
flown a
lizard before?” (yes!) and “have you seen Bigfoot in Alaska?” (no). A
thirteen year old by the
same name has wanted to become a professional pilot since her first
flight in a
general aviation aircraft over the past summer.
Talking with Sarah Fraher in person and on TV as a successful female
pilot helped encourage her even more. 
Across the ramp, was a meet and greet with the 1st
Helicopter squadron and the 79th Medical Wing of the US Air Force
who flew in with a UH-1 Huey helicopter.
The Maryland State Police also came out to chat with participants next
to their Dauphine
chopper. One participant was so ecstatic
when they let her lay on the stretcher!
Girls with Wings, the Women’s Soaring Pilot Association, and
the Ninety Nines were also represented.
Everyone was welcome to take free shuttles to the opposite
side of the airport to tour Frederick
Airport’s new state of
the art air traffic control tower. Both
shuttles were full for every trip to the tower, allowing for the airport
manager to guide 30 people through the tour at a time.
On the other side of the airport is where participants were
introduced to the sky. Numerous
volunteers helped to beat last year’s record, allowing 242 women to fly. 27 pilots flew 25 planes and one helicopter.
11 ground marshals and 25 other volunteers around the airport helped keep
everyone safe and the airport organized.
Barbara can’t wait to volunteer next year, “Everyone I meet
was so nice and interesting. The people who came for the flights were excited
before and even more so after their first flight!”
The Women Fly it Forward inbox is full of praise and
excitement for flying. Judy wrote, “I
cannot thank you ENOUGH for the surprise and joy riding in a helicopter (vs.
plane for which either was a thrilling thought). The helicopter choice was
awesome! I'm still smiling! Thank you so very much for making a very memorable
day for this ol’ 70 year old!”
“This has been one of the grandest days of my life,” wrote
Sheila.
The day was grand indeed!
Six discovery flights were sold at the local flight school.
Alyssa is a flight instructor and Martine was her first
flight of the day. She was able to take
the controls for some time in the left seat and upon disembarking, immediately
ran up to the flight school to purchase a logbook to be completed. Her husband arrived at the airport shortly
thereafter and the couple now has the aviation bug.
Participants and volunteers alike are already speaking about
the next event. Jeff, who has flown for
in Fly it Forward for the second year is excited for what 2013 will bring,
“thanks for allowing me to participate in a TREMENDOUS event. I enjoyed flying
the women - sign me up for next year!”
Volunteers
enjoyed a thank you BBQ at the Aviation Insurance Resources hangar
following the event. The winds calmed down and a mini airshow was
enjoyed as several volunteer pilots departed. The big hit was when the
hot air balloon, Tailwinds, inflated and Jane Wicker departed off the
runway, smoke blazing creating a brilliant line behind the departing
balloon.
The event is over, but the excitement has not toned
down. Everyone is eagerly waiting to see
who wins the Female
Pilot Friendly
Airport and Most
Dedicated Pilot titles, and essay contests are still up for grabs.
So what happened to little Madeleine who thought that being
a pilot was just for the boys? As her
father tucked her into bed after a long day at the airport he asked if she had
changed her mind.
“Yes!” she replied
Many thanks to all of the volunteers and sponsors who have helped
to make dreams like Madeleine’s come true. For more pictures of the event, visit here!
3/13/12
AOPA Blog: Women Fly it Forward
Bucket lists, new adventures
March 12, 2012 by Alyssa Miller, AOPA Online Managing Editor
On March 10, I had the opportunity to fly in my first
aviation event geared toward taking as many as possible on their first
general aviation flight. Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland (AOPA’s
home base) can get busy, but it’s not often that I see six aircraft
waiting to take off. That’s the way it was for much of the day as pilots
volunteered to take girls and women aloft in aircraft ranging from
Experimentals to helicopters to twins. The effort was part of Women of
Aviation Week’s Fly it Forward Day.
My first passenger was Martine, whose curiosity in airplanes and my
piloting credentials kept me on my toes for answers and explanations.
I let Martine know that I was a flight instructor before loading her
into the left seat. Even though Martine knew many aviation terms, much
of the experience was new, including learning that a Cessna 172 is
steered on the ground by our feet. With so many people in the traffic
pattern, it gave us the perfect opportunity to discuss radio
communications and point out aircraft in the sky.
By the time we took off and leveled at 2,500 feet msl, she was ready
to try her hand at straight and level. By the time we landed, she was
ready to learn to fly! Martine promptly picked up a flight training
packet at the flight school on the field, and I gave her a couple of CFI
recommendations after I made her first entry in the logbook she had
just purchased.
A few hours after the flight Martine had her husband, Bill, come out
to the airport. He wants to learn to fly too. Apparently, learning to
fly is on their “bucket list,” and they want to accomplish their dream
while they still have time to enjoy flying. He had many of the same
questions as Martine, which she proudly answered to prove she remembered
much of our conversation during flight.
Martine and Bill’s enthusiasm for aviation matched that of two of my
other passengers that day–Brownie Troop girls young enough to be their
grandchildren. Each of the girls shared bonding time with her mom while
looking over the patchwork farmland below. They were equally thrilled
when their moms got to “drive” in the air. One girl was so excited she
just started giggling after takeoff. (That’s such a precious sound to
hear coming through the intercom!)
I hope the new adventure for these girls will leave a lasting
impression and inspire them to learn to fly. And, I hope Martine and
Bill get “pilot certificate” checked off their bucket list so they can
travel together by GA.
3/12/12
Frederick's Fly it Forward count is in!!!
242 women who have never been in small aircraft before were introduced to aviation through free flights on Saturday!
3/11/12
Fly it Forward News Report
Check out the video HERE.
FREDERICK, MD - Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot? Or how about walking along the wings of a plane in flight? These women have made a career of it.
Sarah Fraher, a pilot in Era Alaska, says that she "flew down here all the way from Alaska, because (she's) never heard of an event just for young women."
About six out of 100 pilots are female. In honor of aviation week the Frederick Municipal Airport is working to change that by exposing girls of all ages to the career opportunities in flight.
"When I started flying, I didn't know any women pilots," remarked Sarah.
Sarah is a pilot featured in Discovery Channel's show, "Flying Wild Alaska," and says this is a great event to broaden young girls' career sights.
Sarah said, "it's always a shocker to people when I hop out of the plane instead of a guy. I always have the kids saying, 'you're the driver?'"
But even more people can't believe what pilot and wing-walker, Jane Wicker, does for a living.
"The airplane takes off and you climb out, and you climb along the wing of the airplane while it's in flight, right in front of the crowd," said Jane.
Jane says she's one of the few wing-walkers in the world who doesn't use a safety line for the entire flight: "we flip the airplane upside-down and i'm sitting on the bottom of the wing."
An organization called "Pilots 'N Paws" was also represented. Pilots will transport rescued dogs from high-kill shelters via airplane.
Jane stated, "don't let anything stop you--if somebody says 'don't do it,' then just find a way to do it. There's always a way, even if you think there's a lot of hurdles."
Pilots here gave more than 230 girls a free flight. The hope is that those girls will now spread their own wings and fly.
3/11/12
Fly it Forward - Lofty Pursuits
| Lofty pursuits Frederick airport event draws hundreds for first flights in small aircraft Originally published March 11, 2012 By Nicholas C. Stern |
||||||||
On Saturday, Paulsen's 26th birthday, a quick jaunt in a small passenger plane over Frederick helped rekindle her dream of one day earning her pilot's license. "This is more powerful, it feels more exciting," she said, comparing her experience Saturday with flying in a commercial plane. Paulsen was among the 250 women and girls who signed up to take their first trip in a general aviation aircraft at Frederick Municipal Airport as part of Fly It Forward, a worldwide event to introduce women to aviation. Fly It Forward is held during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, which commemorates the week in 1910 when the first female pilot, Raymonde de la Roche, received her pilot's certificate, said Victoria Neuville, organizer of the local event and a pilot herself. Last year, pilots volunteering for Fly It Forward in Frederick provided 185 women with their first small plane ride, earning the airport the title "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the World." This year's event was so popular, Neuville said, that additional slots for rides filled up by January and about 70 people were on a waiting list. Tethered hot air balloon flights were also on Saturday's agenda, but gusty winds forced those pilots to cancel, Neuville said. Instead, children and adults hopped in or inspected the cockpits of helicopters and small aircraft on display on the tarmac. Would-be pilots also penned essays for the event, Neuville said, and the winners received flying lessons as prizes. Sarah Fraher, an Era Alaska pilot featured on the Discovery Channel's "Flying Wild Alaska," was on hand to chat with fans. She said this was the first event of its kind she has attended dedicated to female pilots. One of the few female pilots in her neck of the woods on the Bering Sea coast, Fraher said she hoped her meeting with young women in Frederick would show them they can definitely make a career out of being a pilot. Pat Cooper drove from Timonium to meet and snap a picture with Fraher. After three years of training, Cooper said, she earned her pilot's license in 2000 and an instrument rating in 2002. "It's definitely a man's world," she said of piloting planes. But her husband and all her instructors have happily nurtured her progress, she said. When asked what advice she would give young women interested in becoming pilots, she said to try flying in a small plane just once. "If you really, really like it, you'll get hooked," Cooper said. "It's the adventure of a lifetime. It really is." |
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3/10/12
Over 200 ladies flown!
More details and pictures to come. Need sleep!
3/8/12
A Fly it Forward NOTAM
Oh look! Why would there be a NOTAM out for Frederick Airport on Saturday? :)
FDK 03/003 FDK (O) HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC/FLY IN WEF 1203101500-1203101900
3/8/12
AVWeb talks about Fly it Forward!
A Week To Celebrate Aviation's Women
Over the years, various events to recognize women's contributions
to aviation have been held in March to coincide with Women's History
Month, and this year, many events are scheduled for this week,
in honor of International Women's Day on Thursday. A group based in
Canada has organized Women of Aviation Week Worldwide
to encourage
pilots to introduce women to aviation. This Saturday, pilots can
participate by taking a woman or girl for her first flight, or by taking
part in an airport open house or fly-in event. In Europe on
Saturday, volunteer pilots will fly across the English Channel
to celebrate the
centennial of the first crossing by a female pilot, Harriet Quimby, in
1912. Many more events are planned around the world and throughout the
month.
One of the main fly-in events is scheduled for the Frederick,
Md., airport, this Saturday. Last year, Frederick set the record for
giving the most intro flights to women and girls. The free flights
are already booked (though there is a waiting list), but there are
plenty of events on the field
for everyone, including tours of
the tower, flight simulators, and lots of booths, speakers, and food.
About 100 airports around the world will be hosting flights on Saturday.
Many aviation museums also are hosting special exhibits.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will host a "Women in
Aviation and Space" family day on March 24
at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., and on March 28, curator Valerie Neal will give a talk about female
space shuttle commanders. In New York, the 99s are hosting a tribute to aviation's legendary women at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on
Long Island this Sunday.
3/7/12
Just 3 days until Fly it Forward in Frederick!
Many people say that women aren't interested in aviation, when
in fact over 250 girls and women who have never been in small planes before are
signed up for free flights on Saturday, March 10th at Frederick
Municipal Airport. Registration had to
close almost three weeks before the event and over 60 ladies are eager to get
off the waiting list and into the sky!
In honor of Women of Aviation Week- celebrating when Raymonde
de Laroche of France became
the first woman to earn a pilot license- Frederick Municipal
Airport is hosting Women
Fly it Forward, an event aimed at introducing non-pilot women to aviation. Today, 102 years later, only 6% of the
600,000 active pilots in the United
States are women, a decrease from just
fifteen years ago. In response, female
pilots from around the world are organizing local events during the second week
in March to introduce other women to aviation.
Frederick’s
Women Fly It Forward is currently the only event in the area to be offering
free flights.
Even though registration for flights is closed, there is a
lot to for both men and women of all ages!
- FREE tethered hot air balloon flights for all from 10:30am-12:30pm from Tailwinds Over Frederick
- FREE snacks
- Era Alaska pilot, Sarah Fraher from the Discovery Channel's Flying Wild Alaska
- Wing walker and aerobatic pilot Jane Wicker and her Stearman, Aurora
- USAF 1st Helicopter Squadron with a female flight crew and a UH1 Huey Helicopter
- The USAF 79th Medical Wing
- Tour Frederick's new control tower and get one of the best views of the event
- Flight Simulator
- Essay contests and flight prizes
- Local booths and vendors
Last year the Women Fly it Forward event in Frederick earned the title of “The Most
Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the World” will they keep it for the second
year running?
3/4/12
Happy Women of Aviation Week!
FROM THE DESK OF MIREILLE GOYER |
"I was annoyed from the start by the attitude of doubt by the spectators that I would never really make the flight. This attitude made me more determined than ever to succeed," said Harriet Quimby before taking off for France. Doubts that women are interested in aviation, doubts that women can fly, doubts that women can work together... these doubts are constantly aimed at girls and women and they are impending our success in our communities and at our airports. Over the last two years, the Women Of Aviation Worldwide have proven that:
On March 10, 2012, individuals and organizers alike are planning a worldwide show of unity. Pilots around the world will introduce girls and women at their airport to join the many planned events. We expect flights to take place at 100 airports or more to mark 100 years since the crossing of the English Channel by Harriet Quimby and the first flight in a seaplane with a woman at the controls, Helene Dutrieu. Over the English Channel, aircraft with girls and women onboard are expected to stream non-stop for more than one hour to form a virtual bridge between France and England as a salute to Harriet's crossing. In fact, the response was so strong that the airports will be at full capacity and NOTAMS are issued. At the Frederick Airport, the enthusiasm among the public was so high that registrations were closed 3 weeks prior to the event. In Texas, Calhoun Air Center, is taking over two airports, Port Lavaca and Victoria, to defend their titles. Expecting a high of -15°C (5°F), Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories, has planned airline and military displays and is aiming to introduce up to 500 girls to the fun of flying. Meanwhile, Petersborough, ON, CANADA, is readying for a 2-day event. Many more events are planned and each is bound to a lot of fun for everyone involved. LIVE ON THE INTERNET Even if you can't attend an event, you can still be a part of it. Some of the events will be streaming live video online at www.ustream.tv/user/ We plan to stream the flight across the English Channel of Esther, our video contest winner, so that everyone can be part of that historical flight. CONTESTS Good competitions always include a luck element. The March weather is our wild card. So be prepared to make all the girls and women present enter the writing or art contests should the weather get in the way. The price is a flight lesson and each participant qualifies for the "First-to-Solo" challenge $500 USD prize. All entries must be submitted before March 14, 2012. REPORT IT OR IT WON'T BE COUNTED Any flight to introduce a girl or a woman during Women Of Aviation Week is great and makes a difference! However, it won't officially count unless you report it before March 14, 2012, for individual flights and March or March 17, 2012 for an event. PRIZES & TITLES Thanks to our many sponsors, we have many amazing prizes up for grab. Who will win? The answer will be published on April 4, 2012 and so will be, the winners of the various titles. Hours away from the official beginning of Women Of Aviation Worldwide, let our aircraft engines roar and create a beautiful one-week symphony. Happy Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week! Mireille Goyer Intl Team Leader www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org |
3/3/12
An extra participant at Fly it Forward...
Today,
although registration is closed for Women Fly it Forward, I just had to
squeeze one more participant in due to the note she left. A lady's
husband is working on his private pilot certificate and she has been
strongly urging him to give it up and focus on other things. He learned
of the Women Fly it Forward event in Frederick and strongly encouraged
her to sign up so that she could understand his passion, and thought
that she just may develop her own passion for aviation in turn. I'm
excited to give her this opportunity and to see where it may lead this
couple.
3/2/12
Check out the Fly it Forward Proclamation!
3/1/12
March 10th Proclaimed Women Fly it Forward Weekend in Frederick, MD!
Tonight
I, along with my fellow Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines, received a proclamation
from the City of Frederick declaring the weekend of March 10th "Women
Fly it Forward Weekend". Thanks to the City of Frederick for this honor
and your support of this great event! Just 10 more days, time is
flying to the big day! Will we make history again?
2/28/12
Women Fly it Forward - Frederick, MD Stats
A lot of people have been asking me
the specifics on the event, like the number of planes, how many ground
volunteers, how many women are registered, and so on. So I thought I
would share a few of those tidbits with you tonight!
- 256 women are registered for free flights
- 26 women are on the waiting list (and growing!)
- We have 28 volunteer pilots
- 8 female (we are working to change that, aren't we?)
- 20 male
- 15 ground volunteers (all pilots or student pilots!)
- 29 aircraft
- 1 hot air balloon
- 2 helicopters
- 26 fixed wing aircraft
- 6 display aircraft
- 9 aviation vendors/displays
- Over 300 people expected for a day of fun at the airport!
2/21/12
Registration is closed for Frederick Fly it Forward!
Registration is closed for the Frederick Women Fly it Forward event! The excitement about has been overflowing, barely any publicity has been done but the news has been infectious! Registration is now closed for the March 10th event in Frederick, but a waiting list is now available. We have been getting many notes of thanks from participants and even a few messages along the lines of, "OMG I can't wait!" Either can I. I look forward to seeing you all on the 10th! Just 18 days to go!
2/20/12
250 women and girls are now registered for Women Fly it Forward in Frederick, MD!
2/16/12
Registration will close Tuesday for Women Fly it Forward FDK
For the first time flyers: Due to overwhelming demand and excitement for the free flights,
registration will close Tuesday, February 21st. Those who register
after this date will be put on a waiting list and emailed when a slot
opens up in the order that registration was received. Please do not
hesitate to come to the event if the free flights are full, there is
still a lot to see and do on March 10th!
For the pilots: We are also full for planes, thanks to all that have volunteered! If you are still interested in flying this event, I would be happy to put you on a "backup" list in case we need more pilots or someone backs out at the last minute. Please let me know if you are interested, it would probably work out best if you were based at or very near FDK. I could use one more aircraft that can hold 6.
For the pilots: We are also full for planes, thanks to all that have volunteered! If you are still interested in flying this event, I would be happy to put you on a "backup" list in case we need more pilots or someone backs out at the last minute. Please let me know if you are interested, it would probably work out best if you were based at or very near FDK. I could use one more aircraft that can hold 6.
2/15/12
Fly it Forward FDK Surpassed 200 Registered Women!
Wow! We just hit over 200 women registered for Women Fly it Forward on March 10th. Registration will be closing soon!
So if you know a lady that would love this opportunity, have her sign
up no later than this weekend! I will start a waiting list and notify
ladies in order when a slot opens up. Also, some pilots have expressed
interest in flying on other days during Women of Aviation Week. If you
would like to do so, please tell me what days, times, and how many seats
you have available and I will announce these for registration.
Excitement is in the air and we can't wait to share the skies with all
these brilliant ladies!
2/13/12
FDK Fly it Forward Needs Your Help!
2/10/12
First time flyer at Fly it Forward FDK '11 Wins Video Contest
Esther of Silver Spring, MD to represent the next generation of American women pilots in Europe
At a time when most women’s opportunities were often limited to raising a family, a few adventurous women set off to demonstrate that women were capable of achieving far more.In 1910, Raymonde de Laroche became the first woman to earn a pilot license; in 1911, Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; in 1912, Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel and Hélène Dutrieu the first woman to pilot a seaplane.
Today’s women are equally adventurous and passionate.
In December, we announce a video contest for American women. The prize? An all expenses paid trip to represent the next generation of American women pilots at the “Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations” event taking place simultaneously at the England’s Headcorn Aerodrome and France’s Le Touquet Airport on March 10, 2012.
The videos were amazing and two finalists, Esther from Maryland and Elizabeth from Florida, emerged. Then it was time to vote for the winner. If doubts existed about how motivated the finalists were, there are erased by the unbelievable website traffic that they generated by encouraging people to vote for them.
After carefully reviewing all available statistics and ensuring that nobody voted more than once, Esther French, a young journalist from Silver Spring, MD, who discovered flying at last’s year record setting “Fly It Forward” event at the Frederick Airport, MD, edged ahead of Elizabeth Williamson, a TV production technician from Altamonte Springs, FL.
We are therefore pleased to announce that Esther is the winner of the video contest and will serve as the official representative for the next generation of American women pilots at the event as well as the American reporter at the event. You will be able to follow her adventures by clicking on “Daily Trip Report” in this website.
More than 13,000 visitors trying to vote caused some technical issues and a lot of frustrations. We did our best to maintain the integrity of the contest in the face of adversity.
Taking into account this occurrence, we offered to our runner up, Elizabeth, a choice of prizes: the flight lesson as listed in the original prize description or accommodations during the event and a flight across the channel during the “Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations” event on March 10. We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth has chosen to travel to Europe and will take part of the event. Europe will be delighted to welcome more American guests.
2/9/12
What is there to see and do at Fly it Forward?
The 2012 Women Fly it Forward event on March 10th at Frederick Municipal Airport keeps getting bigger and better! What will you be checking out first?
Rides!
- FREE airplane flights for women of all ages who never have been in a small aircraft before
- FREE tethered hot air balloon flights for all from 10:30am-12:30pm from Tailwinds Over Frederick
- Era Alaska pilot, Sarah Fraher from the Discovery Channel's Flying Wild Alaska
- Wing walker and aerobatic pilot Jane Wicker and her Stearman, Aurora
- USAF 1st Helicopter Squadron with a female flight crew and a UH1 Huey Helicopter
- The USAF 79th Medical Wing
- ...and more!
- Tour Frederick's new control tower and get one of the best views of the event
- Take flight in a mobile simulator from Holladay Aviation!
- Flight Training Essay Contest valued at over $3,000! Sponsored by Aviation Insurance Resources and Frederick Flight Center
- Flight Lesson Essay Contest sponsored by the Sugarloaf Chapter of the Ninety Nines
- Women of Aviation Week Awards: The Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide, Most Dedicated Female Pilot Worldwide, Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide, Most Dedicated Female Flight Instructor Worldwide, Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor Worldwide and The Spirit of Women of Aviation Worldwide
- Random drawings for pilots, ground volunteers and participants
- Goody bags for pilots and ground volunteers
- The Ninety-Nines, Sugarloaf Chapter
- The Women Soaring Pilot's Association
- The Frederick County Commission for Women
- Cookie Lee Jewelry w/ 20% of proceeds benefiting Women Fly it Forward!
- A Rendi Stylist w/20% of proceeds benefiting Women Fly it Forward!
- Macaroni Kid
- "How to Become a Pilot"
- Girls with Wings
- Lunch for pilots provided by Giant
- Great snacks throughout the day provided by The Savory Spoon
- A thank you BBQ for pilots and volunteers following the event put on by Aviation Insurance Resources
2/8/12
Women DO WANT to Fly!
I have over 140 participants signed
up for Fly it Forward so far, and there is still just over a month to
go! My inbox has been bombarded, literally receiving an email every
minute from a potential participant, sponsor or volunteer. So why are
the number of pilots dwindling? Why are only 6% of them female? The
interest is there. What do we have to do to make these numbers climb?
Discuss below!
P.S. When I am done replying to all these emails I will take the time to give a more thorough Fly it Forward update! :)
2/6/12
Women of Aviation Week Video Contest Finalists
The finalists are up for the Women
of Aviation Week "Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations" video
contest! Go cast your vote now! The present women in the lead is
Esther, who took her first small airplane flight at the Frederick Women
Fly it Forward event last year!
http://www.
2/3/12
Women of Aviation Week News
FROM THE DESK OF MIREILLE GOYER
"It was my
turn at last. Everybody was expectant. I was eager to get into my seat
and be off. My heart was not in my mouth. I felt impatient to realize
the project on which I was determined, despite the protest of my best
friends," said Harriet Quimby about her thoughts before she took off
from Dover, 100 years ago.
OUR TURN
The beginning of the 2012 Women Of Aviation Worldwide is just 30 days away. From 62° of latitude North in Yellowknife, Canada, to 38° of latitude South in Geelong, Australia, and within hundreds of degrees of longitude, girls and women are about to discover that aviation is for them too, thanks to you. There is so much excitement building. Victoria, who is heading the Frederick Airport community and intends to make sure that the Frederick Airport community retains the title of "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide" in 2012 has managed to motivate over 130 girls and women to sign up for a flight. Other airport communities have their eyes on the trophy and some very strong challengers are emerging.
Of course,
all the over titles are also up for grab: Most Dedicated Woman Pilot,
Most Dedicated Female Flight Instructor, Most Supportive Male Pilot, and
Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor.
We have
more prizes than ever this year thanks to the support of our
pro-diversity sponsors, Airbus, Sennheiser, Goldstripes Aviation, AOPA,
Baron Services, Aircraft Spruce, OSRM, Powder Puff Pilot, Windtee, Barry
Schiff, FFPULM, and many more local sponsors. In
fact, the total value is well over $11,000 USD. Did you notice for
example that there are four Sennheiser S1 Digital headsets, worth $1,095
each, available to win? If you have not taken a look at the list of
prizes recently, please take a look now.
Many event
organizers have fund that local businesses are eager to help with the
cost of making a difference in the community and that's heartwarming.
CELEBRATE 100 YEARS
As Headcorn in the U.K. and Le Touquet in France
ready to hold a great celebration for the centennial of Harriet
Quimby's flight over the English Channel, pilots at 100 different
locations in the U.S.A are getting ready to join the party by introducing at least one girl or one woman to the joys of flying at 100 different airports on March 10, 2012. One flight is sufficient to qualify an airport. Take this opportunity to tour the various airports in your area.
To salute 100 years of women seaplane pilots, I encourage all seaplane pilots to be particularly active in 2012. How about a record of female flight introductions in seaplanes?
A SPECIAL GIFT TO EVENT ORGANIZERS FROM AIRBUS
Each pilot
that participate to the "Across the Nation: Women Unifying Nations" in
Europe will receive a unique t-shirt. Featuring photos of Harriet Quimby
before and after her flight across the Channel and the white cliffs of
Dover, this t-shirt cannot be bought. Our sponsor, Airbus, wants to
reward each event organizer with one of this exclusive "Across the
Channel: Women Unifying Nation" t-shirt.
To be eligible to receive this t-shirt, you must announce your upcoming event on the website by February 15, 2012.
WHO WILL REPRESENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN WOMEN PILOTS IN EUROPE? VOTE
The
finalists of the "Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations" video
contest are announced. You have until February 7, 2012, midnight, to
vote for your preferred representative.
She will fly
to Europe on the largest and most comfortable airline jet in the world,
the Airbus A380, take the train to travel underneath the English
Channel, discover the region around the Headcorn Aerodrome, fly
from England to France on Harriet Quimby's footsteps, attend the dinner
in Le Touquet City Hall's room of Honors, and meet Women Of Aviation
from around the world.
TEMPORARY TATTOOS & WOAW CLOTHING GEAR
Have you noticed the temporary tattoos?
They guarantee fun at your event and give all the girls and women that
go on a flight to brag to the world about their experience. "I am a girl. Today I flew a small plane." What a statement! These can be free for VIP Club members. However, to have them in time for your event, you must request or order before Feb 15 2012.
We have a winner for the Women Of Aviation Worldwide Jacket! Alicia Sikes of Quakertown, PA is the winner.
T-shirts and
WOAW embroidered jackets are available but time is flying by. If you
want either one before Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week (March 5-11,
2012), don't wait.
Whether you
are planning one special flight or planning an event to celebrate the
2012 Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, have fun!
Fly safe,
Mireille GoyerIntl Team Leader
www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org
1/31/12
Fly it Forward Featured in Airplanista!
Thank you to Dan from Airplanista
for reaching out to me to help promote Fly it Forward! He runs such a
great blog and I am thrilled to have a guest blog on it. Thank you to
Dan for his enthusiasm for supporting this event and women in aviation!
Women Fly it Forward at KFDK on March 10th
Editor's note: Everyone who reads this blog – and my former
digital magazine by the same name – knows I have always been a big
proponent of anyone who works towards a goal of interesting more girls
and women in GA in hopes that they can increase the female pilot
population. Rarely do I meet someone with the verve and motivation of
Victoria Neuville, who presents a guest post below. I met Toria at the
Podcaster's party at last year's AirVenture, and in that tiny moment, I
could just tell she was one of us...a true “Airplanista”...the epitome
of what it means to “fly it forward.”
 |
| Victoria Neuville |
for Airplanista Aviation Blog
Last year, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first female pilot earning her license. It was around this time that I learned that only 6% of the pilots in the world are women. The number of women in aviation was never something I thought about much. I was so preoccupied in my flight training to care about the genders of the people around me.
Hearing this fact got me thinking that my journey may have been a lot easier with female pilot support. How many woman pilots did I come across in my training? How many of my girlfriends did I have study sessions with? How many women did I see at the airport that I could share flying stories with or go to for advice? The answer was three. Just three women. These three women I only saw in passing and was never able to share any flying experiences with. That number stuck with me.
In December of 2010, I heard of an initiative to introduce more women to aviation, it was called The Centennial of Women Pilots. I saw something amazing happen. Many girls and women were flocking to the airport to experience flight in GA aircraft. I saw pilots – both male and female – taking women and girls for flights. I saw smiles and I heard stories of women who couldn’t wait to learn more. Like me, these women dreamed about aviation and since their first flight have not been able to stop thinking about it. The Centennial of Women Pilots movement eventually morphed into Women of Aviation Week celebrating the week the first licensed female flyer receiver her pilot certificate. Events called “Fly it Forward” were to be held during this week, and I had to be a part of it.
 |
| Dana Zajko on her first heli flight |
It turned out that I had nothing to fear. Women and girls flocked to the airport. At the end of the day, 185 had received free flights. The event won my home base of KFDK the “Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide” title for 2011. I know of two women who are actively pursuing their pilot certificates because of the event.
It’s 2012 and naturally I have to outdo myself. This year’s event on March 10th at Frederick Municipal Airport will have many pilots willing and eager to introduce women to aviation. We’ll have tethered hot air balloon rides donated by Tailwinds Over Frederick, and special guests such as Sarah Fraher from Flying Wild Alaska, wing walking airshow performer and Stearman pilot Jane Wicker, and female members from the United States Air Force. It is an event where girls and women who have never been in small aircraft before receive free plane rides, but the whole family is welcome for a day of fun at the airport- that includes the free balloon rides, too!
This year my ultimate goal is different. Yes, I want as many women to come out to the airport as possible, the worldwide title the second year in a row wouldn’t be bad either, but I want one ambitious lady to come away with more than just a free ride. I want at least one woman who attends this event to have the best chance possible at earning her private pilot certificate. So I decided there would be an essay contest and luckily I found a great sponsor, Aviation Insurance Resources, to support it and a local school, Frederick Flight Center, to give the winner a discounted rental rate. This flight award will have a value of over $3000. Let’s hope this brings one future aviatrix to her first solo.
 |
| One young girl who took a "fly it forward" first flight was Victoria, right. |
If you can’t make it to mine, find one in your area or start your own! Make sure that all women you know can say that during their flight training, they knew more than three women who were with them along the way.
For more about the Frederick event visit: www.WomenFlyItForward.com or email me at WomenFlyItForward@gmail.com. To learn more about the global Women of Aviation Week visit www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org.
A video explaining the Frederick Airport Fly it Forward event was produced by Len Costa of The Pilot Report and is available here.
1/26/12
USAF Returns to Fly it Forward!
It has been confirmed-the Huey from the 1st Helicopter Squadron at the Andrews Air Force base will be flying in with female crew once again! What great news and a awesome aircraft for participants to check out! I wonder how many of our participants could be future USAF pilots?
1/25/12
Breaking News For Fly it Forward
With over a month to go, we already have over 100 ladies ready to take their first flight! How many of these girls and women will be pilots someday? In addition to this news today, we are welcoming back members of the 79th Medical Wing of the USAF once again! One has flown over 75 combat missions, now that is a great role model!
1/20/12
We're Flying Forward!!!
Yes, thank goodness it's Friday but
man, this week has flown by! I can't believe how far the Women Fly it
Forward event has come in Frederick! In just the past week, I have
announced that Sarah Fraher from Flying Wild Alaska will be in attendance and that wingwalker, Jane Wicker, will be returning again this year! We also debuted our promo video, which despite the cold, turned out to be quite a hit!
Today,
we have almost 60 women signed up! This is with over almost seven
weeks to go! The excitement is in the air, including the competition!
No, I am not talking about the competition about who is going to win the
title of the "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide," it the
essay contest where two lucky girls will walk away with another chance
for flight!
There
will be two essay contests that the lady participants from the 2011 and
2012 event qualify for (yes ladies, I have all your names still!).
There is a "teen" contest, where one girl from the age of 14-19 will
receive a free flight lesson and private pilot course ($450 value!).
Next, there is the flight training essay contest. This is the contest
that is closest to my heart and what I care the most about for this
year's event. This contest winner will I want to have the best chance
possible at becoming a pilot, with a monetary award in hopes to get her
prepared for her first solo.
I am excited today to announce that the the flight training contest has now reached a value of $3,100! This is thanks to the Frederick Flight Center
contributing a free ground school course and providing a discount on
rental aircraft, as well as a generous donation from our Elite Sponsor, Aviation Insurance Resources!
Please join me in thanking these two great companies for helping a
future woman pilot to fly on forward to her private pilot certificate!
Quick!
Tell all your non-flying gal pals who have pondered the thought of
flight, don't miss this great opportunity to live your dream! Visit www.WomenFlyItForward.com for more information!
1/19/12
'Flying Wild Alaska' pilot to join Fly It Forward event
By Jill W. Tallman
Flying Wild Alaska’s Sarah Fraher will join the festivities at the 2012 Women Fly It Forward event to be held on March 10 at Frederick Municipal Airport
in Frederick, Md. The event is one of numerous activities that will
take place at airports around the world during the week of March 5
through 11 in celebration of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week.
Fraher, a Cessna 208 pilot for Era Alaska, was most recently featured in the Jan. 13 episode of the series that airs on the Discovery Channel.
In that episode, Fraher was shown flying her first run in the 208. She
talked about how she had worked her way up in the ranks at Era, starting
as a secretary who dreamt of one day seeing her name on one of the
notebooks assigned to company pilots.
“I love watching Sarah fly on Flying Wild Alaska, she is
such a determined woman,” said Victoria Neuville, organizer of the
Frederick event. “I am really excited to have her speak with and inspire
future women pilots at our event.”
Frederick’s 2012 Women Fly It Forward will feature flights in small aircraft to introduce as many women as possible to aviation. For more information on Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, see the website, where you can view worldwide events, register and announce an event at your airport, or get guidelines and ideas.
1/18/12
A message from Jane Wicker
As
I kick off my 2012 airshow season, my first stop will be “Women Fly it
Forward 2012” in Frederick, MD. I’m very excited about this event. I
was there last year and simply amazed at the turnout. It was such a
success that I was not surprised when Frederick was named the most
female friendly airport. This is all thanks to the hard work and
dedication of Victoria Neuville. She is responsible for this great
event and at the helm once again. I have no doubts that this year will
be even bigger and better. I am looking forward to meeting everyone there and sharing my own passion. It is one of my greatest pleasures to share this love of aviation and inspire others to become pilots, especially women. We are every bit, if not more, capable then men to fly. There is nothing else that can compare to soaring through the sky in a machine that is under your control. I hope everyone will join us on March 10. Stop by, say hello and feel free to check out Aurora up close. It’s one of the few times that others can get a breath away as she’s typically behind the fence line at an airshow. I will be there to answer any questions that come up about my flying, the airplane, and even the wing walking. Let’s all make this a record breaking year and start changing the world, one female pilot at a time.
1/17/12
ANNOUNCING: A Special Guest at Fly it Forward!
Moving
to Alaska for college, this adventurous woman has hobbies such as ice
climbing, hunting and my favorite, flying! Sarah started to learn to
fly in 2003 and has quickly worked her way up to flying a Cessna 207 out
of Bethel for Era Alaska. Sound familiar? Yes, this is Sarah Fraher,
who you can watch brave extreme flying conditions on the show "Flying
Wild Alaska" on the Discovery Channel!
Sarah
has graciously offered to commute from Alaska to Frederick, MD to
attend the Women Fly it Forward event. She is overjoyed to introduce
our future flyers to aviation and will be an inspirational addition to to what is destined to be a memorable event. We look forward to having her!
1/16/12
Meet the woman behind the 2011 Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide, Frederick, MD
January 16, 2012 in Latest News by Intl Team Leader
 |
| She loves to fly |
When Victoria moved from Michigan to Maryland, in 2010, the town of
Frederick did not hold a welcome parade; I even bet that few people took
notice of this bubbly red hair newcomer. But someone important had just
arrived. She was about to change the face of the Frederick Airport
community for ever.
Victoria is natural-born achiever. I am not saying that everything
falls on her laps; I am saying that when she set her mind up to conquer a
goal, no obstacles are big enough to stop her. She wanted to be a
commercial pilot. Despite repeated medical and financial challenges,
today, she is a commercial pilot.
Frederick Airport was in for a surprise when she heard about the
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Fly-It-Forward challenge. She did not want
to just participate; she wanted her new home airport, Frederick, to win
the “Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide” title.
 |
| Frederick Airport Community Trophy |
She knew that previous title holders had introduced as many as 173
girls and women to flying in just one day and that the challenge was
sizable. That did not stop her. She rallied 22 pilots and an army of
volunteers from various aviation associations, enrolled her employer, Aviation Insurance Resources, as a sponsor, arranged for the military to fly in, and advertised the event.
But, would girls and women come to the airport in sufficient number to meet the challenge?
 |
| Ready for March 10, 2012 |
Did they ever? They were lining up long before the event began. When
it was all over, 185 girls and women had discovered that not only flying
is really fun and something that they could do but also that the
aviation community is caring and welcoming.
“This was a wonderful event. I never realized how much fun it could
be flying in a small plane. It’s so much different than flying on a
commercial airline. It’s opened up a whole new world that I hadn’t
considered before,” said Diane, one of the lucky first time flyers.
While she had planned to empower the girls and women of her
community, she did not envision that she would empower herself. “I used
to think that I had to get all my ratings and become a successful
professional pilot before I could make a difference in aviation. I have
recently learned, however, that I can make an impact regardless of my
piloting title,” she said after the event.
An avid social media practitioner, a blog writer, and podcast participant, she is also a soon-to-be flight instructor and engaged to marry in 2012 to well… a pilot off course.
2012? Ready, set, go. On March 10, 2012, “girls” will be the majority at the Frederick Airport again.
1/16/12
Women Fly it Forward Promo Video!
1/16/12
Wait...there's more?!
Last week I was happy to announce how great our flight award was coming along, one lucky essay contest winner will win a monetary award to go towards flight training, free ground school, and 10% aircraft rental. As if that is not great enough, I am pleased to announce another essay contest! This one is for the teenaged gals, and this essay contest winner will win a free flight lesson and a Sporty's private pilot training course! Thanks for the Sugarloaf chapter of the Ninety-Nines for bringing in this additional contest! Visit the Women Fly it Forward website to find out how to qualify! Reminder, we still need more sponsors, the more we get, the bigger these awards will be and the farther our future female pilots will go in their training!
1/15/12
Yesterday's Promo Video
Yesterday, Len from The Pilot Report,
stopped by FDK to film a promo video for Women Fly it Forward. I can't
wait to see how it turns out! Thanks to Len for taking the time to
come out in the freezing cold to help promote this worthwhile event! I
apologize for messing up so much, but my lips were frozen!
Don't worry, readers, I will post it as soon as the video debuts. You won't be able to escape it being promoted everywhere!
1/13/12
The Women Fly it Forward Essay Contest Just Got Better!
Like getting a monetary award towards flight training wasn't enough, Frederick Flight Center, wants to ensure that one of our Women Fly it Forward participants gets the best chance at becoming an aviatrix!
Through the Frederick Women Fly it Forward essay contest, one lucky girl will receive:
- A monetary flight award to be deposited in an account at Frederick Flight Center for flight lessons in a fixed wing aircraft.
- (total amount to be determined. Funds will come from local sponsors as well as donations on the day of the event.)
- A FREE private pilot ground school course valued at $350! Courtesy of the Frederick Flight Center.
- 10% off aircraft rental during the award period! Also thanks to Frederick Flight Center.
Thanks to this great school for their help in getting another woman pilot in the sky!
Want to apply? Visit www.WomenFlyitForward.com.
But wait...there's more?
Yes! To be announced soon, another essay contest for a free introductory lesson! Check back often to find out more!
1/11/12
Got the Jacket!
Now we're in business, my official Women of Aviation Week jacket came in! What are you up to this March?
12/23/11
Happy Holidays from the Women Of Aviation Worldwide
I thought I would share this, great things are happening for WOAW!
FROM THE DESK OF MIREILLE GOYER
Well, it is the end of the year and what a year it was!
2011 IN REVIEW
During the
2011 Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, 707 girls and women discovered
the joys of flying. Several thousands more learn about aviation's
opportunities at additional events. Since then, VIP Club members
introduced 912 more girls and women to bring our total to 1,619 for the year.
That may not
seem like much. But, when you take into account that less 10,000 women
worldwide decide to learn to fly annually, it is a number that we can
all be proud of. So thank you for the great job. Every flight counts and
we count every documented flight.
2011 saw a
lot of controversy too. Someone looked at the freshly issued U.S. pilot
statistics a bit too quickly. The result was a fury of articles claiming
that the female pilot population had increased by 35% from 2009 to
2010. I wish that it was true but, it was not. A little note explained
the discrepancy. Ah, those little notes!
The facts are as simple as reading FAA data, as is. In
1980, there were almost 53,000 women holding any pilot certificate
(26,896 non-student certificates). In 2010, that number was 36,808
(27,451 non-student certificates) (data).
When I looked
for a planned celebration of women pilots on March 8, 2010, the 100th
anniversary of the first female pilot license worldwide, I thought that
it would be easy to find because March 8 is also International Women's
Day. The fact that I couldn't find anything was truly alarming to me.
Let's continue to celebrate all the Women Of Aviation - past, present,
and future - at least one week each year. In doing so, we foster a sense
of belonging to all Women Of Aviation including the next generation of
Women of Aviation.
2012 THEME
The Women Of
Aviation Worldwide Week initiative is international by nature. We
celebrate worldwide accomplishments, as we know that, regardless of
their country of birth, the Women Of Aviation had in common a struggle
to access an activity that we all can cherish. In 2012, we will
celebrate the centennials of the first female seaplane pilot, Hélène
Dutrieu of Belgium, and the first woman to fly across the English
Channel, Harriet Quimby of the USA.
We are planning a major celebration that will take place simultaneously in France and England on March 10, 2012. At least 100 girls and women will discover flying above the English Channel (check it out).
Part of the celebration includes offering a trip to Europe to one American non-pilot woman through a video contest so that she can fly in a small aircraft on the footsteps of Harriet Quimby. Play Santa Claus; tell every non-pilot American woman you know about the video contest. The deadline for entries is January 29, 2012.
I would love to receive reports of female flight introductions from at least 100 different U.S. airports on March 10, 2012 to salute Harriet Quimby's accomplishment.
One flight is sufficient to qualify an airport so, if you fly in the
U.S., please take at least one girl or one woman on a flight
introduction on March 10, 2012!
To salute 100 years of women seaplane pilots, I encourage all seaplane pilots to be particularly active in 2012. How about a record of female flight introductions in seaplanes?
2012 CHALLENGES, PRIZES, & NOVELTIES
Beside the
English Channel event, many other events are planned. With an army of
377 pilots worldwide and many more joining the initiative, amazing
things can happen. I love good surprises. Surprise me with your
creativity.
At the Frederick Airport, MD, holder of the 2011 "Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport Worldwide" title,
Victoria is planning on keeping the title home. But I know that others
have their eyes on the title for their home airport. Watch out Victoria.
We have already $8,000 worth of prizes to distribute thanks to our sponsors who have noticed that you are making a difference and want to personally say thank you. In 2012, there will be a substantial $500 prize for the "First-to-Solo Challenge", thanks to AOPA.
This year, we are offering girls and women who go on a flight an opportunity to brag about it to the world. Temporary tattoos that say, "I'm a girl. Today I flew a plane", are available (these can be free for VIP Club members).
Check out the website often for announcements or like us on Facebook to automatically get updates in your profile.
This holiday
season, play, laugh, hug your family, and please pat yourself on the
back for a job well done. Then, as you ring in the New Year, make a
resolution to introduce at least one girl and one woman to flying during
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week (March 5-11, 2012).
Talk to you next year.
Happy holidays!
Happy holidays!
Mireille Goyer
Intl Team Leader
Intl Team Leader
P.S. If
you are planning an event or a special flight during Women Of Aviation
Worldwide Week, Karlene Petitt wants to help get the word out. Email her
at karlene.petitt@gmail.com
and tell her your story. She will feature your story on her Friday's
Fabulous Flyer blog entry for the weeks leading to the 2012 Women Of
Aviation Worldwide Week. Thanks Karlene.
12/20/11Most women are just not interested in aviation?!
I keep a tracker on my blog to see
how readers happen to come by my site, this includes what they searched
for. I was shocked this morning when I saw the search for "most women
are just not interested in aviation."
I
beg to differ, I bet many more women than we expect are interested.
They just don't know how to get started or know if they are capable of
becoming a pilot. The truth is that resources to get women involved are
few, but these women are VERY capable!
The
goal of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is to fill that gap and to
introduce women to the fact that "yes we can" during the week of March
5th-11th, 2012. This is a worldwide event and YOU can help! Visit the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week website for more details!
How
am I getting involved? I am once again hosting the Women Fly it
Forward event at Frederick Municipal Airport. The event is March 10th
and I am calling all pilots, male and female to come help out. Last
year the airport won the honor of being called "The Most Female Pilot
Friendly Airport in the World" after flying 185 women who have never
been in small aircraft before. Will Frederick win the title the second
year running?
While
it is fun to have a competition my ultimate goal is to inspire future
women pilots and to give them the support they need to continue on their
aviation journey. To make this goal successful and the event
successful I am in need of local sponsors as well as women professionals
in the aviation industry to be on hand to speak to participants.
Volunteers to help out with the flights, tethered hot air balloon rides,
and to set up and provide displays are also needed. Many thanks to our
committed sponsors so far, the Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines, Aviation Insurance Resources, and AOPA!
Feel free to contact me as well as visit the Frederick Women Fly it Forward website for more details.
Most women are just not interested in aviation? Psha!
11/16/11
Fly it Forward Announced on AOPA Online
Women Fly It Forward 2012 event set for March 10
By Jill W. Tallman
After earning the title of Most Female-Friendly Airport in March, Frederick Municipal Airport
is all set to try again in 2012. And organizer Victoria Neuville says
the 2012 Women Fly It Forward event, to be held March 10, will be even
bigger.
The 2011 event was held in conjunction with the Women of Aviation
Worldwide Week, and sought to introduce women and girls to flight. With
help from local pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and AOPA, 185 girls and women took rides in general aviation aircraft.
Neuville had barely taken a deep breath before she plunged into
preparations for 2012. Flights in small aircraft will, of course, be the
centerpiece of the day. But the goal of this year’s event is not only
to introduce many women to aviation, but to ensure that a participant
can pursue her aviation dream with a flight training award, she said.
“Last year inspired many future women aviators,” Neuville said. “I
can’t wait to introduce more girls and women to our flying community.” A
tethered hot air balloon will be on display, ensuring there’s
“something for everybody,” she said.
Frederick’s Women Fly It Forward is one of numerous events that will
take place March 4 through 10 in celebration of Women of Aviation
Worldwide Week.
11/16/11
Great Things Happening for Fly it Forward
11/16/11
Great Things Happening for Fly it Forward
Every guest that comes to Women Fly
it Forward at Frederick to speak to the girls that fly is special, but
we may have some extra special guests this year which I can't wait to
announce. Most importantly, however, is that these girls who fly are
inspired to continue and get all the support they can in doing that.
This is why this year we have the essay contest where one lucky girl
will receive a monetary award to be deposited at a Frederick flight
school and used towards her training. We need sponsors for this award
to make sure the winner gets enough funds to make an impact in her
training. This is where YOU come in! If you know of any business who
would be interested in sponsoring, or if you yourself are, please
contact me ASAP. The sponsors will be featured on our website, in the
event program and most of all have the satisfaction that you made a
difference in a future pilot's life!
2011 Event:
5/6/11
Fly it Forward Awards Ceremony
Today we celebrated KFDK winning the title of "The World's Most Female Friendly Airport in the World" the way we know best, by barbecuing out at a hangar! Aviation Insurance Resources sponsored the BBQ where over 25 individuals were in attendance enjoying a smorgasbord of food, including an airport theme cake I had made (Bob added a control tower for me, complete with "z"s coming out of the window!). Our backdrops for the event were not only the Cessna 180 and the Pitts in the hangar, a "Most Female Friendly Airport" banner donated by AOPA decorated the walls as well. Outside, we had an even better ambiance, storms were all around us, but only a small shower greeted us for a small period of time. Fascinating lightening lit the skies just miles away and we were greeted by a double rainbow and some very unique mamatus clouds. After the guests had munched for awhile I made a quick thank you announcement and awarded Lin Caywood the "Most Dedicated Female Pilot" runner up trophy and then the "Most Female Friendly Airport" trophy to airport manager Keven Daugherty and the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, Josh Russin.All in all, the BBQ was a great event, with great people, celebrating a great achievement. Great! Too see more photos from this great (did I say that already) time visit the photo gallery. Thanks to ThePilotReport for being my paparazzi for the day!
4/20/11
Fly it Forward Awards Ceremony & BBQ
4/11/11
Frederick, Md., airport dubbed "most female-friendly"
By Dan Namowitz
The efforts of 22 pilots and numerous volunteers to introduce 185 girls and women to aviation on March 12 have earned the Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md., the title of Most Female Friendly Airport in the World for 2011 by the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week organization.
The day’s activities celebrated 2011 Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, and set a record for the number of girls and women introduced to flying in one day at a single location, said the sponsoring organization, Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, in a news release. The annual observance aims to raise awareness about opportunities available to women in the aviation industry. It takes place each year during the week of March 8, on which International Women’s Day is observed.
In all, pilots on three continents introduced 707 girls and women to the joys of flying from March 7 through 13, and many more learned about the organization.
AOPA reported on March 16 that the Frederick event was organized by instrument-rated private pilot Victoria Neuville, who said that she wanted to ensure that girls and women feel welcome at the airport. Neuville’s efforts to expand aviation horizons for women were profiled in the April 2011 issue of AOPA Pilot.
Even before the gates opened at the Frederick event, it was clear that enthusiasm for the invitation to come out and fly was running high, with prospective passengers lining up before the 10:30 a.m. start time.
“It opened up a whole new world that I hadn't considered before," said Dianne Christensen of Frederick.
AOPA, which is headquartered at the Frederick airport, was a sponsor of the local event, and is a sponsor of the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week.
The Women of Aviation Worldwide Week organization honored other initiatives as well. Dianna Stanger of Port Lavaca, Texas, won the title of Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World, using her Eurocopter EC120 to introduce 98 girls and women to flying. Laith Barnhill of Arlington, Wash., won the Most Supportive Male Pilot in the World title. Canadian pilot Cathy Montgomery of Peterborough, Ontario, flew her open cockpit Trike in minus-2-degrees-Celsius temperatures to earn the title of Most Dedicated Female Flight Instructor in the World. Casey Cowan braved rainy weather in Arlington, Wash., and earned the title of Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor in the World. Jasmine Gordon of Port Lavaca, Texas, took the opportunity to give back to her community by inviting volunteers of local nonprofit organizations to enjoy a free first flight, earning the Most Creative Aviation Advocate title.
Ciara Thompson of Kpong, Ghana, won the writing contest prize. Sarah Higgins of Edina, Minn., won in the art contest, and Terri Donner of Fishersville, Ky., submitted the winning photo.
Next year’s observance will have a seaplane theme to mark two centennials: Helene Dutrieu of Belgium became the first woman to pilot a seaplane, and American pilot Harriet Quimby flew across the English Channel, said the announcement.
4/8/11
Frederick dubbed most female-friendly airport
Originally published April 08, 2011
By Ike Wilson
 | |
| Photo by Staff file photo by Graham Cullen
Pilot Lin Caywood competed last spring in the 2010 Air Race Classic, which begins in Fort Myers, Fla., and ends at Frederick Municipal Airport. Last month, Caywood won the first runner-up trophy for the “Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World” for flying 15 women during “Women Fly it Forward” day celebrations March 12 at the Frederick airport.
| |
 | |
The airport got the award for introducing the most women to aviation during "Women of Aviation Week" -- March 7 to 13.
"We broke the world record for the most women introduced to aviation during one day at one location," event organizer Victoria Neuville said.
The award stemmed from an original challenge in 2010 to celebrate the centennial of the first licensed woman pilot by holding events at airports to fly women who had never been in a small airplane to expose them to general aviation.
The 2010 events were so successful the challenge was reissued for 2011. One of the specific components of the challenge was to fly as many women during a single day to earn the most female-friendly airport designation. Frederick's 185 passengers surpassed the previous record of 171.
The trophy, donated by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, will be presented to the airport community at an award ceremony and barbecue in May. Frederick Mayor Randy McClement and volunteers and pilots who helped make the event possible will be invited.
Women of Aviation Week -- a community of people who believe the aviation industry would be better off with more women involved -- will present the award.
The airport also won a Global Positioning System safety seminar valued at $149, which will be awarded to the pilots who volunteered for the event.
In addition to the airport award, Frederick pilot Lin Caywood won the first runner-up trophy for the "Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World" for flying 15 women during the event.
"It was so much fun being able to share my passion for flight with these ladies, who ranged from teenagers to grandmothers," Caywood said. "All had a great interest in experiencing flight -- maybe some just to check it off their life events list, but a few because they wanted to pursue flying for pleasure or for a career."
Caywood has reconnected with one of her passengers who has started studying for her private pilot training and will be taking her first lesson in a few weeks, she said.
"My passengers all were very excited to be able to fly with me, they asked lots of great questions and were appreciative of having an event dedicated to women," Caywood said.
The event offered 20 planes and one helicopter that spent five hours introducing the 185 women to aviation. Each ride was about 20 minutes long and gave the participants a quick glimpse of how the world looked below.
After their flight, the Experimental Aircraft Association provided participants the opportunity to see the engine of an aircraft, and to perform a pre-flight check.
The air traffic manager from Andrews Air Force Base and a helicopter squadron commander talked about aviation.
Neuville said she's eager to organize another event next year. All the volunteers have agreed to do it again and several girls signed up for their discovery flight.
"I like Frederick airport because although I am relatively new to the area it didn't take long to feel like home," Neuville said. "All the pilots and other people I met around the airport were more than willing to help out with the event and give me their support. It's a really great community."
4/6/11
2011 Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week winners announced
April 4, 2011
in Headlines, Latest News by Intl Team Leader
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| Art contest winning entry |
In the pilot categories, Dianna Stanger of Port Lavaca, TX, introduced 98 girls and women to flying in her Eurocopter EC120 and wins the “Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World” title and AOPA’s exclusive watch while Laith Barnhill of Arlington, WA, USA wins the “Most Supportive Male Pilot in the World” title and AOPA’s Zulu watch.
Cathy Montgomery of Peterborough, ON, CANADA, flew her open cockpit Trike in -2 Celsius temperature 19 times to earn the “Most Dedicated Female Flight Instructor in the World” title. In Arlington, WA, USA, Casey Cowan braved the rainy weather and introduced 23 girls and women to flying to win the “Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor in the World” title.
Jasmine Gordon of Port Lavaca, TX, USA, chose to give back to the people who give so much to the local community. She invited volunteers of local non-profit organizations to come to the airport for a flight. She wins the “Most Creative Aviation Advocate” title.
View the full list of award winners here.
“Why I Want To Fly” was the question for the Karlene Petitt’s writing contest. Ciara Thompson of GHANA, is the worldwide winner of the contest. Sarah Higgins of the USA sent the winning art titled “Flying Free From the Chains of the Earth” and Terri Donner of the USA sent the winning photo.
View the full list of contest winners here.
Thanks to the support of our Gold sponsor, Direct-to Savvy GPS Pilot, our Silver sponsors AOPA and Out of Blue Aviation, and our Bonze Sponsors, Flyabout, Windtee, Aircraft Spruce, Breaking Through The Clouds, Flight to Success, Powder Puff Pilot, Galvin Flying Services, myPilotSupplies.com, myFlightCoach.com, Girls With Wings, Atlantic Aviation and Flight Center, SeaplaneForums.com, Aviation World, Pacific Skies Aviation, and REMOS Aircraft, many prizes were awarded to pilots, first flight candidates, and event volunteers. Random drawings were done using the unbiased www.random.org.
View the names of the prize winners:
Over seven hundred girls and women introduced to flying and several thousandths more aware of the opportunities available to them in aviation are the true winners of this event.
“It was a lot of fun – I have signed up for my first lesson/flight encounter at the Gaithersburg Airpark,” said Carol of Maryland, USA.
There are many more comments and thank you’s for each organizer, pilot, and volunteer. Your generosity and kindness were noticed. Each and everyone of you is an amazing ambassador of aviation. Thank you.
3/26/11
Frederick Women Fly Higher
By Rachel Kingstrom
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| Bob Zajko and Erin McCollum |
Airplane hangars are not known to be popular weekend hangouts for women, but anyone who was at Frederick Municipal Airport on Saturday, March 12, 2011 knows that is not the case. From 10:30am until 3:30pm, the airport was abuzz with female energy for the first annual Women Fly it Forward event.
Organized by Frederick resident and female pilot, Victoria Neuville [2], Women Fly it Forward attracted non-pilot women of all ages from various parts of the country. The event was inspired by the grassroots movement Women of Aviation Week, aimed at introducing women to aviation and providing support to those introducing and being introduced to the field. Attendees were given a hands-on opportunity to experience life as a pilot. Neuville put together the event in an attempt to earn Frederick Municipal Airport the title of “Most Female-Friendly Airport.” Guests enjoyed refreshments and heard inspirational stories from women in the industry.
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Shelah Maul, left and Jamie Shopland, right
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A total of 185 women participated in Women Fly it Forward, which involved 20 planes, 25 volunteers, one helicopter, and lots of food. This proved to be the formula for success for this inaugural event.
Neuville has already started planning for next year’s event and hopes to encourage more women to become interested in flying. She was astonished by the transformation she saw in many of this year’s participants.
“We had one woman who came to the event to get over her fear of heights. She was very nervous but braved it very well,” Neuville said. “I also had a 12 year old who was second guessing getting in the airplane, but when she finally got in and they departed she told the pilot that his plane was slow!”
To learn more about this event, visit www.womenflyitforward.com [4]. by: Rachel Kingstrom The Village Connector would like to thank Rachel for her article.
3/23/11
Rally GA: Giving women wings
Putting out the welcome mat at the airport
The world’s first licensed female pilot, a French socialite named Raymonde de Laroche, declared in 1910 that flying was ideal for women because it didn’t rely on strength as much as on physical and mental coordination.No doubt Laroche and the pioneering women pilots who came after her hoped that others would follow their lead and flood the ranks of aviation.
More than 100 years later, it hasn’t happened. Here in the United States, women are in the House and in the Senate, the boardrooms of major businesses, and in the armed forces. And while they’re also at the airports, women represent a paltry 6 percent of the pilot population. What’s more, the number of women pilots has decreased in the last 15 years—keeping pace with the general decline in the pilot population—in spite of the fact that the number of women living in the United States increased by 30 percent during the same period.
A grassroots effort launched in 2010 seeks to reverse that trend. Getting women to the airport and introducing them to aviation was the goal of the 2010 Women Pilot Centennial. By the end of the year, pilots around the world had carried more than 1,600 girls and women aloft in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Laroche’s achievement. The effort became a yearlong competition to see which airport would be designated most “women friendly.” The winner was Oshawa Airport in Ontario, Canada, where pilots racked up 475 introductory flights. A close second was Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Washington, where 407 women and girls received introductory flights—173 of which were conducted in a single day.
International organizer Mireille Goyer had planned to celebrate the centennial by introducing women and girls to flying in France, the United States, and Canada. She broadened her approach to invite pilots everywhere to take up the cause.
The centennial has come and gone, but the goal continues in 2011. The week of March 7 through 13 was designated Women of Aviation Week as a part of the one-hundredth anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8). Once again, pilots are urged to put out the welcome mat by introducing girls and women to the world of flight.
There were prizes and recognition for categories such as Most Unusual Introductory Flight, Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor, and Most Dedicated Female Pilot. Some museums and flight schools are offering special programs. More details can be found at the website (www.womenofaviationweek.org), which includes a detailed list of events planned in the United States, Canada, France, Ghana, and the United Kingdom. AOPA is a sponsor, along with Aircraft Spruce, SavvyGPS Pilot, and Windtee. Also on board are the producers of documentaries Breaking Through the Clouds, which tells the story of the 1929 Women’s Transcontinental Air Race, and Flyabout, a pilot’s story of her aviation-oriented “walkabout” in Australia.
A local spark lights a fire
The idea of getting as many women into the air as possible sounded just right to Victoria Neuville. Neuville learned about the Centennial of Women last year but couldn’t get involved at the time. A relative newcomer to Frederick, Maryland (she’s from Michigan), she has leapt into the local pilot community by organizing an event for this year’s Women of Aviation Week. Women Fly It Forward was scheduled for March 12 at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK).
“I wanted to make sure that other girls weren’t afraid to start, or quit early from lack of support.”—Victoria Neuville
An instrument-rated private pilot, Neuville encountered some challenges while earning her certificate—she trained at three flight schools, with eight instructors, and flew “a billion” airplanes.“I didn’t have much support when I was getting my ratings,” says Neuville. Her father and grandfathers were pilots—her great uncle was a World War II ace—and so she had plenty of role models, but not the emotional support she wanted. “I knew a lot of guys but I did not meet a single girl in my training. Girls need other girls for support. Since I had none of that, I wanted to make sure that other girls weren’t afraid to start, or quit early from lack of support.”
Neuville hopes to draw 300 women and girls to FDK, and she has put together a slate of activities, including prize drawings and speakers such as an air traffic controller, a wing walker, and a squadron from Andrews Air Force Base. There are incentives for the pilots, too: Neuville negotiated a 50-cent-per-gallon discount on aviation fuel from Landmark Aviation, the local FBO. Everyone who takes an introductory flight will be able to download a photo from a website to post on Facebook—and Neuville is aiming to see hundreds of profile pictures of smiling faces in airplanes.“If one woman will fly, more will,” she says. “Aviation is such a great community. Every pilot I’ve met is so helpful and willing to share their aviation stories. I think women would, too. If they hear about more women in aviation, more women will come.”
Neuville works with Jon Harden of Aviation Insurance Resources in Frederick and says she is thrilled to have a job in aviation as well as the chance to fly Harden’s Cessna 172.
Neuville and Goyer share the desire to pay forward—or fly forward, if you will—their opportunities. “I believe the best way to thank a role model is to pay it forward by putting into application what you have learned from them,” Goyer says.
If you didn’t make it to the airport on March 12, the opportunity to take someone flying is as close as the next sunny day. Aviation has the reputation of being a boys’ club. We know it’s open to everyone. Invite a friend to share the sky with you.
E-mail the author at jill.tallman@aopa.org. Photography by Chris Rose.
3/23/11
One Person Can Make a Difference
Prior to the Women Fly it Forward event, I told myself that I would consider my event a success if just one of the female participants decided to take the next step. Yesterday I found out that has happened. Lin, who volunteered her time and flew her Cessna 182 at the event, was contacted by one of her passengers only a few days later. She had ordered her starter kit and was seeking Lin out as a mentor. Of course, Lin eagerly agreed. It just takes one female pilot to increase the aviatrix population, this is just the start.
"One person can make a difference and every person should try." ~ John F. Kennedy
3/22/11
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by Airman 1st Class Bahja J. Jones
11th Wing Public Affairs
3/16/2011 - Frederick, Md. -- In the month of March, people take the time to observe Women's History Month and recognize the many contributions and accomplishments of women worldwide. In celebration of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, March 7-13, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association sponsored 'Women Fly it Forward' at the Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md., March 12.
Joint Base Andrew's own Lt. Col. Julie Grundahl, 1st Helicopter Squadron commander, along with other female representatives of the 1 HS, the 79th Medical group as well as the Andrews Air Traffic Control Tower, were invited to showcase their work as women in aviation career fields.
"The purpose of the event is to get women involved in aviation based professions to come speak about their specific aviation geared jobs," said Colonel Grundahl. "Women and children of all ages are able to find out how they can get involved in civilian, military and government aviation careers."
Norma Ely, Federal Aviation Administration Andrews Tower Air Traffic manager here, had a table set up and educated approximately 250 "young aspiring pilots and aviators" about air traffic, the FAA as well as future careers within the FAA.
The Joint Base Andrews women flew to the site in a UH-1N Huey helicopter and set up a static display. Visitors were able to enter the aircraft, look around, and even sit down in the pilot's seats as they were educated by the Andrews women.
First Lt. Danielle Caretti, 1 HS special mission's pilot, assisted Abbie Greer, 16, into the pilot's seat and allowed her to try on the helmet as she answered questions about the buttons and features on the aircraft.
They also explained to the visitors that aviation careers involve more than just flying planes. Maj. Jennifer Walters, 79 MDG critical nursing care director at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., brought her critical transport and Air Evacuation display charts that depict the transfer of injured soldiers from overseas.
"My job focuses on brining the guys back home," said Major Walters.
Also in attendance was 1st Lt. Danielle Gleason, 779th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace physiologist, who works with the pilots of several different types of aircraft to analyze the many flying variables and risk factors relating to altitude, oxygen levels, etc. and trains the pilots accordingly.
"I think it's important that we are here to advertise the opportunities that women have to take part various aviation career fields. Also we are creating awareness that these opportunities are available to women," said Colonel Grundahl.
3/17/11
A Day of Free Flights for Women at a Frederick Airport
Maryland Newsline
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Click here for an audio slideshow!
FREDERICK, Md. - Nearly 200 women came to Frederick Municipal Airport Saturday for a day of free flights. The event, Women Fly it Forward, was part of a global grassroots movement designed to get more women involved in flying. From 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., any woman could attend the event and receive a free ride from one of an assembled squadron of licensed pilots.
3/17/11
Women Fly It Forward
- 15 March, 2011 MoJo: Molly Fellin Spence
As I rose to 1,000, then 2,000, then 3,500 feet above Frederick County, sitting next to a consultant from Florida and in front of two women whom I had never seen before, a thought crossed my mind: “How did I end up here?”
Saturday morning started out normal enough: coffee, breakfast, household chores. Then, somehow I ended up on the Frederick Municipal Airport runway, waving to my family from the cockpit of a private propeller plane. I took to the skies with about 180 other women and young girls as part of the “Women Fly It Forward” event.
According to event organizers, of the 600,000 active pilots in the United States today, only 6 percent are women. On Saturday, any woman could come to the airport and participate in a free flight. The goal was to inspire the female passengers to become pilots themselves.
Frederick resident Victoria Neuville organized the event as part of an international celebration of 100 years of female pilots. (On March 8, 1910, Raymonde De Laroche, an experienced French balloonist, was the first woman to earn a pilot license in the world.)
Neuville, who has an active flight blog at, called in favors from dozens of fellow private pilots, who brought their aircraft to Frederick on Saturday and offered any woman the chance to get on board and take a 20-minute flight above Frederick and beyond.
The tarmac was filled with a colorful array of helicopters and propeller planes, as well as an enthusiastic bunch of male and female pilots, eager to share their passion for flight with anyone who would listen.
About five minutes after I arrived at the airport and signed a waiver, I was paired with TJ Shembekar, a private pilot from Tampa, Fla., for a ride in his four-seat Cirrus SR-22 GTS Turbo plane.
Shembekar was a remarkably patient teacher, and was so excited to explain every aspect of his aircraft and its operations to me and two other women who he invited onboard.
Despite the plane’s small size (compared the commercial jets in which I have flown in the past), it offered an amazingly smooth, if noisy, ride. We flew up and over Frederick’s Harry Grove Stadium, making our way over the Monocacy River to Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and back. The short voyage offered amazing views of the region that I had never before experienced.
The amount of air traffic coming in and out of the Frederick airport on Saturday was remarkable. Planes seemed to be everywhere.
One pilot who escorted about a dozen prospective pilots above the City of Frederick was Lin Caywood, a Frederick resident who keeps her Cessna 182 at the airport between flights. Caywood had always wanted to learn to fly, but when her son was ready to graduate from high school, she realized it was time to get her license.
Now, seven years after earning her certificate, she takes regular trips on weekends, exploring the region 100 to 150 miles at a time, finding new places to visit and eat lunch or dinner, or visiting family on day trips to North Carolina.
Susan Beall lives in West Friendship, but keeps her 172 Cessna at the Frederick airport. She officially became a pilot five years ago after “always looking up at the sky and wanting to be there.”
Beall says she’s seeing more women up in the air, and was eager to participate in “Women Fly It Forward” to encourage others to take the leap that she did.
“There’s no reason why more women can’t be pilots,” she said.
Her first load of passengers was a bit apprehensive as they began their flight, asking whether it was safe enough. But soon after takeoff, they loosened up and really enjoyed themselves, she said.
“That’s what you want, to go away with a feeling of ‘OK, I can do this,’” she said.
For more information on the event, go to www.womenflyitforward.com or www.womenofaviationweek.org.
3/17/11
Maryland Pilot Organizes Event To Introduce Women To Aviation
Nearly 200 Non-Pilot Women Got A Taste Of Flight
Pilots and volunteers from all over the greater Washington, DC area gathered at Fredrick Municipal Airport in Fredrick, MD last weekend to let women experience aviation from the cockpit of an aircraft.
At the end of the day, about 185 women had taken a flight in one of the nearly two dozen aircraft, including a helicopter, flying with pilots who had donated their time and their machines.
The event was part of "Women in Aviation Week," a worldwide effort to introduce women to aviation. Event organizer Victoria Neuville told ANN that the "Fly it Forward" event was first conceived by Mireille Goyer, who founded this grass roots movement "Women of Aviation World Wide Week" to support women introducing other women to aviation. "The event was a great success, every participant and volunteer was flying," said Neuville. "I have never had so much encouragement and support organizing an event, the aviation community is really tight knit and didn't think twice about volunteering for a good cause."
On her blog, Neuville said the oldest participant in the event was in her 70's, and the youngest about 6 months old. She said "Women Fly it Forward" was such a success that she has plans to organize the event next year as well.
3/16/11
‘Smiles for miles’: Maryland event takes 185 women aloft
Click the image above to view a slideshow.
March weather can be capricious in the Mid-Atlantic, but on March 12 the seasonal gusty winds and low clouds gave way so that 185 girls and women could enjoy free flights at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md.
The rides were the cornerstone of Women Fly It Forward, an event in celebration of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, which was March 7 through 13. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first U.S. certificated female pilot, Harriet Quimby.
Victoria Neuville, who organized the Frederick event, said she wanted to ensure that girls and women feel welcome when they come to the airport. Neuville is an instrument-rated private pilot. Her efforts at broadening aviation horizons for women are profiled in the upcoming April 2011 issue of AOPA Pilot.
Jane Wicker, pilot and wing walker with Jane Wicker Airshows, brought her Stearman to be on static display at the event.
“I used to think that I had to get all my ratings and become a successful professional pilot before I could make a difference in aviation,” Neuville said in her blog. “I have recently learned, however, that I can make an impact regardless of my piloting title.”
Neuville said she has been bombarded with e-mails in the days following the event, including a message from one participant who described seeing “smiles for miles” as she watched women depart on and return from their flights.
Riders were lining up before the 10:30 a.m. start time at the Frederick event. On the ramp, 20 aircraft including Cessna, Cirrus, and Piper, light sport, and a helicopter waited to take eager passengers aloft. Several pilots from AOPA volunteered to give rides, and those who were CFIs let their surprised guests sit in the left seat and fly the airplane. AOPA staff also assisted with registration and escorting riders to aircraft. Several participants alighted from aircraft and walked over to the local flight school to purchase an introductory flight certificate.
Nancy Jones and her daughter, Victoria, age 10, were among the first in line. The Joneses had come out to the airport in 2010 to watch women pilots entered in the Air Race Classic land at Frederick, which was the terminus of the race. Victoria said she was “very excited” to take her first flight, while Nancy admitted to being “a little nervous.” Still, both were beaming as they were led out onto the ramp to a waiting Cirrus SR20.
Four friends from Rockville, Md.—Lauren Clemente, Whitney Eury, Laurie Chow, and Carol Fowler—came together after learning of the event online.
Erica O’Brien of Edgewood, Md., said she has flown in a small airplane but had never flown in a Piper Archer. “I loved it,” she said.
Also on hand were guest speakers, including Norma Ely, air traffic manager at Andrews Air Force Base, the 1st Helicopter Squadron commanded by Lt. Col. Julie Grundahl; Jennifer Reineck, a first officer with Air Wisconsin, and Jane Wicker, pilot and wing walker with Jane Wicker Airshows. Local chapters from the International Organization of Women Pilots (The Ninety-Nines) and the Experimental Aircraft Association answered questions about aviation.
AOPA was a sponsor of the Frederick event as well as the national Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. “Participating in the Women Fly It Forward event was an incredible experience,” said Jennifer Storm, AOPA director of public relations. “AOPA is proud to recognize Women of Aviation Worldwide Week and support their efforts.”
Florida pilot flies to Maryland for women’s flying event
Pilots flew in from different parts of the mid-Atlantic to help out in the March 12 Women Fly it Forward event in Frederick, Md. But one flew farther than most.TJ Shembekar, an information technology executive and instrument-rated private pilot based out of Tampa Executive Airport in Florida, flew his Cirrus SR22 Turbo G3 more than 800 miles to help introduce women and girls to flying.
Shembekar, who loves to share his aviation adventures in his blog, learned about the event from organizer Victoria Neuville’s aviation blog. He had stopped at Frederick once before, as part of an effort to fly to all 50 states—he’s reached 33 so far, he said—and decided to make the trip again. He said he enjoyed the experience of introducing people to general aviation for the first time.
“A lot of them don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I was impressed with the enthusiasm, and … how inquisitive they were.” As they flew over the rolling hills of Maryland, Shembekar said, the passengers got to notice landscape features they never paid attention to on the ground and experience the freedom of flying GA.
“Hopefully I’ll contribute to them catching the bug.”
—Sarah Brown
Photos by Bob Knill and Daniel Pixton
March 16, 2011
3/15/11
Fly it Forward Feedback
I thought I was finished getting flooded with emails because the day of Fly it Forward in Frederick had come and gone; I was wrong. I have been overwhelmed with such positive thanks from volunteers, pilots and participants alike. What an impact this event has had! Thank you to all who made it possible, you really made a difference in each of these ladies' lives! 
"I remember one specific individual - a young woman in her early twenties - who was a true natural. I let her take the stick and she was able to hold altitude and heading within commercial standards. I told her it would be a shame if she didn't capitalize on this gift and pursue her dream of aviation. So many great questions and such incredible interest. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. The weather was excellent and, despite the winds, the air was relatively smooth." Frank, pilot
"That was SO fun.. I wanna buy a plane now... lol...Thanks so much for doing that for all of us!" Monica, participant
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The young ladies with whom I shared a ride were tickled. One of them said she'd be on an adrenaline high all day when they got out of the plane! :o)" Debbie, participant
"What an awesome time! There were smiles for miles including my own. I had a blast watching all the ladies go and return from the free flight." Paula, participant
"
Great photos! You had some talented photographers covering your fantastic event!" Suzanne, volunteer
"Awesome, awesome event!" Jamie, participant
"I think the event was AWESOME and very impressive pulling it all together!" Joey, volunteer
"It was a joy to participate in an event that was well run, and thought out." Jeff, pilot
"This would have been a great success even if it wasn't the first time out." David, pilot
"Wonderful event Victoria! Thanks for all of your hard work!" Helen, pilot
"Congratulations to Victoria, Sugarloaf, the 99s, and everyone who made Women Fly It Forward such a huge success! Volunteers who stuck it out in the cold breeze were rewarded with a great BBQ afterwards that really hit the spot. Thanks everyone - I think we all had a great time!" Debi, volunteer
"Congrats to Victoria and many thanks to her and the rest of the 99's and other fliers that helped make the day an incredible success. I was so impressed with how the day progressed and the positive experiences received by all participants. Looking forward to future events like this in Frederick." Lin, pilot
"Congratulations on the success of the WFIF debut!" Dave, pilot
"Pretty amazing event from what I saw." John, transient pilot
"What a great event!" Jill, volunteer
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The couple dozen pilots who were ready to go, rose to the occasion and were able to take all 181 passengers up for what I am sure was a memorable experience! (Hopefully, at least one of them will have been inspired to begin flight training of their own!)" TJ, pilot
"I love his plane. He made me feel completely at ease. It was so amazing!" Andrea, participant\
"I had a great time! Mike had a great time as well. You can count him in whenever you need pilots!" Cheri, caterer
"And thank you, again, for organizing this event. My girls were thrilled and will remember this for the rest of their lives. I believe it really did have the desired effect of stirring their interest in an aviation career." Tim, father of two young participants
"Really nice job on the Fly it Fwd thing and getting so many ladies up in the sky." Ted, supporter
"Hopefully that = 183 new licenses in the future :)" Tracy, supporter
"Awesome job!!!" Len, supporter
"You rock-so proud of what you did!" Rose, supporter
"Thank you for an absolutely amazing experience!" Kelly, participant
"An amazing event. Thank you Victoria for posting and putting it on. I hope you do it again next year." Kristin, participant
3/14/11
“I used to think that I had to get all my ratings and become a successful professional pilot before I could make a difference in aviation. I have recently learned, however, that I can make an impact regardless of my piloting title,” writes Victoria, Frederick’s event organizer, in her blog.
And what an impact she made!
Because of her and her leadership, 185 girls and women as young as 6 months and as old as 70 years went on their first smaller aircraft flight in Frederick, MD, on Saturday March 12 allowing the Frederick Airport aviation community to set a new aviation record for most girls and women introduced to flying in one day and one location.
21 pilots assisted by 30 ground volunteers spent five hours offering 20-minute flights to female residents of DC, MD, and VA. But there was much more to this event.
After their flight the participants went over to the education center where the EAA provided them time to see what the engine of an aircraft looks like and how to perform a preflight.
Norma Ely, an Air Traffic Manager from Andrews Air Force Base, the Andrews Air Force Base 1st Helicopter Squadron commanded by Lt Col Julie Grundahl, Jennifer Reineck, a First Officer from Air Wisconsin Airlines, Jane Wicker of Jane Wicker Airshows and the Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines happily answered participants’ questions.
The helicopter squadron flew a Huey in for display at the event and the MD State Police got to bring theirs over last minute as well!
Congratulations Victoria and the entire Frederick Airport aviation community for putting together such an amazing event!
For the latest information about the event, visit Victoria’s blog.
3/14/11
On Saturday, participants of the Women Fly it Forward event at the Frederick Municipal Airport didn't need in-flight entertainment. The flying was the entertainment.
Victoria Neuville, a five-year pilot who moved to the area last year, organized the event, which allowed any woman who registered to take a free flight in the one of about 20 small planes or a helicopter.
Neuville said 181 women were in attendance. The airport allowed use of the runway, about 20 pilots volunteered their time and fuel, and several aviation-related organizations and other companies agreed to serve as sponsors.
"It was a great way to meet the aviation community," Neuville said, of the inaugural event for the Frederick area.
But her actual goal was to expose women to flight. A member of the Women of Aviation Worldwide Community, a grassroots organization that supports women getting into aviation, Neuville said she was one of many women around the country and world who put on similar events during the group's Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. International Women's Day and the anniversary of the first female getting her pilot's license in 1910 fall within the week, which extended from March 7 until today.
"I never had any of this when I wanted to fly," said Luz Beattie, one of the event's seven female volunteer pilots. A corporate pilot for one of the event's sponsors, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Beattie has been flying for about 20 years, she said.
"[Women] are a minority in aviation," she noted. So it's important to "just open up the doors and provide information" to women who might want to get into flying but don't know how to get started.
Programs given out to women who registered included information about different types of pilot certifications and how to go about signing up for flying lessons. It also included a coupon for $20 off a flight at Frederick
Flight Center.
Jennifer Storm, the director of public relations for AOPA, said only six percent of the country's pilots are female.
"We're here supporting this event to increase that population," she said.
Storm said some women she spoke to just flew for fun, but others were coming to see if flight training was something they wanted to explore seriously.
Diana Johnson of Libertytown attended with her daughter, granddaughter and a friend of the family.
"I'm glad they gave us this opportunity," Johnson said. "It was totally awesome... I really commend the women who did this."
Johnson's daughter, Raime Smith, said she came to conquer her fear of heights.
"I couldn't keep my eyes open," she admitted. "But when I did open my eyes, the scenery was beautiful. It was worth it."
Although she's not quite ready to face her fear regularly for lessons, the experience did make her think about becoming a pilot someday, she said.
Susan Crowson, a Frederick resident, brought her 17-year-old daughter, Christine, to the event after hearing about it through a friend who works at the AOPA.
"It's a great idea because I would never do it otherwise," Susan Crowson said. She enjoyed the scenery, especially the mountain ridge and the patterns on the farm fields, she added.
Devon Casey, another Frederick resident, brought her 7-year-old daughter, Sadira Kirkham. They agreed that riding in a plane over their hometown was "a good way to spend a girl's day together," Casey said.
Sadira said she enjoyed her experience, and would think about becoming a pilot someday.
Victoria Neuville, a five-year pilot who moved to the area last year, organized the event, which allowed any woman who registered to take a free flight in the one of about 20 small planes or a helicopter.
Neuville said 181 women were in attendance. The airport allowed use of the runway, about 20 pilots volunteered their time and fuel, and several aviation-related organizations and other companies agreed to serve as sponsors.
"It was a great way to meet the aviation community," Neuville said, of the inaugural event for the Frederick area.
But her actual goal was to expose women to flight. A member of the Women of Aviation Worldwide Community, a grassroots organization that supports women getting into aviation, Neuville said she was one of many women around the country and world who put on similar events during the group's Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. International Women's Day and the anniversary of the first female getting her pilot's license in 1910 fall within the week, which extended from March 7 until today.
"I never had any of this when I wanted to fly," said Luz Beattie, one of the event's seven female volunteer pilots. A corporate pilot for one of the event's sponsors, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Beattie has been flying for about 20 years, she said.
"[Women] are a minority in aviation," she noted. So it's important to "just open up the doors and provide information" to women who might want to get into flying but don't know how to get started.
Programs given out to women who registered included information about different types of pilot certifications and how to go about signing up for flying lessons. It also included a coupon for $20 off a flight at Frederick
Flight Center.
Jennifer Storm, the director of public relations for AOPA, said only six percent of the country's pilots are female.
"We're here supporting this event to increase that population," she said.
Storm said some women she spoke to just flew for fun, but others were coming to see if flight training was something they wanted to explore seriously.
Diana Johnson of Libertytown attended with her daughter, granddaughter and a friend of the family.
"I'm glad they gave us this opportunity," Johnson said. "It was totally awesome... I really commend the women who did this."
Johnson's daughter, Raime Smith, said she came to conquer her fear of heights.
"I couldn't keep my eyes open," she admitted. "But when I did open my eyes, the scenery was beautiful. It was worth it."
Although she's not quite ready to face her fear regularly for lessons, the experience did make her think about becoming a pilot someday, she said.
Susan Crowson, a Frederick resident, brought her 17-year-old daughter, Christine, to the event after hearing about it through a friend who works at the AOPA.
"It's a great idea because I would never do it otherwise," Susan Crowson said. She enjoyed the scenery, especially the mountain ridge and the patterns on the farm fields, she added.
Devon Casey, another Frederick resident, brought her 7-year-old daughter, Sadira Kirkham. They agreed that riding in a plane over their hometown was "a good way to spend a girl's day together," Casey said.
Sadira said she enjoyed her experience, and would think about becoming a pilot someday.
3/14/11
"Women Fly it Forward" Draws Hundreds of Potential Female Pilots
For video click here.
FREDERICK, MD - Many pilots say they love to fly for the thrill, but Judith Redlawsk has turned her love of flying into a career.
For the past 40 years she has pioneered the way for other women to follow in her footsteps.
"It's an opportunity to spread the good word about general aviation and what we do, how we use aircraft in business and how general aviation actually supports the entire economy," said Redlawk, an experienced career pilot.
At the first "Women Fly it Forward" event, Redlawsk and other female pilots hoped their experience would inspire other women to begin flying despite the male-dominated field of aviation.
"We hope to increase the women in aviation population and really educate women that this is something you can do to empower yourself and have a lot of fun," said Suzanne Koppanen, a Frederick resident and pilot.
The "Women Fly it Forward" project was such a success that over 240 women went up in planes including a six month old baby girl.
"It's such a great opportunity to see for girls to see what opportunities are out there in a field that's more male-dominated, so it's really cool," explained Linda Sothoron, a Frederick resident who brought her daughters out for a plane ride.
For those hoping to be future pilots, it was an experience they admit they won't soon forget.
"I saw my school and I saw my house and I saw my little brother playing ball," said eight year old Katie Dunmoyer, a Frederick resident who came out for her first plane ride.
Based on the amount of women who came out for "Women Fly it Forward," it could qualify Frederick Municipal Airport as the winner of the title "Most Female Friendly Airport."
The results of that contest have yet to be revealed.
For the past 40 years she has pioneered the way for other women to follow in her footsteps.
"It's an opportunity to spread the good word about general aviation and what we do, how we use aircraft in business and how general aviation actually supports the entire economy," said Redlawk, an experienced career pilot.
At the first "Women Fly it Forward" event, Redlawsk and other female pilots hoped their experience would inspire other women to begin flying despite the male-dominated field of aviation.
"We hope to increase the women in aviation population and really educate women that this is something you can do to empower yourself and have a lot of fun," said Suzanne Koppanen, a Frederick resident and pilot.
The "Women Fly it Forward" project was such a success that over 240 women went up in planes including a six month old baby girl.
"It's such a great opportunity to see for girls to see what opportunities are out there in a field that's more male-dominated, so it's really cool," explained Linda Sothoron, a Frederick resident who brought her daughters out for a plane ride.
For those hoping to be future pilots, it was an experience they admit they won't soon forget.
"I saw my school and I saw my house and I saw my little brother playing ball," said eight year old Katie Dunmoyer, a Frederick resident who came out for her first plane ride.
Based on the amount of women who came out for "Women Fly it Forward," it could qualify Frederick Municipal Airport as the winner of the title "Most Female Friendly Airport."
The results of that contest have yet to be revealed.
3/13/11
185 Women Introduced to Aviation at KFDK
I used to think that I had to get all my ratings and become a successful professional pilot before I could make a difference in aviation. I have had countless hurdles and delays in my pursuing my aviation career from monetary issues to a medical scare. I have recently learned, however, that I can make an impact regardless of my piloting title. I have never truly felt a "part" of aviation until this year, when it came to sharing aviation with others despite my frustration of where I am at with my pilot training. 
20 planes and one helicopter spent five hours introducing 185 women to aviation. Each ride was about 20 minutes long and gave the girls and women a quick glimpse of how the world looked below. After their flight the participants went over to the education center where the EAA provided them time to see what the engine of an aircraft looks like and how to perform a pre-flight. The Air Traffic Manager from Andrews Air Force Base, Norma Ely was there to talk to the participants as well as the Andrews Air Force Base 1st Helicopter Squadron commanded by Lt Col Julie Grundahl. The helicopter squadron flew a Huey in for display at the event and the MD State Police got to bring theirs over last minute as well! Jennifer Reineck a First Officer from Air Wisconsin Airlines, Jane Wicker from Jane Wicker Airshows and the Sugarloaf Ninety-Nines completed the impressive list of individuals prepared to answer any participants questions and to inspire them into future careers. 
There was not a frown to be seen at KFDK on Saturday. Each participant came out of the plane excited and smiling! One was so eager and had no fear that she got to experience a roll in an aerobatic aircraft! Others were allowed to take the controls and see what flying an airplane felt like. Several went out of the doors of the aircraft and into the doors of the flight school to purchase their discounted discovery flight! 
Our oldest participant was in her 70's the youngest, merely six months old! They came from all walks of life and from all over the DC, MD, VA area. One individual, Mary, has worked for the FAA creating instrument approach charts for 27 years and had never been in a small aircraft before. Saturday we gave her the experience and showed her just how her work keeps pilots safe in the clouds. A 12 year old, Summer, was very nervous when about to go up in a Cessna 180. When she finally got in and they took off she exclaimed, "This plane is slow!"
I was exhausted spending about 11 hours at the airport on Saturday, but couldn't have been more thrilled. Saturday we inspired a future generation of pilots and for those who are not going to sign up for their next flight, we provided them with a unique view not seen by many and a day at the airport full of fun, food and smiles!
Please visit here to see all the pictures! More are added each day!
03/12/11
Today is the Day!
Today is Women Fly it Forward at KFDK! We have many challenges ahead of us today, we have less pilots due to family emergencies, house emergencies and a few who decided that the gusty winds expected is over their minimums. I'm very thankful to those pilots for being honesty with me about what they felt comfortable flying in, for safety is our first priority. It's supposed to be clear, sunny and 60 degrees today, however, the winds are at 18 knots and gusty. Let's hope it decides to go right down the runway! Either way, no matter how many girls get to go for a free ride, I am just happy at how many people, male and female, are coming out to spend time at the airport today!
03/11/10
Women Get Chance in Frederick to Take to the Skies for Free
By ALEXANDER PYLES
Maryland Newsline/CNS=
Maryland Newsline/CNS=
COLLEGE PARK - Victoria Neuville was 16 when she flew a plane for the first time, enrolling in ground school in her native Michigan and then taking to the skies in a Cessna 172.
"You never forget your first plane," the Frederick resident said.
Now 26, the private pilot hopes to give more than 200 women their first plane memory on Saturday -- possibly pushing them toward getting a pilot's license themselves. Only about 6 percent of pilots in the United States are women.
Neuville is hosting a free flying event Saturday at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick -- part of a global grassroots movement to get more women involved in flying. From 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., any woman who has never flown in a noncommercial plane can attend Neuville's event, Women Fly it Forward, and receive a free ride from one of an assembled squadron of licensed pilots.
Neuville said Thursday she already had more than 200 registrants, enticed through "word of mouth, people telling their friends."
The price doesn't hurt, she said. "You can never do anything at the airport for free."
Saturday's competition is being sponsored by Centennial of Women Pilots, an organization that formed last year to introduce more women to flying in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first licensed female pilot, Raymonde de Laroche, in 1910.
Tuesday marked the 101st anniversary.
"The goal of this is to get them to take their first flight," Neuville said, hopefully instilling in the riders a love of flying that leads to more women earning private pilots' licenses. "I feel like if a guy and a girl can do the same thing just as well, I don't know why there's less women."
The 1st Helicopter Squadron from Andrews Air Force Base will be in Frederick Saturday, as well as an airline pilot and air traffic control specialist.
Neuville has also arranged for 25 private pilots to give women their first flights Saturday, including one helicopter pilot. She said 20-minute flights for first-timers will take off every 30 minutes.
Lin Caywood, 47, plans to pilot some of those flights. Caywood, like Neuville, is a member of the Ninety-Nines, an international organization for women pilots that claims Amelia Earhart -- the first female pilot to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean -- as its first president. Caywood has held a private pilot's license for seven years, she said.
The Frederick chapter of the Ninety-Nines has 14 members. Several members of the organization are participating in some way.
For Caywood, it was a no-brainer for her and her Cessna 182 to fly Saturday.
"Our mission is to really promote fellowship to flight and networking for women pilots, and provide scholarships and really support and preserve the history of women in aviation," Caywood said. "This event is near and dear."
The airport's Experimental Aircraft Association education center will also be open, where mechanics will explain the parts of a plane and pilots' pre-flight checklist.
Jon Harden, 55, is another pilot who will be flying Saturday. His company, Aviation Insurance Resources, is helping sponsor the event, he said. Neuville is a sales assistant for the insurance company.
Harden says he's looking forward to the event, and may even give some of his passengers an informal flying lesson.
"I love taking new people up, because it's pretty cool to see the ones that do get excited about it," Harden said. "If they have an interest, we'll let them take control."
03/10/11
We're up to 230!
03/08/11
Over 200 Ladies Registered for WFIF KFDK!
03/06/11
Happy Women of Aviation Week!
Today marks the first day of Women of Aviation week and that means there are just five days until the KFDK Women Fly it Forward event! As of tonight there will be 25 planes and one helicopter flying 188 women! Things are coming together quite nicely and I am now just finishing up with all the tiny details. One big thing we need though, is prayers for great weather!
Too far to make it to Frederick? There are other Fly it Forward events taking place this week throughout the United States and the world, for that matter!
On March 11 at 5 PM, Out of the Blue Aviation invites everyone to meet Karlene Petitt, Delta Air Lines Airbus A330 pilot. After a short speech, she will answer questions from the public. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn what it is like to be an airline pilot, a mother, a grand mother, and an author.
The next day, on March 12, it is time to fly!
Starting at 9:30 AM, girls and women are invited to go on a FREE short flight. Various types of aircraft will be involved. Pilots will be on hands to answer all your questions about flying.
Flights in a helicopter will also be available for the highly discounted fee of $30.
Freeflight Aviation will be offering short introductory flights to interested girls and women on Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 from 10 AM to 2 PM each day (weather and conditions permitting).
Stop by to take a flight with one of our member pilots and receive a certificate of flight and commemorative photo. Enter a drawing (age 16+), to receive a discovery flight with one of our instructors. Take the opportunity to sign up for flight lessons and your dream of flying a reality!
Am I High Aviation, LLC presents a day at the airport watching FREE movies filled with aviation adventure for all and $20 air rides.
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Air Zoo is celebrating Women of Aviation and Space Day on March 12!
At 1 and 2 p.m., visitors will be able to meet a female aviator character from the past, as she tells tales about women from aviation and space history. Visitors will learn about the accomplishments of Amelia Earhart, the Women Airforce Service Pilots and Sally Ride. They’ll also have the chance to speak with women who have had personal experience in the fields of space exploration and aviation.
The International Women’s Air & Space Museum is hosting its 6th annual Free Family Day in honor of Women’s History Month on Saturday, March 12, 2011 from 10-4. This year’s event celebrates the life & legacy of Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license.
Visit Women of Aviation Week to learn more about these events and others around the world! You can make it to Frederick on March 12th? Then go register!
03/03/11
150 participants signed up for Fly it Forward!
03/01/11
WFIF in the Village Connector
Posted By Al Granger On March 2, 2011 @ 11:38 am In Educational Events,Featured,In the News,People |
by: Rachel Kingstrom FREDERICK, MD
– In 1910, Raymonde de Laroche became the first licensed female pilot. At that time, 3 percent of all pilots were women. Over the past 101 years, the number has increased to only 6 percent. One young female pilot is working to change that. Frederick, Md., resident, Victoria Neuville, grew up dreaming of emulating female aviation icons like Amelia Earhardt. Before she even got her driver’s license, Neuville took her first flight lesson at age 16. Some might say Neuville’s flying bug is hereditary, as the love of aviation has a long-standing history in her family. Her father sparked her interest in flying early on, taking her as a small child to air shows in Indiana and Wisconsin. That inspired Neuville to pursue her private pilot’s license at age 19. Throughout the process, she connected with fellow pilots who share her passion for aviation, including her boyfriend of three years.
The world of aviation has greatly enriched Neuville’s life and she hopes it will have the same impact on other women. In an effort to make Frederick Municipal Airport the “most female-friendly” airport and to increase interest in aviation among women, Neuville is hosting Women Fly it Forward on Sat., March 12, 2011. The event takes place on March 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Frederick Municipal Airport. Despite some gains over the past century, the number of female pilots has decreased in the past 15 years. Neuville, age 25, attributes the decline to the difference in the way men and women communicate. “As [the number of female pilots] dropped, future women pilots lost that female support,” said Neuville. “Hopefully, with more women entering the field it can start building like a snowball and get that number up.”
Women Fly it Forward was inspired by the grassroots movement Women of Aviation Week, aimed at introducing women to aviation and providing support to those introducing and being introduced to the field. While the event is geared towards women, men and women of all ages are encouraged to attend. Female non-pilots qualify for a free ride. Stay after your flight to explore the Aviation Education Center and enjoy conversation with successful women in the aviation industry. Be excited as you talk to a wing walker and aerobatic performer. Be challenged discussing a career as an air traffic controller and be inspired by pilots from the United States Air Force. Whether someone is considering a career in the field or is just interested in learning more about it, the event has something for everyone. For more information about Women Fly it Forward, visit www.womenflyitforward.com [3].
by: Rachel Kingstrom The Village Connector would like to thank Rachel for her article.
02/26/11
As of 7 pm tonight these are the numbers registered for Women Fly it Forward
We have 25 pilots eagerly awaiting to introduce many to aviation!
If we have all airplanes in the sky at once, we would have 49 ladies in the air every 1/2 hour!
We have planes made by 10 different companies! To include:
1 Glasair, 2 Cirrus (SR20 & SR22 GTS), 9 Cessnas (140, 170, 5 172s, 180 & 182),
1 Decathalon, 1 RV6, 1 Diamond,
5 Pipers (Archer, Cherokee Six, Arrow, Saratoga & PiperSport),
1 Mooney, 1 Allegro, 1 Aircam &1 R44 helicopter!
Who will be the passengers? 132 excited women!
Who will help out? 30 amazing volunteers and 7 inspiring presenters!
The countdown has begun!
Opening skies to women
To celebrate Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, March 7 through 13, the aviation community will showcase its female members and welcome newcomers with first flights, contests, and more.
“The women of the past cracked the doors open; we intend to open them wide,” said international organizer Mireille Goyer. There are fewer women flying today—approximately 35,000, including those with student pilot certificates—than there were 15 years ago in spite of the fact that the number of women living in the United States has increased 30 percent during the same period, she said.
The initiative stems from the observation that there is currently very little industry effort to market flying to potential female customers, and the industry’s image is not women-friendly, she said.
It is also a continuation of the Fly It Forward campaign created to celebrate the 2010 Centennial of Women Pilots, Goyer said. That yearlong event culminated in more than 1,600 introductory flights for women conducted in 26 countries.
Pilots, flight schools, and others that register on the website can qualify for prizes and recognition for categories such as Most Unusual Introductory Flight, Most Supportive Male Flight Instructor, and Most Dedicated Female Pilot.
AOPA is a sponsor of the event and has provided funding for the trophies as well as three cash prizes through a random drawing opened to pilots who introduce five or more girls or women to aviation during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. The first woman to solo after taking her first flight during the week will receive a watch from AOPA, as will the winners of the Most Dedicated Woman Pilot Worldwide and the Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide awards.
AOPA’s home airport, Frederick Municipal Airport, will host first flights, guest speakers, and other events on March 12. Organizer Victoria Neuville said she hopes 300 women and girls will come to the airport to take flights. To register for a flight, see the website. Volunteers are needed to take passengers for rides and assist with ground operations; contact Neuville by email.
02/25/11
WFIF in AOPA ePilot
No wonder I got bombarded with 13 emails about the event first thing this morning!
02/23/11
BBQ After WFIF
There will be a thank you BBQ to all pilots and volunteers at the Aviation Insurance Resources hangar after Women Fly it Forward on March 12th!
02/22/11
We now have an R44 helicopter flying the event!
02/21/11
100 registered for Fly it Forward!
02/18/11
Click the link below to watch the video:
"Women Fly It Forward" Aims to Increase Number of Female Pilots
FREDERICK, MD - Frederick resident, Victoria Neuville, slid into her first pilot seat at age 16 and now she's hoping to get other women to do the same.
"I think a lot of pilots would say the freedom, you get a whole different perspective on life when you're in the air as well," explained Neuville of her passion for flight. "You can see your house and all your problems seem as tiny as your house is down there."
Only six-percent of pilots are currently female, which proves that the aviation field is still male dominated, something Neuville wants to change.
"I guess they're encouraged from a young age that mechanical things and mechanical pursuits are not fitting for women, when really some of the best pilots in the world are women," said Robert Zajko, a pilot in the Frederick area.
Neuville hopes to get more women interested in flying through an event she's organized called "Women Fly it Forward," that could land Frederick Municipal Airport with the title of the "Most Female Friendly Airport."
The nationwide contest is held by the organization, Centennial of Women's Pilots.
"We introduce women by giving them free flights, there will also be professionals from aviation there to talk with the girls afterwards so they can know all the different careers or hobbies they can get in to," explained Neuville.
The contest counts the number of women introducted to aviation at select airports and the one with the most is declared the winner.
Neuville believes that through her event the title will be gained as 80 women have signed up so far.
"I was able to do it and I think if I could overcome all the hurdles that I did, any woman can," said Neuville, "But I think because there's less women we don't have the support from other women in aviation, so hopefully we can get the ball rolling and once we get one more female pilot in, we'll get more after that."
Any woman from the community is invited to the event which will take place on March 12, 2011.
02/17/11
I have been flooded with e-mails the past two days in response to the Frederick News Post article in regards to the Women Fly it Forward event. I'm now slightly nervous because tomorrow I now have an interview with the local news and I am afraid I won't be able to keep up with even more responses! It has been a real help, however, not only are participants signing up for their free flight,s but I have sponsors, volunteers, presenters and pilots seeking me out now. It's great that I don't have to hunt down all my "minions" now; they are all coming to me!
My work, Aviation Insurance Resources, is one of the major sponsors of this great event. Not only are they providing a plane and pilot, but they are paying for the event insurance as well! I was also contacted by the founder of Powder Puff Pilot, who will be donating some items to give away the day of the event to our participants. Many thanks to both of these companies! Others have shown interest in helping me pay for other perks of the event, to include printing costs for fliers and programs as well as the catering. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me with their support and willingness to provide financial assistance!
I also had the photo shoot with AOPA today, it was a lot of fun! I love to pose when I'm around airplanes! I was also told they'd be in need of pilot models for future publications and that they would put me on their call list; I can't wait! Unfortunately, the article won't be published until after the event, but it is still great exposure for a worthwhile cause and will benefit next year's events I am sure! The article will actually be printed in April's AOPA Magazine, which is way more than I expected and now that is one more dream I can check off of my bucket list!
Things are really taking off (no pun intended), keep visiting for more updates!
My work, Aviation Insurance Resources, is one of the major sponsors of this great event. Not only are they providing a plane and pilot, but they are paying for the event insurance as well! I was also contacted by the founder of Powder Puff Pilot, who will be donating some items to give away the day of the event to our participants. Many thanks to both of these companies! Others have shown interest in helping me pay for other perks of the event, to include printing costs for fliers and programs as well as the catering. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me with their support and willingness to provide financial assistance!I also had the photo shoot with AOPA today, it was a lot of fun! I love to pose when I'm around airplanes! I was also told they'd be in need of pilot models for future publications and that they would put me on their call list; I can't wait! Unfortunately, the article won't be published until after the event, but it is still great exposure for a worthwhile cause and will benefit next year's events I am sure! The article will actually be printed in April's AOPA Magazine, which is way more than I expected and now that is one more dream I can check off of my bucket list!
Things are really taking off (no pun intended), keep visiting for more updates!
02/15/11
Local pilot works to introduce women to aviation
Originally published February 15, 2011
By Ike Wilson
New Post Staff
Only 6 percent of 600,000 active U.S. pilots are women. Victoria Neuville is working to increase that number.Neuville said her dream is to inspire new pilots, share the love of aviation and navigate the aviation profession to a promising future.
"My goal is to introduce as many women as possible to the wonders of aviation," the Frederick resident said.
Neuville, an instrument-rated pilot, describes herself as eclectic and passionate, someone who is always dreaming and an avid crocheter.
"I'm a girl who loves to be on a mission, whether it's organizing a fundraiser or seeing how many turtles I can catch in the lake in a day," she said.
A member of the Centennial of Women Pilots, Neuville will join a friendly competition aimed at designating the "Most Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport in the World."
The contest takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 12 at Frederick Municipal Airport during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week.
The first woman pilot, Raymonde de Laroche, earned her pilot's license in 1910.
At that time, 3 percent of all pilots were women. Today, 101 years later, 6 percent of all pilots are women, Neuville said.
"We're inviting all nonpilot women -- young and old -- for a free flight to see all the amazing opportunities aviation has to offer," Neuville said.
Sponsored by the Centennial of Women Pilots, the competition logs the number of women who attend the contest. The airport with the largest number of attendees wins the title, which is now held by Oshawa, Canada.
Oshawa, Canada, introduced 262 women to the skies last year for the title but Neuville believes Frederick has the potential to top that number.
"While that number is staggering and could be hard to beat, I believe Frederick has a community that knows how to make a difference," Neuville said.
Laroche said, "Flying is the best possible thing for women, and I need help to introduce women to this best possible experience and in turn, create the world's most-female friendly airport," Neuville said. To accomplish her goal, Neuville is asking local aviation businesses and pilots to donate their time, aircraft, facilities, food or other services to help make the event a success.
The event also needs volunteers and sponsors. Donors will have their names printed in the program.
After their flight, people can explore the Aviation Education Center operated by the Experimental Aircraft Association and talk with successful women in the aviation industry, including a wing walker, aerobatic performer, air traffic controller and United States Air Force pilots.
02/14/11
I'm going to be in the Frederick News Post tomorrow for the "Slice of Life" column! Great promo for Fly it Forward! :)
02/10/11
AOPA Article
I had a great time interviewing with Jill Tallman at AOPA today for an article to promote the Women Fly it Forward. I was there because they had heard of the event I am organizing, but I made sure they were made aware of the others great opportunities that are in the works across the nation for the week of March 7-13th. Sometime next week I will be doing a photo shoot for the article alongside my company plane and my friend, Andrea, who will be attending the event for a FREE FLIGHT on March 12th. I am so thankful for this article which is a great opportunity to promote the event to the PILOT READERS WHO CAN THEN INVITE THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COWORKERS. Oh, did I do that in all caps, bolded and in red?! Oopsies! :p Tonight's plans were to try out my new exercise DVD, stay away from the computer and enjoy a good book, however, I am redesigning the webpage for Women Fly it Forward. I was never impressed with how it looked and now with some help from a programmer friend, a more ideal design is coming together quite nicely. Be sure to check it out later to see it all fresh and new!
02/09/11
Frederick is starting to buzz with the talk of a free flight for women! With more ladies and volunteers signing up each day, I think this will be a very successful event. Today my boss forwarded me the weekly Aircraft Owner news to show that Women Fly it Forward was publicized in the events section and tomorrow I am interviewing with an AOPA writer for a possible article! The Frederick Chapter 524 of the EAA is donating their time to run their Aviation Education Center during the event to further the education of the ladies new to aviation at the event as well as help me with crowd control.
Great news! But what am I still in need of? Keep that advertising coming, we want as many girls as possible. Since the number of participants are climbing, we'll need pilots, too! I am also looking for a caterer to provide refreshments in the registration room and someone to donate hot chocolate for an outdoor stand. Monetary donations would be greatly appreciated as well. This will go toward signage, fliers and event insurance. Please contact me if you think you can be of help!
02/07/11
Volunteers Needed
Thanks to the 18 amazing pilots (and my three maybes) who are volunteering for the March 12th Fly it Forward event!
There is still a need for more volunteers and you don't have to be a pilot! Message me to help out with registration, refreshments, ground control, etc!
"Volunteer-not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself" ~anonymous
02/06/11
First Flight
Nothing will ever equal that moment of exhilaration which filled my whole being when I felt myself flying away from the earth. It was not mere pleasure; it was perfect bliss...As of 9:15 this morning I have 56 non-pilot ladies registered to take their FREE FLIGHT on March 12th! Will they feel the exhilaration that Prof. Charles spoke of?
~Prof. Jacques Alexandre Cesare Charles, first free flight in a manned hydrogen balloon, December 1, 1783.
My first flight was when I was a newly licensed driver, I had just completed ground school with my father and signed up for my discovery flight. I was nervous and excited, to make matters worse, my flight instructor was cute AND had a great accent! That was a combination that proved overwhelming for a teenage girl. I remember being in awe at the fact that he let me take off all by myself; it proved to be a steep climb in which my father recalls almost loosing his stomach in the back seat. We did some turns to practice handling the airplane and the instructor commented on how smooth I was at the controls. "The cute pilot complimented me! Eeek!" I most likely turned a great shade of tomato. I landed with assistance and ran off the next morning to tell all my classmates how I was going to be a pilot!
What was your first general aviation flight like? Share in a comment below, give our Fly it Forward participants a look into all the exhilaration they are in for!
02/05/11
201st Post!
Woman Fly it Forward is doing great, people are sharing the news of our event and others in the US all over social media. I have yet to go through all the RSVPs of participants I received while on vacation. The days are ticking away and the numbers are getting bigger!
01/25/11
1. Click on the flier below
2. Save it to your desktop
3. Email it to all your family and friends
Good job!
We have 14 planes with pilots and 40+ ladies ready to fly and counting!
01/20/11
THIS JUST IN!
$.50 off per gallon of gas for all pilots flying for Woman Fly it Forward!!! Now if that's not a reason to volunteer, what is? :)
01/20/11:
Has Flying Changed Your Life?
01/12/11
01/09/11
01/07/11
Thank you, Patty! Got some great giveaways in the mail from her today for Woman Fly it Forward! What are they, you ask? You'll have to come to find out!
01/05/11
Want to spread the word of Women Fly it Forward and don't know where to start? I have created the webpage (basically a flier) www.WomenFlyitForward.com. Email your friends and family, those who love to fly and those who wish to! Print the flier out and pass it on! Make a difference in a future women pilot's life today!
12/30/10
I connected with two inspirational women aerobatic pilots, Julie Clark and Patty Wagstaff. They both are committed to be performing at airshows the day of the event but were quick to offer to send me giveaways for the female participants, to include Patty Wagstaff's DVD we will have playing in the registration room.
Patty was quick to spread the news to her flying friends including directed me to a local aerobatic aviatrix and wing walker, Jane Wicker, who has volunteered to talk with our potential new pilots. She will bring her Stearman to display and will be talking with participants after they go for their airplane ride.
Also in the works is a possible USAF aircraft on display along with female USAF pilots to chat with. We now have eight airplanes and pilots signed up and more coming! Five ground volunteers are committed to the event and about 15 girls have preregistered to take flight! Let's keep these numbers rising and the exciting news coming!
12/29/10
IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE: Woman Fly it Forward is now on Saturday, March 12 to celebrate on Women in Aviation week. This way our participants will be eligible for prizes through the Centennial of Women Pilots. This will also bring more pilots and planes in as it will not conflict with popular the Sun N Fun Fly-In. Sorry for any inconvenience!
Has Flying Changed Your Life?
Someone asked this question on the Purple Board for Pilots the other day. My answer is YES. So much that sometimes I wish I have never started on this path, because when I am not flying, I long for it. It has brought be to places I never thought I would have experienced and has introduced me to the most amazing individuals. It brings me a sense of peace, confidence and meaning. At a meeting at KFDK for Woman Fly it Forward with the airport manager today he stated that flying, "was like crack." Now, I do not condone the use of drugs, but I am hoping that Woman Fly it Forward is the first "hit" for many girls and women and that someday they can say that flying has changed their life for the better.
What life changing events are in store at Women Fly it Forward at FDK?
- FREE introductory flight
- A variety of planes from aerobatic to experimental with pilots from all walks of life. Some fly for a living, some work for local aviation organizations, some do it just for fun and one is a retired fighter pilot!
- Static displays of unique aircraft from a Huey to a Stearman
- Meet successful women in the industry to include: an aerobatic performer/wingwalker, USAF pilots and an air traffic controller
Here above the farms and ranches of the Great Plains aviation lives up to the promise that inspired dreamers through the ages. Here you are truly separate from the earth, at least for a little while, removed from the cares and concerns that occupy you on the ground. This separation from the earth is more than symbolic, more than a physical removal - it has an emotional dimension as tangible as the wood, fabric, and steel that has transported you aloft. ~Stephen Coonts, 'The Cannibal Queen'
01/12/11
It's funny how Facebook can put you back in touch with people from the past and what can come of it. I recently reconnected with a friend who I haven't seen or spoken to in at least ten years; she responded to my friend request by messaging me about how proud of me she was that I was a pilot. It felt good to receive such an accolade. Becoming a pilot takes hard work and commitment, regardless of who you are. Being praised for that accomplishment makes all the blood (well, I only cut myself once on a plane), sweat (90+ degree day when the heat kept turning on) and tears (lots) worth it. This praise, how small it may have been, from a non-aviator shows how precious the gift of flight is and how inspiring the journey can be! My long-lost friend admitted that she was afraid to fly and that maybe someday I could help her to conquer her fear. I would love to be able to do this, to encourage her and show her all that aviation has to offer. All it takes is one flight and the support of an excited aviator.
That is the goal of the Women Fly it Forward event, to support and inspire women young and old, those who are trying to conquer their fears, fulfill a dream or curiosity, or to simply try it out. It's after their flight that we have the greatest challenge; to keep them interested, encouraged and excited about becoming involved in aviation. At the Women Fly it Forward event on March 12th we don't plan to have ladies take their free flight and go home. The excitement of aviation will continue by watching videos and raffling giveaways from aerobatic performer Patty Wagstaff, taking pictures and speaking with aerobatic performer and wing walker Jane Wicker and communicating with other women working within the aviation industry; from the US Air Force to Air Traffic Control. It is my hope that with the free introductory flight andencouragement from successful women in the industry that the Women Fly it Forward event will touch the lives of at least a few women and that they in turn decide to take the next step.
John Quincy Adams said, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." Will you be a leader at Women Fly it Forward? Will you inspire the future pilots of aviation?
Want to do more, now? Contact me on ways you can help to promote this event.
Visit and promote the event! Check it out on: WomenFlyitForward.com, Yelp, Facebook, Key103 Radio and the awesome new Women of Aviation Week website!
Want to do more, now? Contact me on ways you can help to promote this event.
Visit and promote the event! Check it out on: WomenFlyitForward.com, Yelp, Facebook, Key103 Radio and the awesome new Women of Aviation Week website!
01/09/11
01/07/11
Thank you, Patty! Got some great giveaways in the mail from her today for Woman Fly it Forward! What are they, you ask? You'll have to come to find out!
01/05/11
Want to spread the word of Women Fly it Forward and don't know where to start? I have created the webpage (basically a flier) www.WomenFlyitForward.com. Email your friends and family, those who love to fly and those who wish to! Print the flier out and pass it on! Make a difference in a future women pilot's life today!
12/30/10
I connected with two inspirational women aerobatic pilots, Julie Clark and Patty Wagstaff. They both are committed to be performing at airshows the day of the event but were quick to offer to send me giveaways for the female participants, to include Patty Wagstaff's DVD we will have playing in the registration room.
Patty was quick to spread the news to her flying friends including directed me to a local aerobatic aviatrix and wing walker, Jane Wicker, who has volunteered to talk with our potential new pilots. She will bring her Stearman to display and will be talking with participants after they go for their airplane ride.
Also in the works is a possible USAF aircraft on display along with female USAF pilots to chat with. We now have eight airplanes and pilots signed up and more coming! Five ground volunteers are committed to the event and about 15 girls have preregistered to take flight! Let's keep these numbers rising and the exciting news coming!
12/29/10
IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE: Woman Fly it Forward is now on Saturday, March 12 to celebrate on Women in Aviation week. This way our participants will be eligible for prizes through the Centennial of Women Pilots. This will also bring more pilots and planes in as it will not conflict with popular the Sun N Fun Fly-In. Sorry for any inconvenience!
12/28/10
Women Fly it Forward aka WFIF sounds like a radio station. Thanks for tuning in to WFIF after this commercial, "What to do when you encouter inadvertent icing with guest speaker...."
I am obviously in a good and goofy mood. Good news keeps coming on our WFIF event. Today another pilot with a plane has volunteered so we will have a Decathlon in our pattern as well! I've done some aerobatics in a Super D before and know what a fun airplane it is and what an exciting pick for an introduction into aviation! If each airplane we currently have participating can fill to capacity we can have 14 women in the air at a time! Those are great odds! In addition, Pilots Journey Podcast has graciously offered to feature our event in one of their podcasts to get the word out and AOPA will be discussing their involvement in this cause at their outreach meeting in January!
I would like to extent me deepest gratitude, as I will continue as the day gets closer and forever after it, to all those who have been bombarding me with enthusiasm and help. I love to organize events, especially when it is something as meaningful as this; but I have never had the amount of support as I do now. So thanks to you all for making a difference and keep it coming!
12/27/10
We will make history in FDK on March 22th, it's still three months away but the enthusiasm on getting as many women in the air in a day as possible has been overwhelming! So far on the roster I have pilots to fly two Cessna 172s, a Bulldog, an RV-6, a Glasair and possible an LSA! I'm very excited about the variety of aircraft that we will be introducing women young and old to. I have made the offer that any pilot traveling from out of state to help make this event possible will be treated to a celebratory dinner that night, but that was just the icing on the cake for them and the volunteers were more than happy to fly without free grub.
I have had phone calls and countless emails from enthusiastic volunteers full of suggestions and ideas, to include a chief flight instructor of a very women friendly light sport flight training center and the director of an unofficial FAA aviation club. Due to the help of these great people we may have some special women themed items for sale as well as a guest speaker from air traffic control!
I have secured a location for our event, at my company's hangar to board your ride. Securing accommodations for registration and seminars are in the process. Invites have been posted on local aviation clubs on MeetUp.com and through my personal Facebook. Please befriend me or join these groups to invite others to this great event!
Please keep checking back for updates through my Women Fly it Forward tab where I will copy updates as I post them!
